Hi all! I am looking to pursue a career in architecture, and I love to make concept renderings of future developments. I also love to envision future works that would significantly improve the urban environment of core neighborhoods. I have tried to make similar threads in the past, but I feel as though they are too specific and need to be broadened. That being said, I hope these works can spark conversation in these unusual times. I am widely open to constructive criticism as it's a great way to improve, and I encourage people to make suggestions on what works I should do next. That all being said, this is a building which I found inspiration from several new developments in Berlin. It stands 82 feet tall, is 140 feet wide, and is 83 feet long. It is 7-stories tall with the ground floor retail area being 20 feet tall, large enough for a loft area for additional seating (think the Hi-Point at the MX). The façade of this building is comprised of numerous balconies separated by bays (if you want to call them that) and is made out of white concrete panels. Lastly, this building should replace a good portion of the US Bank garage on Washington as pictured, adding more residents to the strip as well as major retail space. Tell me what your thoughts on this design, location, use, etc. below!

It's a neat concept and an attractive design. I don't have the skill to offer any constructive criticism, really. I could make the usual "Gee, I don't think US Bank would ever give up that lot" comments, but I don't figure that's the point. Seems likely you've got a better handle on how likely they would be to sell any given lot than I.

So instead I'll ask questions: why there and not elsewhere? (On a surface lot, say.) Is this mostly residential? Would it be a significant advantage to be across the street from the convention center for your envisioned use? I don't think they'd sell this either, but MAC's parking lot looks like a fairly ideal lot for some newbuild residential in a modernist style. That'd be a great corner with some lovely midcentury mod and a solid international style tower adjacent. (NE corner of Washington and Broadway.) Still plenty of potential foot traffic from the financial district, nearby hotels, and so forth. No idea how likely either property is to sell, but at least there you're starting with something closer to a blank slate than needing to demo a garage.

Anyway, I love the design. Best luck to you in your pursuit of beautiful buildings.

It's a nice design.  It would work anywhere really, but particularly well in Downtown West.

Your design works best for micro or small apartments.

It also lends itself well to prefab or shipping container construction, with the ends of each container offset 8' from the adjacent containers, forming the balconies... although I'm not sure that trend hasn't been played out...

It seems to me you'd want to have the first-floor glass facade wrap the other side as well. That way you have glass frontage on Wash Ave, 8th street, and on the US Bank Cube Plaza.  Also amenities are key in these apartments nowadays so a rooftop something would be helpful otherwise you are competing with other nearby buildings that are taller with loads of amenities. I agree with the previous comment that this would fill in downtown west quite well. Maybe a larger concept (a couple more floors and longer) could fill that block-long parking lot on Olive Street between 15th and 16th. 

Congrats on wanting to pursue architecture. From my experience prepare yourself for long nights, a terrible sleeping schedule, lots of criticism at almost all hours of the day, making lasting relationships (typically because you're all going nuts together during those long nights), and a whole lot of new knowledge when it comes to design related software. My advice learn how to hand draw and you're almost guaranteed a job at any firm. Those types of people are few now and retiring quickly. 

It's a fine building and all, but honestly, having a hard time picturing it in the real world without you placing in some stock "citizens" 

Just make sure to throw this guy into every rendering and you are good to go

symphonicpoet wrote: ↑

May 21, 2020

So instead I'll ask questions: why there and not elsewhere? (On a surface lot, say.) Is this mostly residential? Would it be a significant advantage to be across the street from the convention center for your envisioned use? I don't think they'd sell this either, but MAC's parking lot looks like a fairly ideal lot for some newbuild residential in a modernist style. That'd be a great corner with some lovely midcentury mod and a solid international style tower adjacent. (NE corner of Washington and Broadway.) Still plenty of potential foot traffic from the financial district, nearby hotels, and so forth. No idea how likely either property is to sell, but at least there you're starting with something closer to a blank slate than needing to demo a garage.

I chose this lot in particular as it is one of the few remaining significant "lots" on the east side of Tucker. That garage, in particular, sticks out like a sore thumb, and I would say that it is uglier than those at Keiner Plaza. IMO it takes a lot of character away from the rest of the strip, and I have always dreamed of a better use for it. Coincidentally, I designed this building for a lot in midtown, but I later found out that its dimensions were perfect for the lot pictured above. I was also wondering if it would work better on the old ambassador theater site as that has absolutely no use whatsoever. Thank you for the response!

Elek.borrelli wrote: ↑

May 21, 2020

ricke002 wrote: ↑

May 21, 2020

It's a fine building and all, but honestly, having a hard time picturing it in the real world without you placing in some stock "citizens" 

I need to invest in software where I can add as many stock characters as I desire! In a perfect world, every single "citizen" would have the same hairdo as the elusive mohawk man.

In regards to the software you should try to download free stuff to start getting acclimated to various ones that architecture may require you to use. 

I really like the alternating cubic facade. 

Oh, and in your future career, please, please, please try to find a cure for the "Hardie Board Scourge". We need someone to save the world.  

^^ I currently use a free 3D printing program called Tinkercad as I was bored last summer and wanted to see the massing of Ballpark Village fully built out. I also played around with Sketchup as I had a free 30-day trial. Ultimately, I keep going back to Tinkercad because I have become vastly familiar with it. It is very low quality, but basic and easy to use. I am going to save up to get the full version of Sketchup one of these days!

Students can get all of the top programs for free or for cheap

framer wrote: ↑

May 21, 2020

I really like the alternating cubic facade. 

Oh, and in your future career, please, please, please try to find a cure for the "Hardie Board Scourge". We need someone to save the world.  

Thank you! and I will try my best. It is quite a daunting task, to say the least 

I wanted to be an architect so bad. However, when I was deciding on career paths & universities during my junior and senior years of high school, the economy was very slowly recovering from the great recession and my parents talked me out of architecture since construction relies heavily on a strong economy. I wish you the best of luck! I still design buildings on the free version of SketchUp whenever I have the time.

Elek.borrelli wrote: ↑

May 21, 2020

^^ I currently use a free 3D printing program called Tinkercad as I was bored last summer and wanted to see the massing of Ballpark Village fully built out. I also played around with Sketchup as I had a free 30-day trial. Ultimately, I keep going back to Tinkercad because I have become vastly familiar with it. It is very low quality, but basic and easy to use. I am going to save up to get the full version of Sketchup one of these days!

Sketchup is great but my personal preference is Rhino. It can create a lot more complex geometries in my opinion and as an architect you'll be expected to learn Revit too. Good luck 3D drawing is one of my favorite parts of work! Constantly always try to learn new ways to do things in software. 

https://novedge.com/products/rhino-3d-6 ... kKEALw_wcB

LArchitecture wrote: ↑

May 21, 2020

 My advice learn how to hand draw and you're almost guaranteed a job at any firm. Those types of people are few now and retiring quickly. 

Very interesting.  I would have thought that skill was totally dead (aside from quick concept sketches and brainstorming). 

framer wrote:

LArchitecture wrote: ↑

May 21, 2020

 My advice learn how to hand draw and you're almost guaranteed a job at any firm. Those types of people are few now and retiring quickly. 

Very interesting.  I would have thought that skill was totally dead (aside from quick concept sketches and brainstorming). 

The top programs put a strong emphasis on hand drawing (Ex WashU)


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^ As a highschool student, would I still be able to download these programs for free/cheap?

Elek.borrelli wrote: ↑

May 21, 2020

^ As a highschool student, would I still be able to download these programs for free/cheap?

I think that may depend on partnerships and who your school uses as their email domain. Most software requires an email to verify your student status. If your email is verified as a student then most software does come at a significant price reduction. I would wait to purchase anything though and go with trials as long as you can or just watch a lot of tutorials. Most universities will have deals with these companies to get things like the adobe CC software free to its students etc. While your investment in software and a computer may be high, I found my investment in books was relatively low during college.

^ Then that's what I will do. In the meantime, I think it would be worthwhile to get better at water coloring as I find that it looks really good in renderings. 

St. Louis native Hugh Ferris was the undisputed master of architectural rendering. His book Metropolis of Tomorrow is a must-have.

Elek.borrelli wrote:^ As a highschool student, would I still be able to download these programs for free/cheap?

Yea it’s all independent of the school. You just need a .edu email. Some (sketchup. Autodesk family) don’t even require that.


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