[PRO] 124-126 Franklin Street | 87m | 26 Lvls | Hotel

[Brando]

10 - 12 levels could work, anything more, like the 25 levels proposed and it's just way too much.

I'd be curious to know the plot: ratio for this..!

[slenderman]

I think every building should be stand-alone acceptable.

I don't buy into the theory that other things will pop up to cover it. If it is ugly then don't let it get built. Developers are going to go as cheap as possible (and fair enough) we need to have some standards!

This. Especially considering the pretty slow rate of development in Adelaide. I'm growing colder on this one.

Take King William Tower's 70m blank walls. Heritage on one side and nobody seems to want to tear down that nasty piece of white crap on the other side. The result: 40+ years of two ugly blank walls on our main city street. Similar case even with newer buildings like 115 KWS. And don't forget the 40 year period that the Telstra Exchange was visible from Victoria Square, the heart of the CBD.

It's more forgiveable if the building at least has some nice walls like 115 KWS, but with this one, the southern (and presumably northern) wall is far too busy considering how thin the building is, and as a result it looks pretty ugly.

Nobody doesn't want to see the CBD develop, but development means improvement, which is the key word.

Granted, increased residential population improves the life of the CBD, but does this building improve the urban landscape of Adelaide? Not really. In fact, ugly, super prominent 80m walls detract from it.

[mshagg]

I think there's also the impact on perceptions of highrise development from substandard proposals like this one. Along with providing ammunition for the usual detractors, it can foster hostility from the various planning approval forums and generally negative sentiments from the community.

[phenom]

Sure, but not everyone thinks it is ugly. Has anyone noticed what the buildings next to it look like? Or that part of Franklin Street more generally? The iPrimus (?) 'box'? The wasteland across the road next to the bus station? Huge open space car parks and warehousing? Truscotts and decaying multi-level car park just down the road? Absolutely embarrassing.

Aesthetics are pretty personal. To me, other 'recent' buildings that are prominent that look vile to me - the south side of City Central Tower 2 - even the builders are careful to try and not show that side of the building in their own photos... lol. Or the student 'towers' on North Terrace. There are a significant number of 'pro development' people on S-A who think Vue looks awful... so...

This building is also approximately the same height as the Quest/PWC building just up the road - so hardly sticking out like the sore thumb it looks like in the renders which are obviously designed to exaggerate how different it will look.

[RoiMartel]

1

[mshagg]

I don't see what the derelict state of the area has to do with criticism of the design. We should be ok with crappy buildings because truscotts?

The form factor looks fine to me (i don't think it'll stand out much at all - vision, altitude, rowlands, central Adelaide, quest) and as far as the necessary evil of blank east/west walls go, I don't think it's bad at all. The main façade is somewhat jarring, perhaps it's just the render - chances are it'll look a bit plainer than shown (they always do!).

[Goodsy]

I don't mind the look, although I don't particularly like the colours or that tacky artwork up the side

[phenom]

Well, renders are at best an indicator of reality as we all know. That said, looking at the render I quite like the 'thematic' glass strip that runs up the second quarter of the building. The balconies look better than slabs of identikit as we've seen elsewhere.

And yes, let's give some though to the internals too - most of the floor plans (above about level seven I think) run north-south, so you can actually get an apartment with good ventilation (a huge weakness in a lot of city living I've found) and a certain degree of separation or privacy in the apartment because it's not just a basic square shape.

Anyway, Mr Market will determine what happens with this one and my personal experience with the company involved in selling this one wasn't great (but I grant that might have been an isolated experience).

[sponge]

I thought I would throw in my two cents as someone who is actively looking at purchasing a 3 bedroom apartment in the city to live in.

We are downsizing from a big house so design is very important to me. I have looked at U2, West Franklin and have been getting updated plans as they have become available for this project through the real estate agent. Even though the apartments are narrow, out of all the design of the 3 bedrooms apartments it is a clear winner. It is long in length so we can still have some privacy in the apartment compared to all the square box designs the other projects seem to have. Only 2 apartments per floor is a huge bonus for us in our eyes. We will turn the 3rd bedroom into a theater room. The interior finishes are of a higher quality of "West Franklin", 2Pack kitchens as standard etc. North/South cross flow ventilation is a huge advantage. No Pool is no loss for me, I would rather lower strata fees.

Now I can understand not every building design is agreeable to each person. I run a kitchen business here in Adelaide for many years and everyone has different tastes when it comes to colours, looks and design. I however do not think the building is "ugly and hideous" as some ppl have mentioned. Someone mentioned the empty car park across the road but the area will continue to develop as the years roll on. Central markets, Adelaide Oval, everything is within easy walking distance.

My biggest worry is committing to a project and not seeing it go ahead or stalling like so many projects do and putting our move on hold and in a year or two being back a square one and prices have gone up etc.

Anyway just my two cents worth from someone who will be placing a deposit for an apartment in the next cpl weeks to actually live in, the external look of the building is not my main factor in a purchase. I don't want to live in an ugly building, but I think I could do much worse!

[Algernon]

Cities aren't regulated in to existence, they're built. Say no to everything and you end up with glorious wire fence bound gravel car parks for nobody to live in.

So build for the sake of building ? that is going to end well..

Absolutely not, and I don't think it's your opinion as much as just trying to find an angle on me. This isn't a bad looking building compared to a lot of the existing stock in Adelaide. Really, Adelaide's landscape is dotted with such ugly concrete buildings but they're just considered part of the environment. When a building like this comes along it's savaged for being ugly when it's still better than the likes of 65 King William. But that ugly brick wall has been there for a generation so it's just Adelaide?

Like it or not the thing that makes great cities is the risk appetite, and those cities end up great because they hit more often than they miss - NOT because everything is wonderful. If you're preoccupied with your downside you build nothing. Either that or you play it nice and safe, clad buildings in safe looking glass, and end up with the total abomination that is City Central.

[noted]

I think you guys are over reacting a little.
This will eventually in time be just another "brick in the wall" as developments around it will drown it out from being so prominent.

Sorry Rev, but have to disagree with you on this one. I don't think it is an overreaction, more a case of giving it the appropriate level of criticism that such an average design so richly deserves.

If it goes ahead so be it. However, I think it is fair enough to expect a much better class of building in the first instance, rather than just put up with it in the hope that it will be blocked out soon enough.

[Algernon]

I think you guys are over reacting a little.
This will eventually in time be just another "brick in the wall" as developments around it will drown it out from being so prominent.

Sorry Rev, but have to disagree with you on this one. I don't think it is an overreaction, more a case of giving it the appropriate level of criticism that such an average design so richly deserves.

If it goes ahead so be it. However, I think it is fair enough to expect a much better class of building in the first instance, rather than just put up with it in the hope that it will be blocked out soon enough.

Yet 115KW gets celebrated in its development thread. The walls are so ugly on that thing it makes me want to vomit. But cities aren't built for one person.

[phenom]

I thought I would throw in my two cents as someone who is actively looking at purchasing a 3 bedroom apartment in the city to live in.

My biggest worry is committing to a project and not seeing it go ahead or stalling like so many projects do and putting our move on hold and in a year or two being back a square one and prices have gone up etc.

Anyway just my two cents worth from someone who will be placing a deposit for an apartment in the next cpl weeks to actually live in, the external look of the building is not my main factor in a purchase. I don't want to live in an ugly building, but I think I could do much worse!

Sponge, some great input. I'm not as committed but have been considering this as an option. As has been expressed by others, while the location needs some work the apartments themselves are actually better than their equivalents in a lot of other developments I've looked at.

I also agree though that the concern around things proceeding is a pain. While the same concerns apply to any major development like this, the fact this has been around for a while and then changed into something bigger and - to my mind, better - still doesn't build confidence in it going ahead. No-one wants to be in the New Mayfield position (in terms of time) waiting for a development to get into build - which is where I think Vue and Bohem really were/are attractive.

[Ben]

Sponge a word of warning on this one. It hasn't been approved so I wouldn't put down a deposit until it has. You don't want to have your money tied up in a something going nowhere. It will be reported on this site if and when it is approved.

Have you looked at one Adelaide on flinders? The sales office opens next week. There is also kodo. The trims site might be a bit further off but certainly a great design and location. I am yet to see the inside though so it could be terrible who knows.

[Waewick]

I thought I would throw in my two cents as someone who is actively looking at purchasing a 3 bedroom apartment in the city to live in.

We are downsizing from a big house so design is very important to me. I have looked at U2, West Franklin and have been getting updated plans as they have become available for this project through the real estate agent. Even though the apartments are narrow, out of all the design of the 3 bedrooms apartments it is a clear winner. It is long in length so we can still have some privacy in the apartment compared to all the square box designs the other projects seem to have. Only 2 apartments per floor is a huge bonus for us in our eyes. We will turn the 3rd bedroom into a theater room. The interior finishes are of a higher quality of "West Franklin", 2Pack kitchens as standard etc. North/South cross flow ventilation is a huge advantage. No Pool is no loss for me, I would rather lower strata fees.

Now I can understand not every building design is agreeable to each person. I run a kitchen business here in Adelaide for many years and everyone has different tastes when it comes to colours, looks and design. I however do not think the building is "ugly and hideous" as some ppl have mentioned. Someone mentioned the empty car park across the road but the area will continue to develop as the years roll on. Central markets, Adelaide Oval, everything is within easy walking distance.

My biggest worry is committing to a project and not seeing it go ahead or stalling like so many projects do and putting our move on hold and in a year or two being back a square one and prices have gone up etc.

Anyway just my two cents worth from someone who will be placing a deposit for an apartment in the next cpl weeks to actually live in, the external look of the building is not my main factor in a purchase. I don't want to live in an ugly building, but I think I could do much worse!

I'm not going to engage you with the discussions re: the look of the building because I disagree with what you are saying (but more than likely neither of us will change our view)

what I will do is encourage you to speak to your Banker, assuming you have one given you run your own business. They can provide a Bank guarnatee to cover the deposit which will save you holding up your own cash and protect you in the event it goes bust* obviously this is not personal advice and does not take into account your personal circumstances and you should seek relevant financial advice before entering into a financial transaction.... so do your homework!