About three weeks ago I blogged about the planned redo of the plaza areas in Writer Square, which was reported to include a glass pyramid and a moat, of all things. Today I’m happy to be able to post a few more renderings of the proposed design. These images are scans of a handout that was provided to Writer Square residents and business owners at a recent meeting with the developer. All images are copyright DHR Architecture / Blue Architects.
First, here’s the site plan:
In the initial phase, the corner at 16th and Lawrence will be a sunken plaza with a small water feature. Reportedly, the pyramid and underground commercial space for that corner would be a future phase only if the right high-profile retailer was found. The wall that runs along Larimer from the corner at 15th Street that separates the plaza from the sidewalk will be removed. I support that idea as it will improve pedestrian circulation, particularly when the city removes a drive lane from Larimer and consequently widens the sidewalk on the Writer Square side of the block next year. Also to be removed is the large triangular planter at the corner of 16th and Larimer, which should also improve pedestrian movement at that intersection.
The site plan also shows, however, that the pedestrian areas will be barren except for pedestrian lighting. The green trees shown on the site plan are on the landscaped upper level residential patios. There appear to be no trees planned for the public plazas themselves. Here are two images showing the proposed sunken plaza at 16th and Lawrence (left) and the plaza at 15th and Larimer (right):
I don’t know about you, but neither space seems particularly inviting. No seating, no flowers or trees, no public art, no shade. Really, who is going to want to sit on a folding chair and play the guitar in a sun-baked concrete plaza in the middle of the summer? In Downtown, we need more trees, more shady areas to provide shelter and refuse from the sun. What will be removed to make way for this sunken plaza? Mature trees. Also, these two images appear to show that the plaza surface will be–concrete squares? How interesting. Other improvements include updating the retail storefronts and signs, which seem appropriate to me.
Finally, here’s a night-time shot showing proposed new signage at 15th and Lawrence:
The project is supposed to begin later this spring and be finished before the end of the year, and will occur in five stages so that the whole site is not impacted at the same time.
Overall, I’m underwhelmed. I fully support the idea of making improvements to Writer Square in general. The existing plaza surfaces are in poor condition, and a general sprucing up of the pedestrian areas and storefronts is a welcome investment. But getting rid of all seating and landscaping seems unwise to me. Writer Square currently provides a pleasant place to sit and relax for a few minutes, set back a bit from the busy streets that surround it. Under the proposed plan, it looks like it will be not a place to dwell, but simply to pass through. Does that really make for a great public space?
I think this plan looks absolutely miserable. Its cold, harsh, and uninviting. Not to mention I'm shocked any architecture firm would actually allow those renderings to be released to the public. This plan and these renderings look like they were created for a college project by a less than average freshman student. I'd give it a D.
Boy, if we're not building parking lots, we're making plazas that look like parking lots. So much for the little oasis that made for the best part of downtown Denver.
Is there any possible way to influence the owner to adjust some of these "improvements" so that WS is not ruined?
i'm thinking the owner is trying to design this him / herself…these look incredibly amateurish.
removing mature trees? you must be joking i hope…
bravo – shade and shadow is somethign we need MORE of DT…not giant open plazas that will be blazing heat islands.
we need to 'hold' our corners with buildings, not have them melt away into a concrete patio.
hopefully the WS team is reading DI.com
Blecch, blecch, blecch. We progress, but we certainly do not advance.
Is there no civic agency or organization with the power to review this? Downtown Denver has a enough challenges with landscaping and public plazas; eliminating one of the few spots with shade/seating certainly doesn't appear to be very intelligent.
The problem with Writer Square isn't the seating and the planters. The problem with Writer Square now is the fact that a new owner overpaid (wildly) to purchase it.
Maybe we should contact alleged architects and let them know of our
displeasure.
What are they thinking? That is the most uninviting, unattractive urban landscape. I hope they come to their senses and realize they could open the plaza up… make it more pedestrian friendly… while leaving some of its treasured features like mature trees, benches, and the BBQ stand! So unfortunate. I am with you Ken, there are definitely some upgrades that could be done to the space – but are these the right ones?
Looking at these renderings… I really just don't even see the space for a pyramid. Maybe they should take that grand plan, buy a surface parking lot down the street, and build it there.
-holygrail
All WS needs is a little touchup, thats all. Updated furniture, updated storefronts, a more interesting design pattern for the ground surface, etc.
It is impossible to increase its density without disrupting the regular flow of business there. So that is out of the question.
You also cant signifigantly alter the buildings either without losing business.
What the owners are trying to do is give WS's rustic european character a splash of
21st century simplicity for contrast,
sort of like a black and white kind of thing.
Based on the drawings, it just doesnt work in this case. Its too barren and uninviting to pedestrians. The lack of color is also really bothersome to me.
On the plus side, if WS almost completely fails because of this, the door will be open to total redevelopement.
RANT WARNING!
WS is just one of many areas of the mall that are in desperate need of a facelift. The Champa Centre turned out to be a complete disaster, the Sage, despite its beautiful renovation, has succumbed to another bank franchise of the most sterile kind Meanwhile, the Colorado Building is deteriorating, the unique Virgin Megastore is closing (to be replaced with Forever 21's lame flagship store)There are still no plans in the future for a Target, nor a grocery. The paint is peeling off the planters, the benches give you splinters. I think the future looks bleak for the mall. Sorry, but thats just me:/
I get it. The "improvement" here is removing the sight line obstacles to the storefronts. All those nuisance trees, planters, artworks, etc.
And people, of course. Can't have cool places for people to sit and relax, they won't have any reason to come inside the stores…
Hopefully this will come under the LDDRB or somesuch?
This is horrible!
Please don't take some of our only flowers and peaceful spaces DT, we need more not less.
I gotta say that an open space is better than the pyramid, I don't mind it at all. Let's face it, there's not enough room there to build anything else. Maybe leaving it alone would be the best thing to do.
Also, why is it that they feel the need to put "writer square" in big red letters on it? It just seems like it's vulgar and amateurish.
Wow, this is terrible. Just this Sunday I ate lunch at Zaidy's and then had some frozen yogurt at Kuulture – and I really enjoyed sitting on the tables next to the sculptures and potted plants, I stayed around for about 45 minutes and had some friends meet me there. If these changes are made I imagine I will take my yogurt -or whatever- and walk to another area…
Definitely 10 steps backwards… who the heck is the brainchild of this mess?
Architectural protip: Downtown is not a strip mall. Unified signage and awnings are a BAD thing in an urban context. Adjacent stores should be visually distinct.
As long as we're re-doing the place, the storefronts ought to be modified so they aren't all the same.
If they want to direct people to the businesses, why don't the make a nice, inviting lane with short bushes and benches?
This plan is absolutely terrible! They're stepping back about 5 decades. I really hope this doesn't actually happen.
I just threw up in mouth a little bit.
Note to new WS owner:
BIG MISTAKE!!!
Oh great, they might as well make the plaza into a parking lot so people can have easier access to the stores! I mean that is what they are going for right? This design is so blah! people enjoy downtown and urban environments because they are unique, and this is not unique!
All they need to do now is paint some hopscotch and four square courts and it'll look like a school play yard. Maybe a couple of hoops?
Meh!
I have nothing to add, it's all been said already. I hope this plan falls victim to the credit crunch in the same way the many worthwhile proposals out there have.
Ken, I've been reading your blog for some 3 years and have NEVER seen such a unity in commentary. Does anyone support this renovation?
Also, I find it funny how the company remarked in the article they wanted to do something unique in Denver, hence the glass pyramid. But doesn't Paris have the Louvre? And I've seen glass pyramids in New York, Chicago, Dallas… how would that be unique?
given the quality (or lack thereof) of the renderings, it's highly possible that the designer does not possess the skills to render trees or other details…which in and of itself seems to be reason to worry
The number of people on the mall seems to be increasing 10% year after year due to planning and population growth, and soon it will be overrun and flooding into cross streets.
This plan appears to be a reaction to this density and assumes it must make writer square a high volume pathway that bridges larimer/ auraria and the 16th st mall rather than being charming or casual. Inspired by the idea that a flood of people will be coming through, and they need to react to handle those people by removing obstacles, and reducing maintenance costs.
There isn't anything visually enticing pulling people into writer square's alley and this plan only makes it worse. The redesign of the pavilions seems to be a similar business model but smarter solution. The belief that there is close to a critical mass of people on 16th, and they just need to make the lighting, art, paving, stores, and access friendly enough to draw even a small percent of the people passing by.
I agree that this design is very weak and with little thought behind it. The renderings doesn't help either as it looks really drab and depressing.
Leaving the plaza alone would be better than this proposal.
Check out the plaza at the World Trade Center fronting 16th street (especially during lunch time). It is a great example of how urban squares should be designed. It has attractive and practical furniture, ample night lighting, nice paving, and just enough trees, planters and landscaping.
All: Here's some positive infill news. The CDC (Capital Development Committee) approved two new buildings for the Auraria Campus… both would front Auraria Parkway.
– ME
Read the story here:
http://www.mscd.edu/~collcom/artman/publish/successbuilding_twv6042209.shtml
Please tell me that the simplicity (??) of these renderings was meant to show storefronts, general bldg upgrades etc. Then, please tell me that these are not the storefronts, upgrades, etc.
Note to DHR/Blue, WS owners…only a few tweaks are needed here. This is NOT the Pavilions and it never should be. You actually have a block of retail that is pretty much rented out. It has a nice variety of LOCAL restaurants and day/night use. Please, think long and hard about what you are doing. Heck if you're trying to go cheap, even consult the architecture school down the block, you'll get 20 better ideas as a studio project by the end of the year. Sad, sad, sad.
Whoever did those renderings needs to be fired. If they were even a bit less muddled and artifacted, there would be less than 100% dissent within these comments.
No, really, the renderings look great for being done in Microsoft Paint.
I'm pretty open minded with design proposals. But here I can see none of the original charm. The lights are now stark and uninviting…simply plopped onto the surface with no logical order. The fountain is non-interactive. In fact it cordons off half of the useful plaza space. I guess the "Writer Square" sign-on-a-line is the least of my concerns. But the font is way too modern, and is ignorant of what it describes. It's like if the DVD cover of Schindler's List was in Impact Bold font.
I go to school just blocks away and visit WS often, so I really care that the needed facelift will be handled right. So let's hope it will be back to the drawing board.
I wholly agree with all of the commentaries listed here, while WS would benefit from a little sprucing up, it would be a terrible shame if this pitiful neutralizing of the space went forth. I just wanted to add my "thumbs down" to this depressing and bland design in hopes that the owners and designers are reading DI and will think twice about proceeding if enough people express how sad this plan is.
16th and Lawrence will attract skateboarders. Look at that little skate heaven there. (Not that I have a problem with skateboarders. I'm just sayin'.)
As for the redesign, I don't like it. I don't like the suburban strip-mall style signage and I don't like the lack of shade. And no place to sit? Whaaa?
Then again, perhaps Annon 4:11 is on to something. It could be that there will be plenty of trees and benches but they were just left off because they're too hard to draw. 🙂
Who is the owner of Writer's Square? Can we forward him the link to this comments section?
I agree with what has been said and just want to add my concern about the pyramid coming as a second phase. I could see them making all these 'improvements' to prep the site for the pyramid and then stall indefinitely as they wait for the right retailer or correct market conditions. Then the city will be left with a blank concrete lot in place of what used to be a functional urban area.
Who ever designed this plaza did zero research and has little to no understanding of public spaces.
First – this is Denver – you NEED SHADE. Walk up and down 16th and find the ‘plazas’ without trees and notice how little use they get in the spring and summer. Adding soft subtle tree shade would be easy and create a comfortable environment.
Second – this is Denver – Water features STRUGGLE, just look at the old Lawrence Halprin fountains at Sky Line Park. They kept one of them because of its sculpted historic nature. This will be an exposed fountain with little seating, high maintenance and I bet without a good coherent plan to make sure it works.
Why create a barren, concrete landscape at a key intersection of the most iconic street mall in the west?
Why would you place a Glass Pyramid at this location? The designers are clearly not I. M. Pei and this is not Louvre!
The designers at the very least should have gone to the web site for Project for Public Spaces (http://www.pps.org/ ) where they list the basic ingredients for great public spaces (for free).
The City of Denver should have been watching this development and had better oversight and the developer should pull the plug on this design and farm it out as an RFP to qualified firms.
What a missed opportunity.
Questions or comments welcome – [email protected]
I like how the picutres show the people all moving very quickly through the space- even illustrated people don't want to be there.
The new design is terrible. I hope they rethink their choice before they go ahead with the remodel.
Anon 5:55:00 / ME:
There is a website dedicated to one of the two proposed Auraria buildings on the following site:
http://metrostaterising.com/
Not there is a link a presentation the Metro State Neighborhood Master Plan as well, which shows the implementation phases.
Absolutely God awful. The current space, while not the most hip or cosmopolitan, is at least inviting. What makes spaces like that inviting are trees, public art, benches…warmth.
Concrete and light fixtures are never warm and inviting. That's an experiment that failed decades ago.
This proposal would be taking a space that could use improvement and making it worse.
What a complete disaster. If you go out to the 16thSst. plaza @ WS right now, it's very active and populated. I suspect these "new owners" might only be interested in a significant reduction in annual maintenance costs–not a space where people want to congregate. What few trees shown on the perimeter will be the responsibility of the City. And, where is the City of Denver in all this? Doesn't Planning have some say/review? I would think someone is planning would push for something better. Is there a design review board? I would hope the City and the surrounding residents would object/protest. Again, this will be a train wreck for that area if implemented as shown.
YUCK. In that rendering of the side facing Larimer, it looks like they've stuck two security gates – are they screening for weapons?
It looks cold and stark. I think they need more plants and places to sit.
Also, they better keep Pizza Colore – that place is the best!!
Just a quick follow up – where are all the Larimer Place owners now? Aren't they supposed to care about the character of their neighborhood? Or, did they really only care about their views…
What a waste of money that could go elsewhere! Improvements would be nice- and I like the new 'Writer Square' sign- but the lack of trees and benches is horrible. The square concrete surface reminds me of Tienanmen Square. Being here in the middle of a Denver summer would be torture! Simply a boring, miserable waste.
Where the hell did these people get design education? Whatsamatta U? This is as amateur a scheme as I've ever seen. Laughable…if it weren't a stake in the heart of the city I love.
Underwhelmed is a generous understatement, Ken. I cannot support the evisceration of one of downtown's most inviting little places, which is all these renderings show. No doubt, all in the name of better retail visibility.
Thanks for the link Annon 10:30!
Yikes! Is this for real? Why would you take a place that has had several LONG term tenants and practically remove the essence of what makes it a pleasant place to walk through? Even many of the businesses that have moved on were there for a long time (Avante Card comes to mind). Why would a local firm even propose this? This is a neat little oasis that mostly works, especially in the daytime. Pulling out the landscape and pavers and turning it into alley sure isn't going to help the night time business. Anyone spoken to the businesses here to see what they think about this? I'd be hopping mad.
I'd say these "Blue Architects" have a reason to be blue, this design has all the charm of a prison yard. What a pity. I always thought Writer Square meant to invoke a charming European lane which was the perfect bridge between the 16th street mall and Larimer Square. Every trace of that is going to be eliminated. If this is a vision of the future, then it's bleak indeed.
Ideally (money and credit no object), it would make so much more sense to not let all of that prime space be wasted on cement and loitering. There are parks downtown already. If Denver has one truly one at least one good walkable street (in the pure urban sense) then 16th st must be it. Knock down existing retail towards 16th. Build along 16th with retail below replacing the shops knocked down, and add new housing on top in a 6-8 story building. All it needs is good urban design, nothing fancy. With the new building, create a backstreet venice feel with new spaces to create a secluded feel for cafe's, restaurants, etc.. do it in such a way that it feels like a alley rather than an outdoor mall, give it some intimacy.
As usual, I couldn't agree more with you, Ken. The proposed plan definitely isn't what Denver needs. Many thanks for bringing proposed developments to our attention. Hopefully it means that the bad (or at least the worst) plans can be averted.
I can almost understand why they might want to remove the center triangular planter and replace it with a water feature or something a little more transparent, but they really don't gain anything from removing the larger "north" and "south" planters with the big trees. Seems like a huge waste of money and perfectly good landscaping. This plan gets a D-.
DZ
Wow this is horrible. It looks like a prison yard.
I always enjoyed the little refuge that WS provided. Now it looks like it will turn into another area of downtown I'll be avoiding.
Enough about the plan–does anyone know whether Kuulture is staying as a tenant? I was in the store last week picking up my fix of yogurt and there was a combination key box attached to the front store. Uh oh.
UPDATE as of today, I have learned that the developer is apparently planning on installing digital screens on EACH side of that iconic clock tower in WS (not sure what is to become of the clock that actually keeps time). The electronic digital screens are apparently designed to be 25 feet by 10 feet and will be used for advertising. I have heard that they have already been approved, but not sure if this is true.
So now, we get a flow through parking lot (prison yard) devoid of living things and art, that is apparently designed to reduce maintenance costs and move as many people as possible through the open spaces AND is designed to capture as many "views" of "electronic ads as possible. What about the folks who actually live in the 40 some odd residences and get to be treated to jumbo 25' tall advertisements 24/7.
I will repeat something said previously — what he hell are these folks thinking and is anyone from the City or the DTDP even looking at this redesign and plan or is it just another situation of money rules and the rest of us are fools?