Hong Lok House | 11-31 Essex Street | Chinatown

Re: Hong Luk Project - Chinatown

Brad Plaid said:
Even if the same style and quality could be widely duplicated I wouldn't want it. Mimicry doesn't sit well with me at all. Architecture is such a plastic art. A street respecting, well functioning, sustainable building of quality materials can look like so many different things. No to neo-historicist straightjackets.
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I've never understood this argument. That somehow building something in a style that's not new or contemporary is "wrong". This is why we end up with so many Arch schools that are the ugliest building on campus (see: Harvard GSD or the arch school at my alma mater UVA).
If you like painting impressionism, then paint blurry till your fingers bleed. I don't care if it's not 1880's Paris.
And if you like Georgian architecture, design and build it. I won't notice if the current King of England is named George.
And for Christs sake, if you like bell bottoms, wear them. I don't give a shit if it's 1978 or not.
Architects on this board: Please explain to me why being Avant Garde is frequently more important than being good.
 
Re: Hong Luk Project - Chinatown

I'm not an architect but I know what I like. Avant Garde and "good" are not mutually exclusive as you seem to imply. Ugly is in the eye of the beholder and while I don't love GSD I do like it's concrete muscularity.
 
Re: Hong Luk Project - Chinatown

A big part of the problem is that most commercial buildings are not built to be owned for the long term, they are built to be flipped. 100 - 150 years ago, the owner of the building was going to own or stay there for the "long term", and they took pride in the quality of the materials and workmanship. Today, many commercial developments use the cheapest materials possible to make a quick profit, and it shows.

Look at the cladding difference between the the Liberty Mutual Building and the Kensington. Liberty Mutual is putting their name (and reputation) on the building. Kensington is clearly a near term flip job.
 
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Re: Hong Luk Project - Chinatown

I see it as not wasting quality materials and workmanship and replacing it with crap. It's pessimistic, but I really don't see a lot of quality materials and craftsmanship being built today to change my mind.

And not every building is going to be a brand new wonderful idea that's never been done before. That's not how it works.
 
Re: Hong Luk Project - Chinatown

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Re: Hong Luk Project - Chinatown

I wish then the theater would still be here!
 
Re: Hong Luk Project - Chinatown

This is what is so confusing, the "base" fits in well enough and could even stand on it's own. But the top part is like they just gave up. WTF!
 
Re: Hong Luk Project - Chinatown

Didn't you get the memo? Every building both big and small must have at least two facade themes that are completely unrelated to each other. The more pastiches the better!!
 
Re: Hong Luk Project - Chinatown

vanshnookenraggen said:
This is what is so confusing, the "base" fits in well enough and could even stand on it's own. But the top part is like they just gave up. WTF!
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Yea I mean...I guess we're always screaming about the ground-level, which is what they paid attention to, but it's still wicked strange just how little they seemed to have cared about what went on top.
 
Re: Hong Luk Project - Chinatown

I don't think any theatre used to be on this site. (Unless you mean the Pilgrim which was around the corner on Washington, where Archstone is now)
 
Re: Hong Luk Project - Chinatown

^I was refering to the the lil sister coment and the theater that was on the Kensington site :)
 
Re: Hong Luk Project - Chinatown

Do you mean the Gaiety ?

I think this was once known as the Trans Lux....or maybe the Publix.
 
Re: Hong Luk Project - Chinatown

The theatre on the Kensington site was built as the Gayety and most recently called the Publix. The Trans-Lux (later 'State') was a different theatre, a block further north on Washington Street, torn down for Millennium Place.
 
Re: Hong Luk Project - Chinatown

I believe you're correct, Ron. I also believe the Trans-Lux/State was once also know as Minsky's Park Burlesque.
 
Re: Hong Luk Project - Chinatown

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And, then I got my registration taken care of...
 
Re: Hong Luk Project - Chinatown

So...no retail here? Waste.
 
Re: Hong Luk Project - Chinatown

The block, back in the day. RIP, Playland.

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Re: Hong Luk Project - Chinatown

Playland was a scary place :)
 
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