Tall Building Fetish and Forum Post Quality

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393b40

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So... I have been coming less and less to this forum recently because it seems every thread devolves into posts by a certain group members basically lamenting 250 ft buildings and the lack of height in Boston.

Can we stop this BS? Maybe we can create a separate forum space where the TALL EVERYWHERE folks can circle jerk to their hearts content about evil NIMBY's and the lack of room to build in Boston and how every building we put up needs to be supertall?

Thanks!
 
meddle,

Some who really enjoy participating in, commenting on and critiquing design view design as an exercise of optimizing within constraints. There are always constraints and always will be.

But I wouldn't lump everyone on this forum who comments on height into one group. Some of us simply view height as a design constraint - but one that is (at times) being really nastily, hatefully, unfairly and artificially over-constrained in Boston in ways that it isn't elsewhere. When a designer does a phenomenal job creating something wonderful within constraints - and the constraints are real and just - we celebrate it as a victory within constraints even if the thing ends up being only 30 feet tall.

All I am saying is that banning "height" from being discussed would ban two types of commenters on this forum, not one type. You make a great point about post quality as well as the need to perhaps channel the height fettish to a different part of the forum. But some of us just love great design befitting the particular parcel under discussion.

(coming from a 6+ year forum follower who only recently started posting;
and please stay w/ the forum - you make great posts, and diversity of perspectives is what makes this forum wonderful)
 
I've probably been guilty of this :0.

I agree with big picture though.
 
I made the same complaint in the open thread probably a year or so ago. Someone agreed with me but also pointed out that their interest (and the interest of many others) in architecture started with obsession over height. In hindsight, mine did too. Hopefully it evolves.

I'm with you though, I do a lot of scrolling past the "would be better if it was only 1,609,2987541908745.07 feet taller, why can't we just move Logan and say 'FU' to the FAA?!" posts. I've found the "hide posts from this poster" feature to come in handy. I also hope that some of the newer posters who are fixated on height mature a bit overtime. It's always good to see an interest in architecture and many of us started with a fascination with height above all else.
 
I think it's ridiculous too but to each their own and I have no real problem with members fantasizing about taller buildings. I'd be a hypocrite to fault anyone for fantasizing about expanding transit so why a double standard? If people want to post more tower porn do it in the Design a Better Boston forum.

Also
Lrfox said:
I've found the "hide posts from this poster" feature to come in handy.
Click to expand...
 
The quality of the news and photos is as high as it's ever been, but yes, I post and read the discussion a lot less than I used to. Not sure if it's a declining quality or just the fact that there's "The ArchBoston Discussion Cycle" and that I've already been through it a few hundred times.
 
Agreed, the quality of discourse around here has definitely dropped off. The fetish with height is annoying. I especially hate how every new rendering gets reposted with, "this is how it would look if it were 300 feet taller." Who cares? Those should all go into a separate fantasy thread somewhere where they can be ignored and they won't muck up discussion about real proposals.

Edit: But I should add that I still come here regularly, for construction photos mostly, so thanks to everyone who keeps us updated on the progress of ongoing projects. There really is nowhere else to go for this.
 
Poolio said:
Agreed, the quality of discourse around here has definitely dropped off. The fetish with height is annoying. I especially hate how every new rendering gets reposted with, "this is how it would look if it were 300 feet taller." Who cares? Those should all go into a separate fantasy thread somewhere where they can be ignored and they won't muck up discussion about real proposals.
Click to expand...

Agreed on all points, especially the renders getting reposted at taller heights. Drives me nuts.

I still participate in the discussion and try to keep the discourse that I contribute focused on architecture, urban design & construction, but there's so much noise about height that it's increasingly off-putting to me. I just avoid some threads altogether.
 
For what it's worth, as a relative newbie, I too am put off by the height-obsessives and their relentless focus on one aspect of development.

I have no problem with folks who like and want to see towers, but some seem to prize that over all else and drag too many threads down that path.
 
I agree with the general sentiment, there are about 5 posters on here that post in such a volume and repeat themselves over and over that they really disrupt the flow of the whole board. It is bringing down the quality and I wish the mods would warn them to tone down their enthusiasm/rhetoric
 
I like the suggestion tysmith had here as a place for some of the more constructive alternative scenarios to get posted.

I also agree that the board has degenerated lately with too much whining about height. I say this as someone who thinks the Boston metro area generally does need to go vertical in many places. Along with the overemphasis on height, there's a repeated tone of "I think all the developers ought to stomp away and go pout and then everyone will be sooo sorry, nyah nyah Boston doesn't even DESERVE tall towers."

I am cynical about local and state politics sometimes too, there's plenty of grounds for it, and I express it at times. But I try not to let it infect every single damn post (or set of posts), and I wish some others would show some better restraint.
 
So...aquarium parking garages are the new height fetish beaten to gelatinous goo, eh?
 
Outbreak time again?

Valtrex-box.jpg


If you rotate the box by 90 degrees it's twice as tall and fits under the FAA height limit.
 
I don't really think a person's taste for tall buildings is so bad. They just like them. It's the essay length posts written like the author is high on pcp that get old...
 
Jouhou said:
I don't really think a person's taste for tall buildings is so bad. They just like them. It's the essay length posts written like the author is high on pcp that get old...
Click to expand...

+2

(some of us just like beautiful skylines)
 
I just like development, be it small infill or a new skyscraper. I don't post much even though I've been a member for 10 years and I am on here 1/2 dozen times per day because there are too many pretentious posters who like to spout off. I come for the pics from Beeline, Boston02124 and a few of the other members and to watch what is arguably my favorite city in the world grow.
 
Beeline deserves to get paid for all of the amazing shots that he provides to this site! He's definitely my favourite poster. (Though he is certainly not the only great poster)
 
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