From my 3D model:
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740 8th Ave XL
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I wasn’t a big fan of the “upside down” Adjaye design but at least it was coherent. This feels like OMA were in a room stacking random objects in search of inspiration.
“The cigar box on top of the shoe box is a little boring. Maybe if we stick this old timey film reel canister in the middle? No, that’s not quite it. Screw it — rotate it 90 degrees and let’s break for lunch.”
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I like this overall form/massing better than the old design.
But agree that the texture of the old design was nicer and had more depth.
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I have developed recently a strong aversion to buildings’ that are designed in a way that look “top heavy”.
If the form factor of the building in any way looks ‘gravity defying’ of ‘about-to-tip-over’ - the aesthetic appeal is ruined. I do understand the general ideas behind the structural engineering that make these type of buildings safe; but the visual for me is still reads - unstable, tippy, etc.
This is a recent change in my previous opinions about these ‘gravity defying’ buildings: perhaps a sign of getting older and mort stodgy. 
I have 9 posts on this topic, and can be found praising the former design for this site - click on my infoshare tag above to see all my former contradictory comments.
This thing looks ‘unstable’…
This looks, slim, solid, stable, elegant and the WAY to GO…
…AND thanks for the great architectural rendering BTW.
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Pics from 2016
In this second proposal, how could the ventilation tower be integrated with the tower?
I suspect that some kind of outrigger system is connected to the (concrete) core below and above the setback.
What would interest me about the old suggestion would be what a possible structural diagram (statics) would look like?
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It’s likely that it won’t be integrated with the vent structure just as the initial scheme wasn’t and just hid the vent structure in a similar style facade. This tower doesn’t need large floor plates anymore because there is no office allowed within the criteria for the planned usage, so there would be no reason for any structure of the new tower to consume the vent structure like was done at 55 HY.
Because of the usage of the building, which Peebles proposal is most likely a hotel and a residential portion, the structure will most likely be concrete, which concrete structures rarely ever have outrigger belts because they are more rigid than steel structures and do not need them.
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The B1M (large social media page for people that like urban development) did a poll on which people like better. It’s only been up for 5 hours but…
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Not a huge fan of either tbh. Can someone remind me, has this group won the RFP? or are there potentially other proposals still?
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I’m not a huge fan of either, either… but I agree with the poll numbers and would much rather the revised
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I don’t like either one of them. I’d rather both designs not get built tbh. They both just look awkward and out of place.
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I don’t know why I’m drawn to the first version. Perhaps it was the facade treatment. I think what would make me enjoy this second version more is a giant LED/hologram Bladerunner screen in that square part. It’s already awkward, let’s make it garish.
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Per Nyguy on SSP:
Don Peebles on his proposal…
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/51-th…ion-190140977/
Forty percent is a big percentage of affordable housing.
Quote:
What has been the biggest obstacle with affirmation tower?
I think getting the Governor of New York to actually make a decision to sell us a site. We have proposed. It’s a second time now. We have proposed you know, a price and a project a couple of years ago, and then Andrew Cuomo had to leave office and so Hochul came in, canceled it and then reissued a request for proposals. We’ve done that and in that process, so that’s the biggest obstacle.
You know, good news is is that we’ve been able to raise the capital to do it.
It’s a three billion dollar development and uh and so I think that, you know, it should be a no brainer in my view, because we’re a very qualified team…
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If they have the capital to build it I personally dont understand why they havent just built it somewhere else rather than waiting all this time…
I understand that whatever design is designed to the specifications of this site in particular, but they still couldve built something somewhere else if they had the capital.
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That’s a really well-considered design. I especially like the materials, which feel consistent with a few of the nearby towers (especially 35 HY) and keep it from being too glassy; the relationship between the podium and Javits Center opposite; and the setbacks that create geometric relationships with the whole cluster.
I know this is just a concept from a design team without a developer, so it’s not likely that this would be built, but I’d be happy to see something like this rising here.
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This chick sucks. Like a lot
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Might I ask why as it pertains to this particular project? 1400 new units is a sizeable amount, though I don’t know the architect of the proposal, the building itself looks to be over or atleast 1000’, this is going to be a massive residential building.
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