Comments on: A Bank Shows Its Good Side http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2007/10/18/revealing-a-better-facade/ Exploring urban life through word and photography Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:47:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: kyndra rider http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2007/10/18/revealing-a-better-facade/comment-page-1/#comment-285660 kyndra rider Mon, 18 May 2009 23:09:56 +0000 http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2007/10/18/revealing-a-better-facade/#comment-285660 i'm portuguese and like to go there one day i’m portuguese and like to go there one day

]]> By: Payton http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2007/10/18/revealing-a-better-facade/comment-page-1/#comment-97189 Payton Mon, 29 Oct 2007 04:55:51 +0000 http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2007/10/18/revealing-a-better-facade/#comment-97189 Unlike the older facades covered by '60s or '70s "modernizations," modern facades like 5 PVM are rarely integral to the building's structure. There was an interesting piece in Preservation magazine a few years ago about how Lever House, one of the iconic early glass boxes, had its facade replaced with a "better than new" original. After all, Modern architecture is supposed to look shiny and new into perpetuity. Some more background on the Lever House program: http://www.preservenys.org/programs/awards02.htm#Lever Unlike the older facades covered by ’60s or ’70s “modernizations,” modern facades like 5 PVM are rarely integral to the building’s structure. There was an interesting piece in Preservation magazine a few years ago about how Lever House, one of the iconic early glass boxes, had its facade replaced with a “better than new” original. After all, Modern architecture is supposed to look shiny and new into perpetuity.

Some more background on the Lever House program:
http://www.preservenys.org/programs/awards02.htm#Lever

]]> By: Mary Soderstrom http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2007/10/18/revealing-a-better-facade/comment-page-1/#comment-96684 Mary Soderstrom Fri, 26 Oct 2007 00:18:06 +0000 http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2007/10/18/revealing-a-better-facade/#comment-96684 Take a look at the architect's drawing on the hoarding: looks to me like the major space with bee the coffee place, with the bank reduced to ATM machines. But I could be wrong. As my economist husband is always saying, it's an empirical question. Or some such. M Take a look at the architect’s drawing on the hoarding: looks to me like the major space with bee the coffee place, with the bank reduced to ATM machines. But I could be wrong. As my economist husband is always saying, it’s an empirical question. Or some such.

M

]]> By: Christopher DeWolf http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2007/10/18/revealing-a-better-facade/comment-page-1/#comment-96629 Christopher DeWolf Thu, 25 Oct 2007 17:42:46 +0000 http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2007/10/18/revealing-a-better-facade/#comment-96629 It's a sign of the times: business like banking increasingly takes place online, not in the streets, which have been given over to leisurely pursuits like cafés. I believe that the Laurentian Bank has a partnership with A.L. Van Houtte. There's another branch on Van Horne in Outremont that includes a café. I don't necessarily think the Beaux-Arts façade is being revealed for the café; rather, it's part of the bank's overall strategy to upgrade its image. In this case, it means reasserting the old architectural authority of the bank, but in as non-threatening way as possible. It’s a sign of the times: business like banking increasingly takes place online, not in the streets, which have been given over to leisurely pursuits like cafés.

I believe that the Laurentian Bank has a partnership with A.L. Van Houtte. There’s another branch on Van Horne in Outremont that includes a café. I don’t necessarily think the Beaux-Arts façade is being revealed for the café; rather, it’s part of the bank’s overall strategy to upgrade its image. In this case, it means reasserting the old architectural authority of the bank, but in as non-threatening way as possible.

]]> By: Mary Soderstrom http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2007/10/18/revealing-a-better-facade/comment-page-1/#comment-96507 Mary Soderstrom Thu, 25 Oct 2007 00:46:41 +0000 http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2007/10/18/revealing-a-better-facade/#comment-96507 Walked by the bank in question this afternoon to discover that it will be greatly reduced as a space for a bank, and that the Beaux Arts part of the building will soon become an A. VanHoutte. Or at least that's what it says on the hoarding surrounding the work site now. There's got to be a message there: architectural features are considered cool by coffee shops, while the bank is reduced to an ATM? Who is making money from whom and how? Mary Walked by the bank in question this afternoon to discover that it will be greatly reduced as a space for a bank, and that the Beaux Arts part of the building will soon become an A. VanHoutte. Or at least that’s what it says on the hoarding surrounding the work site now.

There’s got to be a message there: architectural features are considered cool by coffee shops, while the bank is reduced to an ATM? Who is making money from whom and how?

Mary

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