DTD | Victory Park: Perot Museum of Nature and Science

[maconahey]

[Mballar]

Shot yesterday, from the Gables Park 17.

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[boozo]

The last row of concrete panels in going in on the top of this bad boy...

[Uptown72]

This building will look great as part of the set for one of the next Planet of the Ape films. Caesar will instruct all the chimps to rise up and run out of this building!

[maconahey]

[Double Wide]

This building will look great as part of the set for one of the next Planet of the Ape films. Caesar will instruct all the chimps to rise up and run out of this building!

OR... All of us gun totting Republican Red Necks will bust out our guns and shoot them as they run out. HORRIBLE MOVIE! Great Building.

[tamtagon]

I don't know if I like that staircase.

[AZDallasite]

it's an escalator and when encased with glass, will look great.

[JasonDallas]

I saw you taking photos today when I left El Fenix for lunch, and was wondering if you were a forum member. Question answered!

[mannypr]

Impressive! I'm loving the detail. It looks better than I had imagined from the renderings.

[Julien]

Did anybody notice the movable crane?

They just started to dismantle the white crane.
http://natureandscience.org/expansion/default.asp

[VictoryPark1]

photo.jpg

The crane is on its way down. One less crane in Dallas.

[maconahey]

[Double Wide]

great 2 for 1 photo on the first one.

[ChampionDallas]

I think the landscaping will make this project even better. Does anyone know if/when the DART station will be built next to the Museum?

[elmstreetdallas]

I think the landscaping will make this project even better. Does anyone know if/when the DART station will be built next to the Museum?

~30 years.

[profbarium]

~30 years.

You don't think Victory and/or West End is close enough?

[dfwcre8tive]

Funding goal met 1 year early:

http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfa...money.php#more

[tamtagon]

I wonder if now would be a good time to go ahead and pay the architect to design the expansion that'll one day fill up the lot next door. The museum might not have any reason to expand for a decade, but getting the idea from the architect while everything's still fresh in his (team) mind could deliver a facility contiguous in purpose and appearance. Whether DART builds a streetcar station or light rail station is a question, but should be easy to work into the design....

[Columbus Civil]

This has surpassed the Grand as the ugliest building in Dallas

[Rangers100]

This has surpassed the Grand as the ugliest building in Dallas

Couldn't disagree more. It is going to be really cool when the whole project is complete and the changing patterns of the building exterior can be fully observed throughout the day.

[Double Wide]

Ugly? far from it. The exterior of the building shows the layers of rock under the ground for this region. The spots for the windows on the exterior are like oil deposits and the glass escalator is a cool feature for a beautiful view of Dallas. I love it. Its simple and complex at the same time.

[vman]

. Its simple and complex at the same time.

That's exactly what I like about it. However, as much as I'm loving the building, I'm still not sold on the location smack next to Woodall. I would have much rather seen the museum in Victory or the Arts District. The current locations seems a little out of place, imo.

[barrycb]

I wonder if now would be a good time to go ahead and pay the architect to design the expansion that'll one day fill up the lot next door. The museum might not have any reason to expand for a decade, but getting the idea from the architect while everything's still fresh in his (team) mind could deliver a facility contiguous in purpose and appearance. Whether DART builds a streetcar station or light rail station is a question, but should be easy to work into the design....

The slideshow mentioned schematics of the expansion plans, but I haven't seen them.

http://www.dallasobserver.com/slides...ence-35592365/

[lakewoodhobo]

I'm still not sold on the location smack next to Woodall. I would have much rather seen the museum in Victory or the Arts District. The current locations seems a little out of place, imo.

I disagree. The location on Woodall is highly visible, and it makes more sense to me that the science museum be walking distance to the aquarium (not the arts venues as you suggested). The current location is an extension of Victory Park, since it is on Hillwood property, and could even be a catalyst for other projects nearby (like the block where El Fenix is, and the land between the science museum and House of Blues).

[TheDoubletap]

I disagree. The location on Woodall is highly visible, and it makes more sense to me that the science museum be walking distance to the aquarium (not the arts venues as you suggested). The current location is an extension of Victory Park, since it is on Hillwood property, and could even be a catalyst for other projects nearby (like the block where El Fenix is, and the land between the science museum and House of Blues).

The Perot is actually only about twice the distance from the DMA (.4ish miles) as it is from the aquarium (.2ish miles). If Broom street could see some traffic calming, it might be an OK 20-30 minute walk from the DMA, through the park and down the street. Of course, a pedicab could get you there in 7 minutes or less.

Right now the walk from the aquarium feels a little safer, but no less unpleasant. Either go a block or more out of the way, or walk through surface-level parking hell down Griffin and underneath Woodall.

[mjblazin]

Take the 49 bus from West End, the 27 bus from Market Center or walk over from Victory Station (TRE users). All good approaches are from west side or on right side of Field. Walking over from east side down Woodall Service Roads and across two of our most unfriendly to pedestrian roads, Akard and Field (in that part of city), would not seem too good. Another problem from east side is all bus traffic gets sucked south into West End.

[profbarium]

The Perot is actually only about twice the distance from the DMA (.4ish miles) as it is from the aquarium (.2ish miles). If Broom street could see some traffic calming, it might be an OK 20-30 minute walk from the DMA, through the park and down the street. Of course, a pedicab could get you there in 7 minutes or less.

Right now the walk from the aquarium feels a little safer, but no less unpleasant. Either go a block or more out of the way, or walk through surface-level parking hell down Griffin and underneath Woodall.

Please forgive my ignorance of the "terrain." But isn't a .4 mi. walk only about 10-15 mins. max?

[vman]

I disagree. The location on Woodall is highly visible, and it makes more sense to me that the science museum be walking distance to the aquarium (not the arts venues as you suggested). The current location is an extension of Victory Park, since it is on Hillwood property, and could even be a catalyst for other projects nearby (like the block where El Fenix is, and the land between the science museum and House of Blues).

That's all true (although there are other areas of Victory that are hightly visable as well and not right next to Woodall). I just think it looks odd sitting right on the off ramp. But I have to keep reminding myself that there is more to the museum than the tall box currently constructed and that I need to reserve final judgment for when the front portion is completed.

[TheDoubletap]

Please forgive my ignorance of the "terrain." But isn't a .4 mi. walk only about 10-15 mins. max?

You'd think so, but after having led a dozen or so groups of my adult students to the DMA, it takes us 15 minutes to get the .25 miles from the St. Paul station to the DMA or Nasher. They are in tourist mode (looking up, strolling, snapping pictures) and they're extra careful about crossing against the light. So I'm thinking tourist speed, which would probably apply to anyone with kids or a stroller too.

[VictoryPark1]

They are putting up the Glass panels today on the escalator area that protrudes from the building. About half way up the area, Looking good!!

[profbarium]

You'd think so, but after having led a dozen or so groups of my adult students to the DMA, it takes us 15 minutes to get the .25 miles from the St. Paul station to the DMA or Nasher. They are in tourist mode (looking up, strolling, snapping pictures) and they're extra careful about crossing against the light. So I'm thinking tourist speed, which would probably apply to anyone with kids or a stroller too.

Oh, yeah, that makes sense now. I'm thinking young-man-with-his-wife-and-or-buddies speed.

It probably also applies to those unfamiliar with downtown, in general. Not that there's anything wrong with that. My mother, for example, has lived in Dallas for over 30 years--and she makes a trip downtown about twice a decade: for jury duty.

And maybe that's a good thing: people stopping to look at stuff is generally positive for an area that seeks to attract tourists.

[ChampionDallas]

This has surpassed the Grand as the ugliest building in Dallas

You may think that this building is "ugly", however it is extreme architecture that sets cities apart from other cities. For instance, the Eiffel Tower, Sydney Opera House, and even Reunion Tower are all "one of a kind" buildings that define the city that it is located. I believe that the extreme modernism/deconstructivism architecture of the Dallas Museum of Nature and Science will, as stated above, set Dallas apart from other cities, in a good way.

[profbarium]

You may think that this building is "ugly", however it is extreme architecture that sets cities apart from other cities. For instance, the Eiffel Tower, Sydney Opera House, and even Reunion Tower are all "one of a kind" buildings that define the city that it is located. I believe that the extreme modernism/deconstructivism architecture of the Dallas Museum of Nature and Science will, as stated above, set Dallas apart from other cities, in a good way.

You're right, ChampionDallas, "extreme" architecture gets noticed--and, usually, that's good. There's a civic building in Boston--city hall, county courthouse, something--that is consistently named the "ugliest building in the U.S." To be sure, it is ugly, but it still gets noticed in one of the most architecturally beautiful cities in America.

That said, I don't think the museum is that bad. It would be ugly for a home, or even an office building. But museums are supposed to be "different."

[Rangers100]

There's a civic building in Boston--city hall, county courthouse, something--that is consistently named the "ugliest building in the U.S."

Boston City Hall.

Designed, like Dallas's, by I.M. Pei.

James Kunstler speaks about it here (starting at 6:13).

"A public place so dismal that even the winos don't want to go there."

Just like ours. Thanks, I.M.

[lakewoodhobo]

^As much as I dislike our City Hall (and Brutalist architecture in general), it is much MUCH better looking than Boston's City Hall. And ours was featured in Robocob, which is bad-ass.

[profbarium]

^As much as I dislike our City Hall (and Brutalist architecture in general), it is much MUCH better looking than Boston's City Hall. And ours was featured in Robocob, which is bad-ass.

+1

[gshelton91]

ok sorry to go even further off topic but i actually like our City Hall it could be much more engaging... During summer it cast a great shadow that could be used by patio restaurants or food trucks. And I understand at one time in the summer kids were allowed in the fountain and the city hosted big summer events. I think the key is that the city really is not interested in that. Even over at the Convention Center they have a few spaces that look like they were custom made for theater but to my knowledge are never used for that.

[CTroyMathis]

. . .And ours was featured in Robocob, which is bad-ass.

Dot com. (ha!)

[maconahey]

[Double Wide]

those guys repelling down the side make you puts the size of this into scale from that angle. I love the external look of this building

[jbarn]

Some folks may not like this building, but I think it is neat, and absolutely amazing that it is getting built at all during these difficult economic times. With projects like this, the deck park, Museum Tower, and all of the other stuff that is going on, Dallas is becoming a really "neat" city. It is such a different city than it was even just 10 years ago, and I think within the next few years it will be even further along. I think those of us that live here tend to take for granted how neat of a city we are living in.

[profbarium]

I think those of us that live here tend to take for granted how neat of a city we are living in.

I like your style. As a city, state, and nation, we'd do well to have more thinking like that. Thanks for the thought. It's good to have some positivity on this November morning.

[lakewoodhobo]

Some folks may not like this building, but I think it is neat, and absolutely amazing that it is getting built at all during these difficult economic times. With projects like this, the deck park, Museum Tower, and all of the other stuff that is going on, Dallas is becoming a really "neat" city. It is such a different city than it was even just 10 years ago, and I think within the next few years it will be even further along. I think those of us that live here tend to take for granted how neat of a city we are living in.

PLUS 1. I hope there are more buildings coming in the not-too-distant future that stand out like this one. I think the Crozier Tech site has a rare opportunity to build something really modern and creative that complements the historic school.

[BC_Club]

I love this building and the Wyly... remind me of the Borg cube from Star Trek.

[tamtagon]

Dallas' Brewery Building lands new tenants
By STEVE BROWN
Published: Dec 15, 2011 4:43 PM

Downtown Dallas' historic Brewery Building at Houston and Continental Street has signed to new tenants.
Jandro's Mexican Restaurant and Draft Pick Sports Bar have leased space in the 124-year-old building that's adjacent to Victory Park.

[Rangers100]

I just noticed the Perot Museum has a new website:

http://www.buildtheperot.org/

[Rangers100]

Also a new fly-through video uploaded to their YouTube account on Nov. 4th:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6rolpyYAq4

[Double Wide]

nice fly thru

[maconahey]

Here's a bunch of construction photos from last June: http://www.flickr.com/photos/redblan...7626885925725/