26 replies to this topic

[cberen1]

In case no one has said it yet, welcome to the forum.

I've no official information on your question, but I'm going to guess it's about creating some density and accessability by foot. I really enjoy the fact that it is literally accross the street from 3 restaurants, 2 - 3 bars and a coffee shop. It's very accessible.

I agree that you don't get a great look at it from the front, but I think it is impressive in its profile as you come down 4th street. The South, East and West sides aren't very interesting.

[johnlp]

A very good point.

[Buck]

As I recall, the Bass Hall was intended to fill the block and bump up close to other retail buildings for an urban feel.

It was supposed to give Sundance a bit of that big-city feeling, where you can be walking down the street and just happen upon a grand auditorium.

[Sam Stone]

Or, why not make Commerce St, which is wider and therefore provides better sightlines, the front of the building?

[hipolyte]

It's all because there was no artist on the team with the gravitas to balance the architect's idea of an artificial urban 'infill', with visual 'sweep'.

[JKC]

It's all because there was no artist on the team with the gravitas to balance the architect's idea of an artificial urban 'infill', with visual 'sweep'.

Nah......

[safly]

gravitas

Have not heard nor used that word in quite some time. Circa 2000 Presidential elections.

I love the ideas of BPH either facing Commerce or having a "sweepeing visual" from the North front at a typical city block distance. An open airy park would have been nice, monumental, and very Greco stylish. Big fan of the BPH design, just needs to fit in with a better surrounding, or at least a more open pedestrian friendly surrounding. Much better views of BPH than that of the ChicagoPSHall. Part of much taller building, made of bland rose granite(?) and is virtually FLAT as a board.

BPH should have been used as a bookend to Main Street, where the FWCC DOME currently is. Did the FWSO play at the FWCC site before some time ago?

[vjackson]

Safly, sometimes we are so on the same page. I thought the same thing....Bass Hall should have been on the south end of main street. With the courthouse to the north and Bass Hall to the south the view would have been awesome. I've always loved the appearace of Bass Hall except from one thing....I wish the architect, David what's his name, would have paid more attention to the back of the hall. It's really bland.

[John T Roberts]

David Schwarz is tha architect's name. The parts of the hall that are not part of the front facade are C.M.U. (concrete block made to look like stone) on the first floor and EIFS (sythetic stucco) above that. From what I have been told, the set back sides are in areas slated to expand the building a little if needed. Although, I am not a fan of the EIFS material, it does make it quite easy to tear out the walls and build more later.

[safly]

I guess that would explain alot about the backside. I had the feeling that the OWNERS or the ARCHITECT did not care to influence a certain sense of style that is facing away from SS. As if nobody would take a look from the sothern end, quite shameful really. Tells you what is more important to THOSE folks. Looks like an unfinished piece of sculpted rock when you think about it. Same goes for the FWCC design , where the East wing enormously lacks in design quality, especially up close.

[John T Roberts]

I was going to chime in on this earlier, but I didn't have a chance. The Bass Hall was designed when there was only a parking lot in front of it. If you remember the announcement of the project and the design was made before the announcement of the Palace Theater. Architectural design and preparing the construction documents takes much longer on a complex project like the Bass Hall than it does on a smaller, retail/office project like the Palace Theater Block. When the Ed Bass decided to build on that block, I'm almost certain it was too late to go back and redesign the Bass Hall. Schwarz did make a reference to the hall with the set back at Angeluna that matches the projecting portion of the hall.

[pelligrini]

The Bass Hall was designed when there was only a parking lot in front of it.

I really hope the designers didn't think it would remain a parking lot forever.

Having greenspace in front of the hall would have been great, but I doubt anyone seriously considered purchasing limited downtown dirt to remain... dirt.

[safly]

As I recall, ol Ed was try to buy some DTFW parking lot a few years back to make into DIRT. So what is the big deal about a greenspace view of BPH. Now it is a problem or challenge to create, I am sure back then it was not.

[DrkLts]

Just an architectual fantasy where a better Bass Hall location could of been...
Right off the bat, I can't remember what surrounds the area of the First United Methodist Church, but I read that Bass Hall has a European style design, which would of been so great had it been built near that Europen styled church only some land been available. Across or next to it in some way with green space in between with a large fountain, some european style resturants, etc.
Would of given FW a bit of a "European Atmosphere"
Some pics of John T. Roberts site (Hope its ok with ya John) to see how they would go together...

[safly]

I'd place the Masonic Temple on that list too.

Speaking of BPH, I hear that MR. Michael York (Franco Zeffirelli's ol Tybalt, AP's Basil Exposition and Homer Simpson's long lost father) is in COWtown for a Shakespeare narrative with our world class symphony. I just might go check it out. Any Shakespeare fans on board?

And speaking of BPH, have their been any of those "USUAL" stories OVERshadowing our world class symphony these days? You know like those "in DEBT" stories, which ususally get thrown about the metroplex this time of year. Been out of town for awhile and just have not kept up or heard of any. I certainly HOPE that they are not in debt, as that would be a darn shame.

If so they should just go on tour and promote the fantastic arts we encourage for our city and county. With a little public funding and donorship, it would be quite possible. Playing at BPH has to cost a perty penny. Perhaps a telethon of sorts on PBS, ABC, CBS, or Nbc could be remedy.

I guess if they can afford for Mr. York to be in town with them, then their books should reflect some strength. Even though I heard that they recently lost both their GM and President of last year. Makes you wonder where exactly they are headin.

Figure with all of these corporate entities involved within our county, it's gotta be a charitable goldmine for the taking. Maybe they should hire a local Girl Scout leader to help alleviate any possible financial woes. Gratis work of course. Possibly create a new leadership patch that resembles a musical note with a money bag or RED CROSS on it. Sadly enough, there are plenty of those to give around these days.

[Fort Worthology]

Speaking of BPH, I hear that MR. Michael York (Franco Zeffirelli's ol Tybalt, AP's Basil Exposition and Homer Simpson's long lost father) is in COWtown for a Shakespeare narrative with our world class symphony. I just might go check it out. Any Shakespeare fans on board?

Not to mention the big Fort Worth connection to Mr. York - his lead role as Logan 5 in "Logan's Run."

[safly]

Wonder what he will think of the Water Gardens now.

[John T Roberts]

The Methodist Church at the top of Florence Street (as you have depicted) is a great Fort Worth example of memorable design complemented with a favorable site to allow pedestrians to enjoy to enjoy the design. To me, this kind of positioning helps to give a structure more "landmark status" Going on top-of-mind memory, here are a few other memorable Fort Worth structures enhanced by their sites --

(1) Pier One (viewed from westbound Belknap)
(2) Cook Children's Hospital (end of street)
(3) Intermodal Terminal (end of Ninth)
(4) T&P* (end of Throckmorton)
(4) Saint Pat's (end of 14th)
(5) Tarrant County Court House (end of Main)
(6) The entrance to the new public library (end of street)
(7) Saint Stephen's Church (hilltop end of street)
(8) Arlington Heights HS (hilltop and end of street)
(9) Polythechnic HS (hilltop and end of street)
(10) Burnet Plaza* (view looking west on 7th)
* less than full view

Putting a building at the end of an axis is an old architectural trick to indeed give the building a "landmark status". It is also good urban design and planning. If you can put it on a hilltop in addition to the axial alignment, that is even better. I would say that the Tarrant County Courthouse actually fits into that category by being on the bluff. Even though I love the pedestrian friendly view of the front of the Courthouse on axis with Main through downtown, I even think it is more dramatic when coming from the north by looking up the Paddock Viaduct to the rear of the Courthouse on the hill.

Even though the Convention Center Arena is not the most attractive building, it is aligned with Main Street directly opposite of the Courthouse. It even puts greater importance on the axis when each end of it is anchored by a landmark. This trick was not the first time that it was used in Fort Worth. The original T&P Passenger Station sat at the end of Main Street south of Lancaster. The distance between the Courthouse and the T&P was approximately one mile.

[John T Roberts]

Drklts, it is perfectly OK with me to use my photographs within the forum without permission! If you use my photos on other forums, all that I ask is that I get credit as the photographer.

G.O., The T&P Passenger Terminal was constructed at the intersection of Main and Front Streets around 1900. It sustained a massive fire in 1904 and was subsequently rebuilt. It continued to serve as the passenger terminal for the T&P until a grander and larger facility was constructed across Main to the west in 1931. These buildings within that complex remain today. I may be wrong, but I think the old terminal was demolished in 1944.

For the actual location, I would encourage you to view The Jack White Collection of Historic Photographs from the University of Texas at Arlington. This site is hosting the online versions of Jack's pictures. From what I could tell in the photos that Jack has donated so far, the tower of the building was directly on axis with Main. I also looked at the Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, and their drawings show the tower also aligned with the center of the street. I know that it doesn't appear as if the tower could be aligned, but you have to remember that the streets have all been realigned in that area, as well. I have seen photos looking south on Main, and the tower is indeed visible from the street. Check out this link. The 1918 Panorama taken from the dome of the Courthouse shows the T&P in the far distance at the end of Main Street.

[safly]

John, those pic's are AWESOME!

We soo need to bring back a REVIEW to DTFW. Parade floats and all. How bout we try to coordinate such a feat.

The RETURN of the REVIEW July 1st, 2006. Maybe '07?

What d'ya say?


Smoggy FW even back then.