Another Tale From The Most Ethical Congress Ever

[Wacka]

It looks worse in person.

That's the federal building? I've seen it and thought that it was unfinished because they ran out of money. She could have rented out one of the porno theaters on Market Street for a lot less.

[DC Tom]

I think his reproducible demo that you can reproduce at your home was more the source than anything. He is the "Science Guy", and what is science, if not peer reviewable?

 

... (obligatory) you blithering idiot

 

Let me rephrase that: You used Bill Nye as a primary source. Perhaps if you did a bit more of your own research and a bit less watching of the TV, you might learn some factual information.

[DC Tom]

It looks worse in person.

 

It looks like a giant Farady cage. Or a poorly conceived SETI experiment. You could probably plug that monstrosity into a shortwave radio set and detect the sounds of aliens laughing at it.

[OCinBuffalo]

It looks like a giant Farady cage. Or a poorly conceived SETI experiment. You could probably plug that monstrosity into a shortwave radio set and detect the sounds of aliens laughing at it.

As I said in another thread, I am beat but I can't sleep, so this may be nuts, but, is it at all possible that the cage is there to beat listening devices? Lasers pointed at windows, etc.? Perhaps the FBI has an office there? US attorney, etc.?

[Chef Jim]

As I said in another thread, I am beat but I can't sleep, so this may be nuts, but, is it at all possible that the cage is there to beat listening devices? Lasers pointed at windows, etc.? Perhaps the FBI has an office there? US attorney, etc.?

 

Dude this is San Francisco. The supervisors were all tripping on acid when the architect presented the plans. "Far out man, who do we make the check out to?"

[DC Tom]

As I said in another thread, I am beat but I can't sleep, so this may be nuts, but, is it at all possible that the cage is there to beat listening devices? Lasers pointed at windows, etc.? Perhaps the FBI has an office there? US attorney, etc.?

 

I highly doubt it. If it is, it's the worst security ever.

 

My God, what a retarded piece of architecture. Check out the web site: http://www.galinsky.com/buildings/sffb/

When architecture engages social, cultural, political and ethical currents, it has the potential to transform the way we see the world and our place in it. It is from this intersection of broad societal currents that we approached the design for the new Federal Building in San Francisco.

 

As far as the redefinition of the culture of the workplace some strategies used are the following:

 

New horizontal and vertical circulation paths that give employees opportunities for chance meetings;

 

A radically different layout of the typical office space arrangement with open work areas at the building perimeter and private office and conference spaces at central cores, producing more “democratic” working environments;

 

Skip-stop elevators that stop every third floor and along with the opening to spacious three-story high lobbies promote exercise through use of the central staircase;

 

Yes, San Francisco, we present your new Federal Building. Designed to promote egalitarianism, individual health, and the overall ethical chi of the city landscape, according to the latest in post-modern urban neo-hippy bull **** self-aggrandizing philosophy.

 

Suddenly, DC doesn't seem so bad.

[drnykterstein]

Unfortunately I don't have time to take your approach. I'm quite busy providing for my family, for my employees and their families and paying hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in taxes personally so that many others can enjoy the freedoms and entitlements our country offers. Somebody has to do it.

 

So, does anyone on this board not own their own business? It's starting to seem like everyone does.

[OCinBuffalo]

My God, what a retarded piece of architecture. Check out the web site: http://www.galinsky.com/buildings/sffb/

My caption for the picture on the right in the second row:

"And here we have the quasi-translucent piece of crap sticking out of the wall for no apparent functional purpose and certainly not adding any aesthetic benefit. There is the initial novelty of challenging the employees to use the athletic skills they have acquired from the elevator situation to run up the angled wall and see if they can slap it."

When architecture engages social, cultural, political and ethical currents, it has the potential to transform the way we see the world and our place in it. It is from this intersection of broad societal currents that we approached the design for the new Federal Building in San Francisco.

Yes, this building has the ability remove my permanent image of SF = dodging the piss, etc. of multiple junkies relieving themselves on Castro Street from my mind. I see the world differently now. It wasn't the schit I was dodging, it was my own guilt for attempting to do something useful at 2:30pm on a Tuesday.

New horizontal and vertical circulation paths that give employees opportunities for chance meetings;

So? What? It's a f'ing maze? Ever been to the King of Prussia Mall? They have lots of horizontal and vertical circulation paths too, and 2 holding pens, one for the lost kids, and one for the lost elderly. They also have wonderful staircases you can get trapped on, either due to the elderly, or kids playing grabass.

A radically different layout of the typical office space arrangement with open work areas at the building perimeter and private office and conference spaces at central cores, producing more “democratic” working environments;

The last time I heard this passive/aggressive BS, it was at D&T, and we all ended up with "window offices" which sounds great until you realize that you now live in a little glass box where everyone can see everything you do all the time. People stare at you to see if you are staring at them. You try to think and then suddenly realize you are accidentally making eye contact with the scary travel/expenses lady who sits friggin 30 yards away. And now she's into you. Big time. Because, why else would you be looking at her from so far away?

Skip-stop elevators that stop every third floor and along with the opening to spacious three-story high lobbies promote exercise through use of the central staircase;

Oh mother f this. We have places for exercise: they are called "gyms". So it is a f'ing maze. When I go to work, I want to get to my office, now. I don't want to have a 15 minute adventure where I can have a chance encounter with scary travel lady, and we can solve crimes together. This isn't the f'ing Goonies. Wonder what the rent is going to be for every 3rd floor vs the rest?

[Wacka]

If they keep the bums out, then the bathrooms won't smell like an open sewer like they do at the nice 5 year old library.

[OCinBuffalo]

I found some more fun facts:

A smart decision in this context is that the building is fully air conditioned in the five lower levels where the highest concentration of people and equipment are located. Above these levels a sophisticated window system technology, part of the BAS or Building Automated System, allows the building to breathe by opening and closing windows automatically so natural fresh air can be let in.

Gotta love it when they self-congratulate. Maybe these people should have awards, and call themselves "living legends".

 

Anyway, automatically opening the windows of the 6+ floors of a building....is smart? Yes, let's open only the windows where the fall is sure to kill you, and not leave you as a societal burden. I suppose that's smart.

 

I am on the phone with a client, and suddenly the window automagically opens, blowing my gear everywhere and making it sound like I am not actually at work. Great.

 

Isn't this a Federal Building? Therefore, isn't it safe to assume that we may have crazed/criminal/unsavory characters in and around the place? (and not just the employees). Why do we want the nth floor window to open randomly and with no warning? Does anybody besides "the building" have control over this?

 

Heat...f'ing...rises.... I don't know who did the study on this, but how the hell is it going to be ok to be on the 15th? floor with the sun beating down, even with all the windows open, and no air conditioning? Never mind that this fails the other way:at that height, the wind is kick ass. You open windows up there and stuff is going to fly.

 

What if it is hot AND rainy? SF weather is goofy to say the least. What if "the building" decided to automatically open windows and let the rain fly in. Or, if "the building" decides that 90 degrees is perfectly fine. Nothing says efficiency and effectiveness like swampass.

 

If they open windows on top floors, won't that create the mother of all wind tunnels down this Grand Central Staircase they keeping talking about? Perhaps this is an adventure after all

[Alaska Darin]

So, does anyone on this board not own their own business? It's starting to seem like everyone does.

You're a !@#$ing idiot.

[Wacka]

I found some more fun facts:

 

...

 

What if it is hot AND rainy? SF weather is goofy to say the least. What if "the building" decided to automatically open windows and let the rain fly in. Or, if "the building" decides that 90 degrees is perfectly fine. Nothing says efficiency and effectiveness like swampass.

 

...

I have been in the Bay Area for 15 years and it is always hot and sunny or cold and damp. It is never hot and rainy in SF. Once it was 105 at my house and it was 55 and foggy in SF (about 30 miles asthe crow flies).

[Nanker]

Dude this is San Francisco. The supervisors were all tripping on acid when the architect presented the plans. "Far out man, who do we make the check out to?"

Morphosis.

Their gun, Thom Mayne is a curtain wall artist in the tradition of Walter Gropius, Le Corbusier and Minoru Yamasaki.

[Chef Jim]

Morphosis.

Their gun, Thom Mayne is a curtain wall artist in the tradition of Walter Gropius, Le Corbusier and Minoru Yamasaki.

 

A dramatic example of sustainable design principles, the San Francisco Federal Building’s shape and orientation maximize natural airflow for cooling and ventilation, and take advantage of natural daylight for the majority of the office interior. These features, combined with a number of other energy-saving elements, significantly reduce overall energy consumption compared to conventional commercial office buildings in the United States.

 

If I see that word sustainable one more time I'm going to !@#$ing kill someone.

 

And BTW, is it a curtain or a wall??

[Nanker]

If I see that word sustainable one more time I'm going to !@#$ing kill someone.

 

And BTW, is it a curtain or a wall??

Well, both - sort of. The concept is one of wrapping the box.

Le Corbusier brought it from decorative exterior wall art to effect a sun screen.

A more recent architect - Yamasaki had a very stylized "screen/curtain wall" that he used on his first sky scrapers - the twin towers where the screen and the wall were one.