Let's talk about Black and White. Depending on the context it could be the complete absence of color. Or the presence of all colors at once. The complete absence of light or a glorious flood of light. Nothing at all. Or everything at once.
Well what if we talk about the complete absence of any design aesthetic or architectural style. Is the absence of style a style in itself? I'm talking about 2200 6th Avenue, The Denny Building. This thing is crap. It's been at the top of my bad architecture list since I started as a messenger. This is the type of building you'd find in places like Spokane, Des Moines, Lincoln or Boise. Built in the late 60's early 70's seemingly out of asbestos tiles, styrofoam, stucco and whatever pre-fab materials were cheap at the time. It reminds me of florescent lighting and drop ceilings with endless grids of sound absorbing ceiling tiles. It's so high on the crap scale it's an eyesore.
I like simplicity. I like versatility. I like a solid foundation. Form follows function. Everything you need. Nothing you don't. But this building sucks. It makes a brutalist college dormitory on large mid-western rural state university campus look good. The isolation of the underdeveloped Sixth Avenue area really brings out the short comings of this building. Perhaps as condos sprout around it, it will fade into the city. Perhaps it will be torn down and replaced with a Trump Tower.
Here's how Clise Properties puts their spin on it. Get out your checkbook and prepare to rent some commercial space in the beautiful Denny Building? But before you decide on the office space you want, we'll take the janky elevator up to 11 and transfer to one of the smallest jankiest elevators in town and go up to the 12th floor penthouse, let's party like it's 1969.
and now for something completely different
Check out some photos Craig took
and take a look at Jonny Sundt's friend Hoppy
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