Café Building Redesigned
— by Jeffrey Wisniewski — 14 February 2010 — 2 comments below »
In a somewhat remarkable turnabout, the City has released drawings of a redesigned café building that will be the focal point for the transit plaza in front of the Intermodal Station. The newly proposed design incorporates historical features (borrowing from the factory buildings that once stood on the site) and separates itself stylistically from the train station behind it, while retaining the modern, new feel overall. A solid redesign effort, to be sure.
A schematic of the redesigned building highlights the design elements…
A view from the corner of Bayfront Boulevard and Sanderling Drive (the front entrance to the transit plaza)…
And a view of the interior exhibits the proposed café’s openness (for both light and air)…
With this new redesign and the designs for Sycamore Crossing that were presented the other night, I’m beginning to be encouraged again about the state of development in Hercules. It seems as if someone is listening to the people!!
This further development of the design from that presented at the last meeting is quite promising and not suprising. The light lacy look of the trusses, the relationship of indoors and the plaza with the roll up glass/metal doors is both historic yet contemporary. There is nothing like it in the Hercules area. And it is not like Disneyland historicism with plastered over styrofoam cornices, the same which cannot be said of the proposed Market Hall at the market Town with it’s toy Neo-Georgian aesthetic.
The restrooms can be designed so that they will not be a focal point as some may think.
As an architect I am pleased to see this public participation dialog helping to develope rather high quality design, as opposed to the mediocrity that often prevails.
Cheers to the staff and the citizens who choose to participate.