#261 l Marriot Renaissance Center l DETROIT l 221m l 73fl

January 4th, 2003, 07:34 AM

Marriot Renaissance Center
Detroit, USA

HEIGHT: 221m/726 feet
FLOORS: 73 floors
COMPLETION: 1977
ARCHITECT: John Portman Associates

This urban redevelopment project, initiated by Henry Ford II and fifty-one corporations which made up the Renaissance Center partnership, is located a few blocks from the center of downtown Detroit and occupies thirty-two acres of riverfront property. Raised on a podium four stories above street level, the complex is comprised of one 73-story cylindrical hotel (746 feet high) and four 39-story octagonal office buildings. The complex includes a large hotel, offices, shops, restaurants, and convention facilities.

Almost from its beginning the complex was controversial. Its symbolism (in its name) was questioned; it was seen as a suburban enclave amid the city of Detroit; thus, its ability to revitalize the downtown was questioned. Since the complex is set off from the city and since its tall sleek reflective forms have no contextual relationship with the lower, masonry buildings of its surroundings, it was sometimes viewed as an isolated fortress. This sense of isolation is only augmented by the concrete berms, housing the utilities for the buildings, which surround the structure, acting as a two-story barrier. The interiors were also seen as being theatrical and maze-like.

RafflesCity · January 4th, 2003, 01:03 PM

7.5/10

Looks nice, but I dont like that strip of different colour on its roof.

SUNNI · January 4th, 2003, 01:15 PM

i dont quiet get this building.. but i like what im seeing.. 9/10

January 4th, 2003, 01:45 PM

10/10 This building rules.
But I don't understand this building and the Petro Canada Center in Calgary are about the same height but this one always looks so much taller in pictures.

Wu-Gambino · January 4th, 2003, 03:44 PM

10/10

A classic building that makes Detroit's skyline amazing.

SteelCity32 · January 4th, 2003, 04:44 PM

Still a good building IMO.

7.5/10

January 5th, 2003, 12:27 AM

The Renaissance center is not just one builing, it is the whole complex of 7 buildings, the 1 tall one, the 4 shorter towers around the tall one and 2 shorter ones to the right in the 2nd pic. The tallest one is a Hotel and the rest of the buildings are all office space.

Westin Peachtree · January 5th, 2003, 04:58 AM

I gave the building a 10. I love this building as much as I love the Westin Peachtree in Atlanta.
The bad thing about this hotel is when you look out the window...you are looking at a building. That's really sucky. If I ever stay there I want to be on the upper floors where I can actually have a view.

***SeeMacau*** · January 5th, 2003, 06:08 AM

8/10
Quite nice

January 5th, 2003, 05:55 PM

The building looks really nice, but the design inside is pretty awful. The have tried to do some contruction as of late to make it less confusing and it has helped out a little. But for the pure size of the project.......8/10.

mookiecece · January 23rd, 2003, 02:20 AM

9/10, thought this would be in top 200??? how tall is this building?

renell · February 2nd, 2003, 10:19 AM

massive complex, it aint that bad. 7.5

RafflesCity · February 26th, 2003, 05:39 PM

<table cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 width=98% class="quoteBox">
<td align=left valign=center> <smallfont> <b>Quote</B> <I>originally posted by mookiecece </i></b> </smallfont> </td>
<tr><td align=left valign=top>9/10, thought this would be in top 200??? how tall is this building?</td></tr>
</table>

Thanks for pointing that out

Oaronuviss · February 27th, 2003, 04:02 AM

It's unique... I'm too used to it... if I wasn't familiar with it, or if it wasn't across the river, I'd give it a 9.5
But... I'll give it a 7.5 IMO/

Caledon1981 · February 28th, 2003, 04:08 AM

7 for me. . . .i like that glare in the second pic

Venezuelacom · March 6th, 2003, 01:46 AM

this building looks just awsome in the skyline.... 9/10

Liz L · March 6th, 2003, 11:46 PM

7.5/19 - The large cylinder and the 4 smaller towers are well placed - they relate well to each other, and on the whole form a unified composition that's also a study in contrast between curves and angles. The glass curtainwalls dance with the light well, and they do look impressive at night.

However, the cylinder somehow doesn't seem well-proportioned - just like the Westin, it's too bulky. And the little round buildings somehow don't seem to go with the towers they're connected to, thus detracting from the overall composition. The facades could also use a bit more detail. The white lines are at least an attempt to do I]something[/I] about the roofs, though the strip on the cylinder looks a bit out of place where it is.

The Messiah · March 7th, 2003, 06:57 PM

The landmark for Detroit. The cilinder in the middle is the best thing of the structure.
8.0/10

April 11th, 2003, 01:21 AM

5 I don't like this complex... it looks very 70's... in a bad way...
And the complex really takes away from the rest of Detroit's skyline... the great 1920's/30's art deco skyscrapers... it's a dull glassy cylinder... with very ugly boxes surrounding it

April 26th, 2003, 01:34 AM

9/10

View Poll Results: What do you rate it
10	39	17.03%
9.5	10	4.37%
9.0	32	13.97%
8.5	24	10.48%
8.0	37	16.16%
7.5	21	9.17%
7.0	25	10.92%
6.5	8	3.49%
6.0	6	2.62%
5.5	2	0.87%
5.0	5	2.18%
4.5	1	0.44%
4.0	6	2.62%
3.5	3	1.31%
3 or less	10	4.37%
Voters: 229. You may not vote on this poll

January 4th, 2003, 07:34 AM	#1
Brettman220 Guest Posts: n/a Likes (Received):	#261 l Marriot Renaissance Center l DETROIT l 221m l 73fl Marriot Renaissance Center Detroit, USA HEIGHT: 221m/726 feet FLOORS: 73 floors COMPLETION: 1977 ARCHITECT: John Portman Associates This urban redevelopment project, initiated by Henry Ford II and fifty-one corporations which made up the Renaissance Center partnership, is located a few blocks from the center of downtown Detroit and occupies thirty-two acres of riverfront property. Raised on a podium four stories above street level, the complex is comprised of one 73-story cylindrical hotel (746 feet high) and four 39-story octagonal office buildings. The complex includes a large hotel, offices, shops, restaurants, and convention facilities. Almost from its beginning the complex was controversial. Its symbolism (in its name) was questioned; it was seen as a suburban enclave amid the city of Detroit; thus, its ability to revitalize the downtown was questioned. Since the complex is set off from the city and since its tall sleek reflective forms have no contextual relationship with the lower, masonry buildings of its surroundings, it was sometimes viewed as an isolated fortress. This sense of isolation is only augmented by the concrete berms, housing the utilities for the buildings, which surround the structure, acting as a two-story barrier. The interiors were also seen as being theatrical and maze-like. Last edited by ZZ-II; July 22nd, 2008 at 06:21 PM.

January 4th, 2003, 01:15 PM	#3
SUNNI architect by day Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Brisbane Posts: 3,058 Likes (Received): 0	i dont quiet get this building.. but i like what im seeing.. 9/10 __________________ kr.au

January 4th, 2003, 03:44 PM	#5
Wu-Gambino Registered User Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 2,678 Likes (Received): 2	10/10 A classic building that makes Detroit's skyline amazing. Last edited by Wu-Gambino; November 15th, 2003 at 01:56 AM.

January 4th, 2003, 04:44 PM	#6
SteelCity32 Don't be that guy! Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 1,098 Likes (Received): 0	Still a good building IMO. 7.5/10 __________________ I often dream of huge numb buildings, jet black sinister architecture. Being installed when nobody sees. Their appearence so sudden that few would take notice.

January 4th, 2003, 01:03 PM	#2
RafflesCity By Spirit Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: S I N G A P O R E Posts: 26,215 Likes (Received): 6	7.5/10 Looks nice, but I dont like that strip of different colour on its roof. Last edited by RafflesCity; January 8th, 2003 at 05:21 PM.

January 4th, 2003, 01:45 PM	#4
SluuugRadio Guest Posts: n/a Likes (Received):	10/10 This building rules. But I don't understand this building and the Petro Canada Center in Calgary are about the same height but this one always looks so much taller in pictures.

January 5th, 2003, 12:27 AM	#7
Brettman220 Guest Posts: n/a Likes (Received):	The Renaissance center is not just one builing, it is the whole complex of 7 buildings, the 1 tall one, the 4 shorter towers around the tall one and 2 shorter ones to the right in the 2nd pic. The tallest one is a Hotel and the rest of the buildings are all office space.

January 5th, 2003, 04:58 AM	#8
Westin Peachtree Veteran Lurker Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Atlanta Posts: 151 Likes (Received): 0	I gave the building a 10. I love this building as much as I love the Westin Peachtree in Atlanta. The bad thing about this hotel is when you look out the window...you are looking at a building. That's really sucky. If I ever stay there I want to be on the upper floors where I can actually have a view. __________________ Dick don't pay for strange!

January 5th, 2003, 06:08 AM	#9
*SeeMacau* Moderator Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 15,050 Likes (Received): 57	8/10 Quite nice

January 5th, 2003, 05:55 PM	#10
Mr. Detroit Guest Posts: n/a Likes (Received):	The building looks really nice, but the design inside is pretty awful. The have tried to do some contruction as of late to make it less confusing and it has helped out a little. But for the pure size of the project.......8/10.

January 23rd, 2003, 02:20 AM	#11
mookiecece Seoul-jah Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Yongin/Columbus Posts: 470 Likes (Received): 1	9/10, thought this would be in top 200??? how tall is this building?

February 2nd, 2003, 10:19 AM	#12
renell Here Since 2002 Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Sydney/Metro Manila Posts: 6,747 Likes (Received): 2	massive complex, it aint that bad. 7.5 __________________ dafuq I've been here ten years?!

February 26th, 2003, 05:39 PM	#13
RafflesCity By Spirit Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: S I N G A P O R E Posts: 26,215 Likes (Received): 6	<table cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 width=98% class="quoteBox"> <td align=left valign=center> <smallfont> <b>Quote</B> <I>originally posted by mookiecece </i></b> </smallfont> </td> <tr><td align=left valign=top>9/10, thought this would be in top 200??? how tall is this building?</td></tr> </table> Thanks for pointing that out

February 27th, 2003, 04:02 AM	#14
Oaronuviss The Mighty. Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Windsor Canada (the biggest one) Posts: 2,637 Likes (Received): 238	It's unique... I'm too used to it... if I wasn't familiar with it, or if it wasn't across the river, I'd give it a 9.5 But... I'll give it a 7.5 IMO/ __________________ I'm timeless like a broken watch, and make money like Fred Astaire...

February 28th, 2003, 04:08 AM	#15
Caledon1981 --------- Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: OKC Posts: 217 Likes (Received): 0	7 for me. . . .i like that glare in the second pic __________________ --------

March 6th, 2003, 01:46 AM	#16
Venezuelacom Registered User Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Maracay- Caracas Posts: 666 Likes (Received): 7	this building looks just awsome in the skyline.... 9/10 __________________ since 2002

March 6th, 2003, 11:46 PM	#17
Liz L Registered User Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Indianapolis, IN Posts: 403 Likes (Received): 0	7.5/19 - The large cylinder and the 4 smaller towers are well placed - they relate well to each other, and on the whole form a unified composition that's also a study in contrast between curves and angles. The glass curtainwalls dance with the light well, and they do look impressive at night. However, the cylinder somehow doesn't seem well-proportioned - just like the Westin, it's too bulky. And the little round buildings somehow don't seem to go with the towers they're connected to, thus detracting from the overall composition. The facades could also use a bit more detail. The white lines are at least an attempt to do I]something[/I] about the roofs, though the strip on the cylinder looks a bit out of place where it is. __________________ Liz L Art Deco rules!

March 7th, 2003, 06:57 PM	#18
The Messiah Finishing this fight Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Middelburg(The Netherlands) Posts: 1,301 Likes (Received): 2	The landmark for Detroit. The cilinder in the middle is the best thing of the structure. 8.0/10 __________________ The message you have entered is too short. Please lengthen your message to at least 2 characters.

April 11th, 2003, 01:21 AM	#19
Evergrey Guest Posts: n/a Likes (Received):	5 I don't like this complex... it looks very 70's... in a bad way... And the complex really takes away from the rest of Detroit's skyline... the great 1920's/30's art deco skyscrapers... it's a dull glassy cylinder... with very ugly boxes surrounding it

April 26th, 2003, 01:34 AM	#20
BGT Guest Posts: n/a Likes (Received):	9/10

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