[kalifese]

i know this project was posted in the forum before but dont know where it is. might be in the general taipei projects thread but cant find it. anyway it's all completed. a nice little building, very clean design. just wish it was another color other than the typical drab brown like blue or metallic silver. and of course wish it was taller. would make a nice 50 story tower in xinyi.

i like this underground entrance cover:

 

[aboutjgeo]

Look at how nice and clean the sidewalk is! no broken tiles, no ugly colour, no dirty concrete gound!

it makes me feel like i'm walking at Shibuya

[photo from Taiwan City Forum]

 

[kalifese]

wow that's a really spacious sidewalk in front of the hotel!! it looks narrow from a distance. you think it's possible one day for every block in cities in taiwan to have a sidewalk? might take a very long time! you can tell that sidewalk is designed and built according to japanese code.

also, why do taiwanese like to tile their sidewalks instead of paving them with cement? i really cant stand looking at some of the tiled sidewalks cuz some of them are really ugly and distracting. the seams in between the tiles get filled with dirt like the tiles in your bathroom. why not just pave with cement? much cleaner looking and low-maintenance. and if it cracks from wear n tear or earthquakes, just pave it over again.

the sidewalk in front of the hotel is tiled but nice cuz it's all one color and seamless. but this one is ugly:

 

[benKen]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/7723758818/

 

[benKen]

 

[Blackraven]

Wow nice looking hotel. That and that new sidewalk looks very Japanese. Plus that extra underground access passageway/walkway is a really nice touch indeed and it was indeed thoughtful for Okura to go to the extra mile to build this (at no cost to the city government or taxpayers )

The hotel is also nearby or in proximity to places like Linsen Park, a Shin Kong Mitsukoshi department store, Starbucks, Mos Burger and even the Zhongshan MRT train station.

And of course, the hotel is located right beside the Zhongshan Police Station (so it's very safe and secure)

 

[williamchung7]

I hate the colours they use in their later design. Previous design did not use these dark colours. It was much brighter and elegant building facade than this later design. This later design make me feel depression.

 

[aboutjgeo]

I hate the colours they use in their later design. Previous design did not use these dark colours. It was much brighter and elegant building facade than this later design. This later design make me feel depression.

i guess it's a lot easier to maintain, given the weather conditions in taiwan?

all bright and light coloured buildings become ugly in less than 5 years due to the rain and pollutions. and frankly, not many people care about it? look at all the TRA/MRT stations...

even in australia, where it's dry, not much rain and the air is clean, they still wash the building exterior quite often.

 

[kalifese]

even in australia, where it's dry, not much rain and the air is clean, they still wash the building exterior quite often.

BINGO!! thats the key - taiwanese dont wash and maintain their buildings while other countries do. im tired of hearing the pollution and weather excuses cuz other countries like japan and singapore have the same humid weather and air pollution problems as taiwan yet their buildings and cities are immaculate. its culture. taiwanese got into the habit of making all their buildings brown and grey and tiled to hide dirt to accommodate the lack of care they put into cleaning and maintenance of buildings.

 

[hkskyline]

Strange to see the mouthwash packed like that. I'm used to receiving those in little bottles like the shampoo and body wash.

 

[nemu]

I hate the colours they use in their later design. Previous design did not use these dark colours. It was much brighter and elegant building facade than this later design. This later design make me feel depression.

Dunno about you but I think the color is great and the design is simple and minimalist. It blends into its surroundings very well. Last thing you want is another thorn in the skyline. Taiwan has plenty of those already.

 

[kalifese]

Dunno about you but I think the color is great and the design is simple and minimalist. It blends into its surroundings very well. Last thing you want is another thorn in the skyline. Taiwan has plenty of those already.

i dont think it would be such a thorn if they made the building into a more attractive color, less dark color.

 

[williamchung7]

i guess it's a lot easier to maintain, given the weather conditions in taiwan?

all bright and light coloured buildings become ugly in less than 5 years due to the rain and pollutions. and frankly, not many people care about it? look at all the TRA/MRT stations...

even in australia, where it's dry, not much rain and the air is clean, they still wash the building exterior quite often.

For commercial buildings, if operator own entire building is very easy to maintain. But if it is multi people own the same building then we will have issues, for example how do residents share the price, property right (you get someone don't want people to touch it), is it affortable...etc. The fact is most poeple in Australia live in a house rather than apartment. Most people in Taiwan live in apartment and form urban landscape we see now. Combine these two together will create issue happen in many Asia cities, for example Hong Kong city landscape.

It is easier said on the internet than exactly do it in real world. Unless we have enforced law or cleaning will all rely on people incentive. And what happen is, it is only happen when they have extra money in most of times.

However for this hotel, it is more likely it is not possible reason for them to choose this dark colour. It does not make sense as owner is hotel operator that they do maintenance and cleaness consistently. And you have boutique hotel! I doubt it is client aesthetic rather than weather.

 

[Wumingshi]

For commercial buildings, if operator own entire building is very easy to maintain. But if it is multi people own the same building then we will have issues, for example how do residents share the price, property right (you get someone don't want people to touch it), is it affortable...etc. The fact is most poeple in Australia live in a house rather than apartment. Most people in Taiwan live in apartment and form urban landscape we see now. Combine these two together will create issue happen in most Asia city for example Hong Kong city landscape.

This is why HOAs (Home Owner Associations) exist and it's also what many Taiwanese residential buildings lack.

 

[kalifese]

This is why HOAs (Home Owner Associations) exist and it's also what many Taiwanese residential buildings lack.

yes, taiwan govt. really have to do something about this. enforce every building/apartment complex/housing complex to self-maintain themselves with rules and regulations via HOAs and property taxes. there should be no reason why new buildings are built and allowed to deteriorate so rapidly and homeowners freely change/alter the exterior of the buildings at will to the detriment of the building's appearance. this is third world mentality which creates third world appearances. hno: