I spent the evening getting drunk at Future Shack at Seattle Center

how was it, mdler?

Well, what can one say, really. I do think that Seattle is a lot more progressive, spatially at least, then a lot of other municipalities.

I guess the real question is: Is this a ramification of Olympic Park and the Library, or did the thought process facilitate those projects?

And why Seattle?! Kurt has been dead for a while. What do they know that that Boston or St. Louis or other similar cities doesn't?

BTW the music center is a carbuncle [love the prince for that one!].

^^ ??

seattle may think it's progressive, but it gets its good stuff from out of town.

achensch

there are some really good architects from Seattle doing really good work

holz

the future shack thing was sort of lame...except for Johnathan Seagal calling bullshit on LEED and the whole 'green' movement

^^

field operations + shop; it's going to be neato!

lets hope that they keep the viaduct...it is such a beautiful drive into the city

you've gotta be kidding. Anyway, didn't you get rid of your car?

not at all...The drive along the water is beautiful. i love driving through the shipping docks then heading through the city with the water + mountains on the left and the city on the right

Actually, I'm curious to know in what ways people view Seattle as progressive.
Granted, I was last there some ten years ago, but I never got the impression that it was significantly more progressive than similarly sized North American cities I've visited (Vancouver, Montreal...even Minnesota's twin cities).

So what is it?

modern life as we know it was invented in Seattle

well, the politics are certainly more progressive than in Minnesota. The culture as a whole is more focused on sustainability than any I've seen stateside. And they make great music, food, and beer.

we are also the most well read city in America

copper,

portland has more progressive bike/land use plans... has better sustainable buildings and has much better beer than seattle.

and powell's beats elliott bay books any day.

holz

pdx aint got jobs...but it got TITTIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

definitely got us beat on that as well, mdler! homeless youth, as well.

well holz, I somehow never made it down to Portland during my northwest stint! I know, I know... maybe someday soon. Anyway, I'll have to take your word for it. I just know that back in LA, I'm constantly amazed at shit like the fact that styrofoam is still legal in CA, or that there are still so many assholes trying to run me off the road. LA has this progressive image, but I'd count Seattle as moreso, so that's been the bar for me.

LA is the least progessive, right wing, conservative city in the country. Everyone is a self absorbed capitalist trying to fuck you out of a buck..but they think they arent

way to make me keep missing the northwest, mdler...

well, being a seattleite, im sufficiently disgusted with the city's decision. so sick of James Corner

I too am a wearied by the over use of James Corner/Field Operations by municipal and other authorities for many contemporary urban landscape projects. However, it does seems from afar (having never been to Seattle) that the general trend toward demolishing/replacing those sorts of freeway infrastructures, to open up the city to the water is a good thing...

mdler i can understand the drive being a beautiful and even aesthetic experience but in terms of city fabric/open space wouldn't you think it a good idea to take down??

One of the goals (or so i have gathered) is too knit together the Olympic Park and other such waterfront (or waterfront adjacent sites) into a chain of waterfront green spaces...

I think we all know the real solution here.

Bury trhew waterfront highway in an all-glass underwater tunnel.

It's like the Big Dig raped Seaworld. Unlike Seaworld, there will be only minimal dolphin tears and no orca-related fatalities!

that highway is scheduled to fall down in the next earthquake. unicorn, you're quite the wordsmith.