Jose Eber's Contemporary Construction Updates

[sweetpee_1993]

Wow! I can't thank you enough for the continued updates. We're so jazzed about our trip down. The shop is moving right along. I'm not sure how I feel about the new DVC tower. It doesn't seem like it fits with the original tower so well. Maybe that's a sign that there are major changes in store for the tower. Who knows. But thanks so much for the updates and the fantastic pictures. I appreciate it!

 

[fireworkz]

How does the 'footprint' of the new DVC tower compare to the size of North Garden Wing? It looks like from the photos I've seen North Wing was larger in terms of the amount of ground it covered.

 

[Jose Eber]

Does it matter if its 15 stories high?

Here is a view.

Remember, Gwathmey-Siegel did the Convention Center Expansion back in 1992. They "know" the Contemporary.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Does it matter if its 15 stories high?

Here is a view.

Remember, Gwathmey-Siegel did the Convention Center Expansion back in 1992. They "know" the Contemporary.

Good picture to illustrate what I'm talking about. The original tower is angular with strong, defined straight lines. The new tower is eleptical and more organic in shape. They look like two different hotels that were placed near each other, not at all the same or connected in any way. It's weird to see Disney do this. Don't they usually make any additions fit in with what's existing? The old wings fit quite well. I'm not complaining. I love progress. It's hard to understand the direction with this one, though. A person would almost wonder if maybe the intent is to open the new towers next door, take down the original, and rebuild. I sincerely hope not and I don't think they'd spend that kind of money to do that but if you didn't know any better, wouldn't you wonder? :shrug:

 

[Unplugged]

I think the tie in is the contemporary architecture. The original "Contemporary" hotel is an A frame, which you don't currently see being used in new buildings, thus it's no longer contemporary architecture. The round more organic shape is contemporary in design. From this perspective, they fit well together.

Though I do agree that rarely would Disney put 2 such dissimilar designs together. It is the style used "contemporary" as opposed to the actual building design that pulls it together.

I can't help but be curious about the future. Is the other wing (South) coming down or being replaced after completion of the new tower? I would imagine there are enough rooms in the new tower to replace both wings with additional space. Would be nice to see the existing wing removed to return the Contemporary returned to it's intended glory.

 

[unkadug]

Does it matter if its 15 stories high?

Here is a view.

Remember, Gwathmey-Siegel did the Convention Center Expansion back in 1992. They "know" the Contemporary.

another view.

From this elevation, there IS a design similarity.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

another view.

From this elevation, there IS a design similarity.

Oh yeah. From this elevation I do see the similarity. Just curious what the future holds once this new tower is done. I'm just guessing...purely opinion...no facts or quotes to back my own little thoughts...but I think they'll finish this new tower then phase out the other two buildings (tower and south wing). I think they'll knock 'em down and start again. Just imagine if the south wing matched this size then the main tower was at least 5-10 stories taller? That would be a loooot of rooms which equals big bucks in the end. It could happen. And it would be really, really cool to look at, too. Then again, if Disney decided to demo the original tower just imagine the flap it would start with the purists??? **sigh** :lookaroun

 

[DarkMeasures]

If the other wing was done in the same style of the new tower, then everything would fit...

But I hope the new tower is visible from tomorrowland. Because it is cool to have a couple high-rises visible from there.

 

[PhilharMagician]

Just wait till the South wing comes down and the other tower goes up.

 

[Jose Eber]

Some serious quality update here!




..

 

[Monty]

Some serious quality update here!




..

 

[unkadug]

 

[Monty]

My personal reaction to the "Some serious quality update here" statement... :shrug:

It's a shot out the door of the monorail that shows the Mickey ears of the shop...

 

[chinitopoop]

that building just looks too weird to me, and it throws the grand view of the contemporary off, i can just imagine what the view of it from mk is gonna look like, i think to make it look complete they should add another similar building to the other side of the contemporary tower then it might look better, but the way it looks now, it just looks weird.... and I agree with alot of the comments about the arcade, that store was perfect there the way it was , and they didnt need to move the arcade it was just fine where it was,and now the store in the middle of the concourse level just makes the contemporary look cheap, it looks like it doesnt belong there, looks like a rushed decision that wouldve been made during eisner's years, I thought we were past disney being cheap? they shouldve left everything on that side of the grand concourse level the way it was, too much money spent on fixing something that wasnt broken when the money couldve gone elsewhere in the resort