DAGtag
No Knob
Photo By David
Rittenhouse Club, 1811 Walnut Street
Too bad that the developers of RAM Stern's 10 Rittenhouse, incorporating the facade of the old Rittenhouse Club (Newman, Woodman and Harris, 1901), lost the beautiful cast brass doorknob, with the initials of the club on its face! And worse that they haven't replaced it yet, after more than a year.
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David :
The knob has not been replaced, but the hole has recently been capped. And a nice beveled brass plate now covers the hole where the lock was, higher on the door.Mike Ryan :
Maybe it's because I just returned from China where building is inbridled.....but....a door knob...????...really...??? Cities are living things and not a collection of curios on a shelf to be dusted and preserved. They need to accomodate growth and desire. In my view, the irrational push to salvage this building was a mistake. Buildings have social implications and the only use for this building is a a retailer like Barney's and a ridiculously high priced residence above....which no one will want when they tour the space and see the compromised window locations and hampered views of the Park. Thus, it lies empty and unused as it compromised the potential of the development. .....the world is rolling along.....Our best Architects must pursue work in other countries......as we chase a missing doorknob.Mike Ryan :
really...????.....perhaps it's due to the fact that I've just returned from China where architecture and design are literally blossoming. So I have concerns that our cities will stagnate even further if we focus on doorknobs. My view is that the developers were forced to maintain a building facade that hampered the potential of the site. It now sits empty becuase the costs associated with maintaing anf re-cbuilding this space have ensured that it may only be inhabited by the likes of "Barney's" and someone with the wealth to purchase and finish the odd space now trapped behind the old facade with it's small and misplaced windows that restrict beautiful park views. We need to stop viewing our city as a collectio0n of objects like curios on a shelf. We need to cease the unquestioned association of Preservation and Virtue. Buildings have social implications and the this one scores low on the real values of urbanization. If we want our city to grow and become vital, we need to focus on an environment that enables this goal, no matter what style the doorknobs.....