Oct

Moore Square Design Winner Announced

Congratulations to Charlottesville’s Christopher Counts, the winner in a 79-applicant field to create a new vision for Raleigh’s Moore Square. By winning, he will get to assign a design team to develop a real master plan for the square and surrounding areas. More information is posted about the applicants’ entries on the City’s website and on Flickr .

I really can’t complain since I didn’t enter, but damn!, I mean DAMN! I should have entered! After seeing the results of our “world-class plaza” and this? This week is a peek at the great vision of downtown Raleigh? [thump] [thump] [thump]. Let me tell you all about Windows Media Center with CableCARD tuner integration, since that’s where my mind has been the last few months…

Justin

ONLY judging by the pictures – I like some of the honorable mentions the better than the winning design. I’m not sure I really “get” it…they’re going to slope the square?
Kevin

You setup that CableCARD tuner yet or are you holding out for Tru2Way/SDV support? No telling when that will happen.
http://www.jennmercer.com Jenn

So, the new design is sidewalks?
Dana

Justin, I know what you mean. These are just pictures and maybe I’m not getting the grand vision.

Kevin, I got SDV tuning adapters from TWC. They allow tuning all of the non-on-demand channels, including ESPNU-HD, FoxSportsSouthHD, Boomerang, etc. They are up and running since Saturday with not-yet-released-to-public firmware and drivers from ATI.
Chad

Are you serious? What is this? Is Raleigh really gonna pay to redesign Moore Square. The design is awful, it’s just a bunch of sidewalks… some that lead to nowhere?! Not cool, not original, just plain ugly. What more should I expect after seeing those light towers in City Plaza. Raleigh hasn’t built anything nice downtown since it remodeled the Memorial Center.
Chad

Memorial Auditorium
RaleighCitz

Look at some who didn’t even get honorable mentions:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/43392181@N04/sets/72157622569955664/

There are a few in here that are killer! Vote, comment, etc. And let the city know their choice may not be the right choice: designmooresquare@ci.raleigh.nc.us .
http://www.jonathanhawkins.net Jonathan Hawkins

I like the picture that shows the playground and the hill with the slide built into it. Building up a slope would help for viewers at Downtown Live.

Other than that, I’m not really sure to make of this. Would definitely like to see some more images.
Unique1

I must be missing something. How did this win!
JeffS

This is the most abstract shot of the set. Before judging it I suggest everyone visit the city website and look at the entire 7-image set. Read the details of all of the features. It seems well thought out.

No, it is not groundbreaking, but it is better than what’s there and can still be used in the same way. I am glad they chose an open-space design over a more single-purpose facility.
Terry

I saw this winning design at Raleigh Wide Open (with a number of people). This better not be the final design, it’s below average at best! Where is the water component? Where is the lighting? Where is the art? Where are the seating areas? This should not be designed with concerts in mind. I agree, this design is nothing but sidewalks and “a HILL”. How is this designer staying in business. Get someone from New York, Chicago or San Fransico to do this RIGHT! Enough of this small town desinger garbage.
This jury panel must have been drinking before the selection process (just shows their lack of VISION).
Thomas

This design is aweful. This jury of ours has no VISION. These are the people and professors that are involved in downtown Raleigh future decisions/designs (pathetic). It’s time the tax payers make the decisions. Did anyone see that the city council had to put their names on the City Plaza fountain and the Convention Center? Are you “KIDDING”! Tax payers paid for both, remove their names from everything built. Bunch of arogant council members.
david

I was looking for a giant terrain map of the state with a manmade river running through the middle (raleigh). Unfortunately it remained in my head.
Chris

I think they were trying not to spend much on the design. Many of the others appeared to come with a high budget.
David

Designed to give the homeless more exercise and nothing more.
Guilt

I think its funny that you saps even think Moore Square actually exists. Just build an amphitheater for Alice in Chains and let the party/boozing begin.
Chris

Honestly, it doesn’t seem like anyone is considering the interplay between programming in Moore Square, programming in City Plaza, and programming in the (vaporware, i.e. still nonexistent) downtown amphitheater.

If City Plaza can be a stage (or the eventual amphitheater), why do we need a stage in Moore Square? The primary current issue with Moore Square is that it is over-utilized with special events that until now haven’t had a good alternative. The existing grass/plantings should be less trampled. Any redesign that responds to last year’s situation is a waste.

The next most important issue with Moore Square has nothing to do with the square itself, and everything to do with underutilization of the property on two sides of the square — i.e. the perpetually underperforming City Market and the perpetually “next up for development” Person St. side. I don’t see how a reinvestment in a city park that doesn’t have fundamental intrinsic problems is going to change these situations.

In short: the “winning” plan doesn’t stand out enough to make any part of this exercise worth it.
Spatula

I looked at all the entries. I think the one Ron Cox did got robbed!

That’s the one with the spire and the cool lights. The sidewalks were kept to a minimum, and with an interesting, angular design.

gogoraleigh.com

Moore Square Design Winner Announced

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