View Full Version : Devon Energy Center




Spartan
06-12-2012, 11:04 AM
Indention. The lines are fins. I don't know why I said indentures.

OKCisOK4me
06-12-2012, 02:59 PM
Indentures is what toothless people say when they're talking to their fake teeth..."git indentures!"

Spartan
06-12-2012, 03:13 PM
Yeah, I just said that. (slaps self in face)

Sheetkeecker
06-13-2012, 10:51 AM
Indentures?
Why, isn't that a form of RACISM?


Even though we will all end up with them.
Or die early.
One-or-the other.

OKCisOK4me
06-13-2012, 01:18 PM
Yeah, I just said that. (slaps self in face)

Are you testing me? Lol...Im not falling for it :-)

Pete
06-14-2012, 06:59 AM
Was in Devon yesterday and peeked into the Illy Coffee shop under construction between Nebu and the Rotunda.

They look to still be several weeks out. Lots left to do.

Snowman
06-14-2012, 07:10 AM
Who names these restaurants? Nebu & Vast only sound good compared to Illy

Pete
06-14-2012, 07:29 AM
Illy is the name of the coffee company that will run the shop and feature their products.

Here are a couple of photos of the auditorium. They are almost done; seats are in, you can see the wood accents through the glass wall and mobile LED screens if you look closely. Also, the red railing on the staircase was only for construction and the permanent one is in keeping with the other neutral tones used throughout the complex:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/devon61312a.jpg

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/devon61312b.jpg

Pete
06-14-2012, 07:33 AM
And here's one of Sheridan which looks to be complete between Hudson and Robinson, but they are still working on the sidewalks to to west in front of the Lunch Box.

Also, still working on Hudson just west of Devon.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/devon61312c.jpg

Pete
06-15-2012, 08:15 AM
Here's a bunch from inside.


From near the east entrance:
http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/devon614121.jpg


These sandstone panels look fantastic in person:
http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/devon61412a.jpg


Connection to the Colcord Hotel not quite ready:
http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/devon614122.jpg


The original model revealed at the press conference:
http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/devon61412b.jpg


You can now take the escalators to the 2nd level in the rotunda but the other levels are for employees only.

You can see the 2nd level walkway is transluscent:
http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/devon61412c.jpg


This is where the building will connect with the Underground system via a walkway to the City Center East Garage:
http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/devon61412d.jpg


You can see they are framing out the pedestrian corridor in the garage on the 3rd level:
http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/devon61412e.jpg


View up Harvey:
http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/devon61412f.jpg


These show the remaining work at the south entrance:
http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/devon61412h.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/devon61412i.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/devon61412j.jpg

Pete
06-15-2012, 08:26 AM
Besides the ground level, the rest of the Garden Wing is filled with conference rooms. I didn't realize until later that these areas were for employees only, but at least I got some good photos. :)


This is looking back towards the tower just as you are about to cross into the meeting area of the 2nd floor:
http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/devon61412k.jpg


Diagram of all the rooms; this is just for the 2nd floor but I would guess 3-5 are pretty similar
http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/devon61412l.jpg


Looking west from the rotunda just as you enter the conference center:
http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/devon61412n.jpg


Meeting room:
http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/devon61412m.jpg


These light fixtures fill the light wells that run from the ground floor to the very top of the Garden Wing:
http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/devon61412o.jpg


At the far west end of the 2nd level there is a connection to their health center (not quite finished):
http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/devon61412p.jpg


And also at the far west end is the skybridge connection to the auditorium:
http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/devon61412q.jpg


Looking back towards the routunda:
http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/devon61412r.jpg

dcsooner
06-15-2012, 08:36 AM
Wow! that is all I can say. World class addition to DT OKC

Pete
06-15-2012, 08:43 AM
It's very, very impressive in person. One of the things I noticed is that all you see almost no painted surfaces. Everything is covered in stone, or tile or wood or metal -- having managed commercial office projects, I can tell you that is one area where you can save a lot of money but they did everything to a very high standard.


One of the best things is that it is so open to the public. It feels welcoming when you walk in, as the security is kind of around the edges and there is nothing about it that feels like you shouldn't be in there; in fact the opposite is true. You can tell people are starting to spill in from the Myriad Gardens, as there were several families milling around.

And of course Nebu, the whole first floor and the park are equally welcoming. There are even prominent open restrooms.... Sitting between the library and Myriad Gardens, the entire complex bridges two of the most public of downtown areas.

Even the employee-only area at the base of the tower is handled discretely, with that huge, low water feature serving as a barrier without feeling like one.


Great credit to Devon for all this; it's a very different feel than any office building I've ever been in, and I mean that in the best possible way.

ethansisson
06-15-2012, 09:22 AM
...as the security is kind of around the edges and there is nothing about it that feels like you shouldn't be in there...

Unless you linger around the sidewalks on the weekend for too long. Then security comes out and asks you to go somewhere else. That was my experience a couple weeks ago.

adaniel
06-15-2012, 09:45 AM
The two times I've been there, the security staff is very friendly and seem to enjoy their roles as de-facto tour guides, as there are indeed a lot of non-Devon people who are visiting the building.

Much better experience than the angry rent-a-cops you see in most office buildings.

SoonerBoy18
06-15-2012, 04:30 PM
Looking at those amazing photos make me wish I could go take a tour there and eat breakfest at NeBu on any givin day of the week, but my age would make me feel very out of place. Seems like its only for established people.

SSEiYah
06-15-2012, 04:42 PM
Looking at those amazing photos make me wish I could go take a tour there and eat breakfest at NeBu on any givin day of the week, but my age would make me feel very out of place. Seems like its only for established people.

As long as you dont look homeless, I dont think you would stand out. I saw "tourists" there last time I ate in there with kids sitting at a table. Lots of casually dressed folks (jeans, polo shirts)

SoonerBoy18
06-15-2012, 09:39 PM
As long as you dont look homeless, I dont think you would stand out. I saw "tourists" there last time I ate in there with kids sitting at a table. Lots of casually dressed folks (jeans, polo shirts)

Is it expensive? I have seen a photo where they had the food set up as an all you can eat buffet.

ljbab728
06-15-2012, 10:06 PM
One thing that strikes me in looking at those pictures is the lack of interior greenery. I wonder if that is planned or if it's just not completed yet.

Bellaboo
06-16-2012, 07:06 AM
One thing that strikes me in looking at those pictures is the lack of interior greenery. I wonder if that is planned or if it's just not completed yet.

Wondering this myself. Where my wife works, about 3 months ago they made everyone take all by one plant home, then they took all of the greenery out of the common areas of the building....go figure. Made it look so sterile.

Sean
06-16-2012, 07:25 AM
Is it expensive? I have seen a photo where they had the food set up as an all you can eat buffet.
It's not an all you can eat buffet. You just pick whatever you want, and you'll pay for what you choose. I went there on my lunch break and got pasta with chicken and a lemonade for 9 bucks.

Spartan
06-16-2012, 08:41 PM
Looking at those amazing photos make me wish I could go take a tour there and eat breakfest at NeBu on any givin day of the week, but my age would make me feel very out of place. Seems like its only for established people.

If you go on a Thunder day, wearing a Thunder shirt, you'll fit completely in. I went on a Thunder day once, not wearing a Thunder shirt, and I felt like an out of place stiff. Keep in mind this is OKC, we keep it pretty cazh...

Cooper_GOIVM
06-18-2012, 03:49 PM
1838183718291830183118321833183418351836 Hello friends. Pics from one of my recent flights. You'll notice one of these photos was arguably the biggest Thunder Ally crowd ever during its short existence. Photos copyright 2012 Insight Visual Media, productions, Inc. All Right Reserved. You can see more from this flight at www.goivm.com.

mcca7596
06-18-2012, 04:53 PM
Regarding the final pic: Even the surface lots of bricktown can be made to look good and more urban when they're actually FULL and there are CROWDS... GASP lol

kevinpate
06-18-2012, 05:01 PM
excellent shots

sooner88
06-18-2012, 05:33 PM
All of those pictures are great, but that last picture is awesome!

Jake
06-18-2012, 06:11 PM
Beautiful pics!

No matter how many times I see it, it's hard to believe how much space the current convention center takes up.

Spartan
06-18-2012, 08:23 PM
Beautiful pics!

No matter how many times I see it, it's hard to believe how much space the current convention center takes up.

That's what you get with convention centers. The Cox is actually considered "too small."

SoonerBoy18
06-18-2012, 10:06 PM
I don't know if this has been asked but how far deep is the Devon foundation?

Bellaboo
06-19-2012, 06:26 AM
I don't know if this has been asked but how far deep is the Devon foundation?

Early on in this thread it has all of the specs - but I believe there are 40 something piers that exceed 150 feet. IIRC

Teo9969
06-19-2012, 11:59 AM
Not sure if it's been mentioned on the thread yet (I haven't seen it) But the South indention of the Tower is programmed to say "THUNDER" from Top to Bottom during the night. I drove by it last night and saw it and it was the first programming I've noticed on the tower. It was only on the South inset though.

betts
06-19-2012, 12:50 PM
Not sure if it's been mentioned on the thread yet (I haven't seen it) But the South indention of the Tower is programmed to say "THUNDER" from Top to Bottom during the night. I drove by it last night and saw it and it was the first programming I've noticed on the tower. It was only on the South inset though.

Now that's cool. I'm going to have to take a look. I can only see the north spine.

Dustin
06-19-2012, 05:13 PM
Now that's cool. I'm going to have to take a look. I can only see the north spine.

Don't forget to take a pic! :)

Watson410
06-19-2012, 05:36 PM
Someone please go down there and snap a few pictures. I'd like to share it with out of state Thunder fans if you don't mind.

Watson410
06-20-2012, 06:37 AM
I'm guessing they decided not to do it last night... I drove by after the game and the tower wasn't even lit up.

Pete
06-20-2012, 02:09 PM
These are from yesterday.

Looks like the auditorium is virtually complete. Note the people inside.


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/devon61912a.jpg

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/devon61912b.jpg

OKCisOK4me
06-20-2012, 03:34 PM
The man is walking down to the podium.

Dustin
06-20-2012, 11:29 PM
Saw this ad while browsing youtube:

http://i.imgur.com/hHk0J.png

Is this the work of Cooper Ross? Looks like it to me!

Spartan
06-21-2012, 12:07 AM
These are from yesterday.

Looks like the auditorium is virtually complete. Note the people inside.


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/devon61912a.jpg


Hey Pete, I've been defending the Devon Auditorium facility on other architecture boards - there seems to be a strong argument that this one facility uses cheaper materials than normal for corporate auditoriums (simple metallic cladding) and is a pretty poor anchor for the corner. This of course goes to that suburban v. urban layout debate that I've shied away from.

What is your take on this? I'd open that up to anyone as well, I'm curious what people think. From standing in the middle of Hudson & Sheridan, it has a somewhat Seattle Central Library vibe, even more so in some photos, but the first time I saw it in person it was a little underwhelming (but perhaps I had my hopes up when I first likened it to Seattle Central Library).

ljbab728
06-21-2012, 12:16 AM
My opinion is that it's architecturally interesting even if not a masterpiece. I have no problem with it at all.

Spartan
06-21-2012, 12:25 AM
Well, here's what I could not defend Devon against.. I was actually at a loss, because it is kinda true that silver metal cladding (compared to cost neutral alternatives) is kinda meh.


But that's the problem. The auditorium only reinforces the corporate look. The rest of the building is gorgeous with all the glass and those cool extruded mullions. The auditorium feels like a leftover. Metal panel comes in a ton of different colors shapes and textures. I've specified quite a few. I worked a on a project that had color changing metal...it's at least something different than the standard silver.

I'm wondering if it was cost...though there's plenty of other cheap alternatives. PC does top of line architecture......especially here in Chicago. So this is a bit surprising to me.

ljbab728
06-21-2012, 12:32 AM
I doubt that cost was a major concern in the choice of siding for a project that massive and expensive. As for reinforcing a corporate look, it is a corporate auditorium isn't it? Some people just expect everything to be a new "Mona Lisa". I won't be complaining about it to Devon. Remember what was there before they started.

Pete
06-21-2012, 04:19 AM
It never occurred to me that the metal cladding looks cheap or out of place -- quite the contrary.

The entire Devon complex is sheathed in either class or shiny metal and of course two of the sides and roof of the auditorium weren't going to be glass, so metal was the obvious choice.

It looks super sharp in person in a way the architecture geeks can't appreciate through the photos. Devon spent $750 million on this complex and every single interior finish I've seen is stone, glass, metal or wood. If they had been looking to save money, that's were they could have easily cut back but didn't. I doubt very seriously that the auditorium cladding had anything to do with cost savings.

I think the auditorium ties directly to the other structures in both material and design, and that all the buildings work well together.

soonerwilliam
06-21-2012, 01:07 PM
I agree with Pete. Looks great!

Cooper_GOIVM
06-21-2012, 02:56 PM
Saw this ad while browsing youtube:

http://i.imgur.com/hHk0J.png

Is this the work of Cooper Ross? Looks like it to me!

yessir!

iMAX386
06-25-2012, 02:13 AM
They had "THUNDER" spelled out on the south side again last night using the Blue/White LEDs. It was cool, but it looked a little cheap. The different parts of the letters weren't the same size and it looked a little half-assed...I know those aren't video screens, but I just expected a little better. You can only see it when looking at it from the side, when you're looking at it straight on you can't tell at all.

Pete
06-25-2012, 06:40 AM
The system isn't nearly finished.

It will be capable of sophisticated programming and can be made to be much brighter than what we have seen.

We're still two months away from it being completely done.

BoulderSooner
06-25-2012, 07:19 AM
i thought the "THUNDER" looked pretty good ...

Pete
06-25-2012, 04:10 PM
I had mentioned trying to book a banquet room on the 50th floor...

When I was in town last week, I was able to get everything nailed down for the grand ballroom (about half the floor) for the summer of 2013. We decided to push our reunion to August to get better rates, as we usually do them in June but there was too much wedding competition.

The people at Williams & Associates who manage Flint, the Colcord, Vast and the banquet space were fantastic to work with. They gave us a nice discount on a block of Colcord Hotel rooms as well.


My class is going to be super excited about this, as we are the first reunion to reserve that large space. Should be really special.

Can't go up into the space for another month and they will have a soft opening for Vast and the banquet space on Oct. 1 with the grand opening a couple of weeks later.

JerseyOkie
06-25-2012, 04:31 PM
Attended a wedding Saturday at the Gardens. Snapped this for those who haven't seen it yet.

1870

catch22
06-25-2012, 04:33 PM
Awesome. Thanks!

Pete
06-25-2012, 04:51 PM
http://www.okctalk.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1870&d=1340663364

dankrutka
06-25-2012, 05:00 PM
When do they start taking reservations for dinner at Vast?

Pete
06-25-2012, 05:09 PM
Not sure:

http://www.wahospitality.com/

OKCisOK4me
06-25-2012, 05:33 PM
That pic above reminds me of 1980's knee high socks. One solid color will be nice. The writing is too elementary.

SoonerBoy18
06-25-2012, 09:27 PM
Why is some of those lights a bright hue of blue? Makes everything look messy

Bellaboo
06-25-2012, 09:43 PM
Why is some of those lights a bright hue of blue? Makes everything look messy

I understand that they will not have the lights refined until sometime in August. I'm sure it'll look better as they work through it.

OKCisOK4me
06-25-2012, 09:43 PM
Why is some of those lights a bright hue of blue? Makes everything look messy

I sense sarcasm...

Spartan
06-25-2012, 09:54 PM
I''m not sure sure :yeahthat:

OKCisOK4me
06-25-2012, 09:55 PM
I''m not sure sure :yeahthat:

That's only what I'm praying for cause the other reason would be sad...