131 replies to this topic

[Nparker]

Good ...God  

Pam couldn't say it looks the same as everything else. "Beremy" should love it if the developer promised to donate it to the City to use as free accommodation for anyone studying the collected works of Karl Marx or working on their PhD in slam poetry.

[aastra]

I'm always wondering why Victoria can't bring itself to do neighbourhood developments like this one....

 

In my opinion this sort of effect would be perfect for the Fairfield church redevelopment or the Bowker project. You know that neighbourhood-style & neighbourhood-scale brick-and-mortar character that these properties used to have? They can still have that same feel even with a new development. New developments in the neighbourhoods don't need to turn things upside down, is my point. Heck, new developments in the neighbourhoods shouldn't turn things upside down. Why is doing more of the same good stuff never good enough in Victoria? Not only is it never good enough, it's never even considered.

 

There's nothing really faux about this place. It's just a unique little building with big windows and brick cladding. You know, the sort of building that tends to define a neighbourhood's old commercial area or its main corner.

 

 

 

Edited by aastra, 24 May 2017 - 10:21 AM.

[Rob Randall]

^Cool. Compare the current StreetView with 2007 to see how more attractive and vibrant that intersection is.

[Rob Randall]

It's a strong urban statement, perfectly appropriate for the site. Normally you would expect something more domestic-looking and boring.

[tedward]

You monster! How dare you propose something as horrible as ... BRICK!

[aastra]

Cambie Street/Oakridge is going bananas right now with lowrise condo projects. What do we think of "Aperture Living"? Methinks it looks interesting without being goofy-tastic. Another pic.

 

"41 West" right beside it is more conventional but it has distinctive "look at me" yellow panels that Nparker would surely appreciate.

[Nparker]

Both projects look fine to me. Outside of downtown Victoria however, I suspect most neighbourhoods would despise them.

[Jackerbie]

Aperture is a beautiful building, I've passed it a few times during construction and now that it is finished. They've done a nice job with the landscaping, too.

 

41 West is... less nice. I'm not a fan of those coloured fins or blocks.

 

City of Van took a long time to allow densification along Cambie. There's going to be a massive surge in construction along that street, including two new Canada Line stations (built by the developers, not TransLink, from what I understand).

[Mike K.]

Victoria developers are increasingly seeking out Vancouver architects for their infill and lowrise projects.

[aastra]

Getting back to the great spandrel debate, how is it that a city with an extreme climate like Saskatoon can get away with lots of window glass coverage while a city with a moderate climate like Victoria is becoming increasingly spandrel-tastic?

Links:
http://skyscraperpag...=193214&page=67
http://skyscraperpag...=193214&page=68

[Rob Randall]

And that lower-end buildings seem to have the least glass. Wouldn't glass be cheaper than the ten layer or whatever it is exterior cladding?

[Baro]

Windows are very expensive,  although the costs aren't exactly just a matter of square footage of window.  Once you get to a certain point it ends up being cheaper to just have a curtain wall of glass rather than a million individual openings.  Windows them selves are expensive,  but labour is one of the biggest costs too.  Every opening needs a complex array of perfectly installed wraps and flashing and it can be very time consuming.

[Nparker]

...Once you get to a certain point it ends up being cheaper to just have a curtain wall of glass...

We sure don't see much of that in local contemporary architecture do we?

[Citified.ca]

Ross Marshall of CBRE Victoria speaks with Greg Damant of Cascadia Architects about architecture in Victoria.

 

Ten on the 10th: Victoria architecture Q&A with Greg Damant of Cascadia Architects

https://victoria.cit...dia-architects/

[Mike K.]

Well, well, well. Victoria is now regarded as highrise city that has done highrise “right.” This post is for aastra:

In Victoria, B.C., for example, during the past 20 years, there has been an incredible number of highrises built, but the city has an open, airy feel. The architecture of Victoria highrises is such that none look like a solid block of concrete, which is how the majority of highrises approved in London look.

Victoria’s buildings have large balconies, are stepped in various ways, with urban gardens at different levels, so the landscape flows. Most also have street-level businesses. And they allow the sun to reach street level almost everywhere.

...says a Londoner. - https://theprovince....2f-9b1f08fa5579

[Jackerbie]

^ Important context: London, Ontario

[m3m]

Victoria really is an architectural paradise compared to London ON.  I mean, look at this:

 

[Jackerbie]

^ I was just about to post a similar picture!

[Jackerbie]

And for reference, here is the proposal in all of its glory. It's a 25 storey tower.

 

 

Edited by Jackerbie, 02 May 2019 - 08:48 AM.

[Nparker]

I'd be curious to know when these mostly concrete highrises were built. They look like they are from the 1970s. Does London still allows similar designs today?

Edit: Based on the above rendering, other than its sheer size, the aesthetics of this new London design don't look markedly different from a number of current CoV highrise developments.

Edited by Nparker, 02 May 2019 - 08:52 AM.