1676 replies to this topic

[Jackerbie]

If this building ends up being 25 stories but with a perfectly flat top as some sort of twisted compromise then I might just check myself in to VV's rubber room.

 

Not perfectly flat, there might be an elevator tower for universal accessibility and also the rooftop mechanical bits 

[Nparker]

The aesthetic options for maintaining the same density on a 25-storey building are certainly going to be more limited than if the 29-storey plan were going forward.

[Citified.ca]

Here we go:

 

Height of what would have been Vancouver Island's tallest building scaled back

http://victoria.citi...dson-place-one/

[aastra]

I'm not a fan of pinnacles and funny hats and such, FYI. I'm just noting that concerns re: architectural design shouldn't evaporate at level [insert today's magic number here]. Every building taller than four or five floors should have some sort of completion at the top, some stepping back and/or distinguishing of the highest levels, etc. The more prominent that a building is going to be, the more effort we should expect re: a refined appearance at the very top.

 

Sometimes I think Victoria's rules are intended to present highrise buildings in the most unflattering light. A self-confirming hang-up. "See? We told you it was going to look like ***."

[AllseeingEye]

Heh...as predicted after a conversation in the summer with a certain business birdie close to one of the more reasonable CoV councilors....

 

Absolutely no surprise but really you can't blame Townline as we all know any request to build an extra !FOUR! whole entire stories would've tied this proposal up for years in the very best Victoria tradition of s****** their pants over that most terrifying and horrible of possibilities <gasp>....*extra height*.

 

As long as the final product is a good looking building IMO the best we can do is move on and hope "25" sets some sort of a standard for perhaps a new normal in Ye Olde Faux Heritage Burgh by the Sea.....

[Mattjvd]

When (what year) do you think a 30+ floor building will be approved in the CoV?

[Nparker]

When (what year) do you think a 30+ floor building will be approved in the CoV?

5,000 CE - give or take a millennia.

[Mike K.]

The updated renderings: 

 

 

 

[jonny]

Looks great. Can't wait!

[Nparker]

So as suspected it's lost most of its slimness. Although it's definitely better than a hole in the ground, once again we get the inferior version of a proposal. 

[aastra]

Something isn't jibing in those images.

[RFS]

1st and 3rd rendering look good. 2nd looks like it's already been there forever and no one will notice

[Nparker]

From a distance it looks altogether too much like North Park Manor now.

[Kapten Kapsell]

From a distance it looks altogether too much like North Park Manor now

It's still not a fatscraper though

[Nparker]

It's still not a fatscraper though 

So that's the the benchmark now for excellent design in the CoV? It's good as long as it's "not a fatscraper"? 

[Kapten Kapsell]

So that's the the benchmark now for excellent design in the CoV? It's good as long as it's "not a fatscraper"?

I didn’t mention anything about benchmarks or design excellence; the non-fatscraper aspect of the redesign is simply an acknowledgement that it could be worse.

[Nparker]

...the non-fatscraper aspect of the redesign is simply an acknowledgement that it could be worse.

That's still not setting the bar very high if we are willing to accept "it could be worse".

And I don't mean to suggest these attitudes are your personal opinions Kapten, I just think that as a community Victorians have to learn to aim higher and not be satisfied with "just OK".

[AllseeingEye]

I must say in Mike's first rendering that is by far the best the Jack Davis building has ever looked. IMO that fugly little squirt represents all that is wrong with "modern" Victoria architecture: its the poster child for short, squat and fatscaper-like. Somewhat akin to the new developments destined for the View Towers area my hope is that once Townline is finished with the Hudson district the JD building will hopefully just sort of disappear from consciousness once its boxed in by the new tower....

[Nparker]

My thoughts exactly AllSeeingEye

[Kapten Kapsell]

I must say in Mike's first rendering that is by far the best the Jack Davis building has ever looked. IMO that fugly little squirt represents all that is wrong with "modern" Victoria architecture: its the poster child for short, squat and fatscaper-like. Somewhat akin to the new developments destined for the View Towers area my hope is that once Townline is finished with the Hudson district the JD building will hopefully just sort of disappear from consciousness once its boxed in by the new tower....

It might also be boxed in by Gateway Green (if it's ever built).