25 replies to this topic

[Holden West]

This is what Vancouver does:

Height
The zoning of the site identifies a height limit of 300 feet (91.4m). The DODP also has
provisions allowing for the Development Permit Board to relax this height limit up to 450 feet
(137m). In all cases, the Council-approved view protection guidelines are consulted to ensure
a development does not intrude into a view corridor.

In 1997, the Downtown Vancouver Skyline Study recommended that the Vancouver skyline
would benefit from the addition of a handful of buildings exceeding current height limits to
add visual interest to Vancouver’s skyline, while at the same time respecting the Council-
approved view corridors. Council resolved that an array of higher buildings should be
permitted to create a ‘modified dome’ skyline where the highest buildings (575 feet [175m]
to 600 feet [183]) are located in the central business district, generally north of Robson Street
between Howe and Bute Streets, on the widest streets (i.e. Burrard, Georgia and Granville
Streets).

The absolute building height for 819 Seymour Street is proposed at 413.2 feet (125.9m) so as
to respect the Queen Elizabeth Park view corridor. Staff have analysed the ‘fit’ of the
proposed building in the emerging family of buildings in the centre of the downtown and
concluded that it contributes to the desired ‘modified dome’ shaped skyline

http://www.city.vanc... ... ts/pe2.pdf

[renthefinn]

Dense, and as tall as possible!

[captain highliner]

Talking about skylines... I'm visiting T.O. right now, and I'm amazed at what I've found. I always figured that Toronto would have a central downtown core with a dynamic skyline with a gradual scaling down towards the suburban outskirts. What I've found is that while there is a main downtown skyline around the financial district, there's also tall buildings scattered thoughout the suburbs in a wierd le Corbusier towers in the park gone wrong kinda way. There's also an interesting skyline node in Mississauga with some concentrated density and height and some nice Vancouver style buildings (as opposed to the huge View Towers with brick cladding apartments found everywhere else).

Now I'm not ready to give my final opinion on the GTA's urban form, but my impression has been rather negative. This place is largely a city of stripmalls with a random sprinkling of highrises. The lesson for the CRD: try to concentrate highrise development around a few nodes that are preferably located on future LRT lines. This will satisfy the longing for an aesthetically pleasing and dynamic skyline as well as better addressing the transportation problems of city life. This is where some central planning is needed because the way things are going, the Western communities could turn out to be a nasty and uncoordinated chimera of high and low density urban form. Jackalopes make me nervous. I'd like to see the Colwood Corners area turn into a cool concentrated skyline.

[Icebergalley]

Hope this will link properly..

The photo which accompanies the article really caps it off..

WEEK IN REVIEW | December 31, 2006
Happy 2030: New York, Where the Dreamers Are Asleep
By JOYCE PURNICK
The city that once lived to dazzle seems no longer able to think big or much past tomorrow. Isn’t it about time for the Big Apple to start planning for its future

No it didn't so here's the link.. an awfully long one...

http://www.nytimes.c... ... 0&emc=eta1

[G-Man]

Speaking of skylines BC Place Stadium roof just collapsed!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mike K.]

Yeah, a big hole blew out from the side.

Dylan Leblanc sent me this link: http://skyscrapercit...ad.php?t=427649