303 replies to this topic

[VicHockeyFan]

Yup it is all kinds of terrible. Cladding is bad, shape is bad and street interaction looks totally blown. Who knows maybe Aastra will see what we are missing here. He usually likes this kind of thing.

 

Others await a more sophisticated response, aastra.

[aastra]

For the life of me I still can't understand why no downtown project has ever had even a smidgen of that Shoal Point/Swallow's Landing flavour. I thought for sure the Wharf/Government project would have it like crazy, but then the first design only sort of had it, and then the final design didn't have it at all. So then I thought for sure this project would have it like crazy, but it doesn't have it either.

 

I really don't know what look they're going for here. In the very least I was expecting a lot of balconies and terraces, and some culmination with the top couple of floors. Nope.

 

It actually strongly reminds me of something but I can't put my finger on what it is. Something at UVic, maybe? It's bugging me, I can see it but I can't pin it down.

[Nparker]

Ye-aahhhhhh. Um....no. Just NO. Looks like a friggin' mausoleum...

My first thought was it's some sort of giant church. 100% fail. 

[rambaldi]

Haida inspired roofline?

http://173.255.192.1...t-kay-llnagaay/

[VicHockeyFan]

It actually strongly reminds me of something but I can't put my finger on what it is. Something at UVic, maybe? It's bugging me, I can see it but I can't pin it down.

 

Me too!  I mentioned to Mike K. offline was it the old tower/archives at the museum, but that's not it.  It's trying for something that I also can not put my finger on.

 

Was there a tower?  Or am I going crazy?

 

Edited by VicHockeyFan, 07 June 2017 - 06:05 PM.

[aastra]

 

Looks like a friggin' mausoleum.

 

 

My first thought was it's some sort of giant church.

 

I was going to say "funeral home". So why are we all in the same ballpark on this?

[kafkaesque]

Mausoleum, funeral home, some BIG new churches I have seen in the US.  Personality free, boring as ..., seriously wrong for that corner. Too much of a squat block without design to add some flair to it.

[aastra]

Hard to tell but it looks like the ground floor on the corner isn't engaging the sidewalk at all. I was hoping for some life there.

[aastra]

So can we assume it's pretty much the same design all around or are these two sides the "back"?

[Nparker]

Hard to tell but it looks like the ground floor on the corner isn't engaging the sidewalk at all. I was hoping for some life there.

Among its many flaws, this proposal appears to have abysmal street-level engagement. What's with all the landscaping between the sidewalk and the building?

[G-Man]

I am also not saying we need to have anything really tall here but I do think first it needs to have a really good ground floor. This is the beginning of the retail part of downtown. Also it would be nice if it was lighter. This is heavy and oppressive.

[aastra]

 

He usually likes this kind of thing.

 

You cut me deep. I'm reeling after that.

 

And besides, when have we ever seen this kind of thing?*

 

*seriously, I need to know because it's driving me crazy

[aastra]

If you blur your eyes there's a suggestion of City Place because of the height and the roof overhang and some other superficial aspects:

 

[Nparker]

If you blur your eyes there's a suggestion of City Place because of the height and the roof overhang and some other superficial aspects:

I can see that.

 

Not that you were endorsing the idea, but I am not sure City Place necessarily needs to be emulated and certainly not at this location.

[jonny]

It looks like an awful suburban office building in Surrey wearing a wide brimmed hat. Like it's trying to be urban, but it's right next to a freeway. It's quite bad.

[Rob Randall]

It actually strongly reminds me of something but I can't put my finger on what it is. Something at UVic, maybe? It's bugging me, I can see it but I can't pin it down.

1960s modernism, definitely. UVic for sure. Also the original RBCM, Provincial Courthouse, and the Mosaic building. Those shallow angles on the facade and roof. The strong vertical elements. Interesting that it would seem to take its inspiration not from The Empress but from the museum, (in particular the carillon!).

Edited by Rob Randall, 07 June 2017 - 08:14 PM.

[jonny]

Totally agree with the museum or UVic vibe.

[lanforod]

I thought this was some sort of dreary museum at first glance. The kind I would probably never step foot in.

 

Maybe reminds of you ECS or Elliott buildings at UVic.

 

[Mixed365]

For the life of me I still can't understand why no downtown project has ever had even a smidgen of that Shoal Point/Swallow's Landing flavour. I thought for sure the Wharf/Government project would have it like crazy, but then the first design only sort of had it, and then the final design didn't have it at all. So then I thought for sure this project would have it like crazy, but it doesn't have it either.

 

I really don't know what look they're going for here. In the very least I was expecting a lot of balconies and terraces, and some culmination with the top couple of floors. Nope.

 

It actually strongly reminds me of something but I can't put my finger on what it is. Something at UVic, maybe? It's bugging me, I can see it but I can't pin it down.

Aastra - you usually don't have these on apartment buildings. Much more common on condominium buildings. 

[Mixed365]

Before we are all quick to judge it is good to recognize the following.

James Cheng has the Order of Canada, studied under Arthur Erickson and has designed 50+ buildings - including:

(Vancouver)

- Shaw Tower 

- Pac Rim 

- Shangri-La 

(Victoria)
- Parc Residences
- The Falls

 

He is at the top in terms of Canadian Architects and is often compared to Arthur Erickson and Bing Thom. 

It is good to recognize this as there may be reasons behind the specific design and something, or many things, we don't see from one C-Class rendering. 

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Edited by Mixed365, 07 June 2017 - 10:01 PM.