991 replies to this topic

[MarkoJ]

$650 a foot....maybe $699k to start?  Not sure if I am seeing it right but looks like there is a structure column right in the middle of the 3 bedroom units.

[Nparker]

Here's a detail of the Yates Street frontage from the CoV planning website.

It sure will be nice not to have a massive parking lot in the middle of this block.

[Coreyburger]

That midblock crossing is pretty narrow - thinking the city/council will ask them to widen it.

[spanky123]

Only missing the fence out front!

[VicHockeyFan]

They will need some hate-gating along the left side there.

[aastra]

Not crazy about that. It's okay but it just looks so conventional. Where's the flair? Nothing to distinguish it like the orange panels on Escher or the curved corner windows on the Juliet? Where's the "look at me" element?

 

Also, the passage should be wider on the Yates side. No activation of that corner space leading into the passage? Heck, no corner space to activate?

[aastra]

Taking all of Chard's projects into consideration, methinks the last one that we should want to emulate on this site is the Sovereign. Maybe it's just me but I'm seeing a lot of that here.

 

edit looking back in 2020: the "Sovereign" aspects are what I like most about it (the podium levels), as compared to the cladding panels and the "non-Sovereign" aspects near the top of the tower.

Edited by aastra, 21 September 2020 - 07:29 PM.

[aastra]

So... where's the whole "exciting architectural style for downtown" aspect? The lower levels seem to be very conventional. Why was that comment in the ADP document? Does the design really change gears on the higher floors or something?

[aastra]

 

Does the design really change gears on the higher floors or something?

 

I suppose it must, based on that earlier image of the towers.

 

edit looking back in 2020: my optimism was misplaced and I remain as confused as ever about that "exciting architectural style" comment in the CoV's document.

Edited by aastra, 21 September 2020 - 07:31 PM.

[jonny]

So far, the only aspects that excite me are that this parking lot is finally going bye-bye, that something taller than 14 or 15 stories is going in and that they aren't proposing a full on widescraper. The images leave me wanting more. This looks like Era v2.0 or something.

[aastra]

The fundamentals are there, which is good. Nothing goofy in terms of the setbacks or anything like that. That dark section might look really sharp if the cladding is something decent. But when we're talking about 20 stories x 2 on a single site I think you've got to expect something more interesting than a base hit.

[Nparker]

That mid-block crossing is pretty narrow...

It's wider than it looks (and certainly more than wide enough) because it will also incorporate the existing walkway along the eastern side of the Yates Centre building. I'm not sure mid-block walkways need to be the width of LA freeways.

[sdwright.vic]

I think the mid block crossing is only the existing one that's there current.

[Nparker]

I think the mid block crossing is only the existing one that's there current.

I think it will actually be about 30%-50% wider than it is currently.

(click on picture for more detail)

[MarkoJ]

This looks like Era v2.0 or something.

 

What's wrong with Era V2.0?

[aastra]

I could say the ground floor and lane aren't Era-esque enough. They should be more Era-like. Somebody should give Chard an Era-ful about it.

Edited by aastra, 08 February 2017 - 01:21 PM.

[aastra]

Era's ground floor just seems more inviting. This one seems very sterile, don't you think? It doesn't look like it's making any major/fundamental mistakes or anything like that. It just lacks something. I don't know.

[zoomer]

Taking all of Chard's projects into consideration, methinks the last one that we should want to emulate on this site is the Sovereign. Maybe it's just me but I'm seeing a lot of that here.

Sovereign fits where it does, a fine building, but I agree not here or most locations.  Could never understand why someone would pay big money for small recessed box like balconies.  When you look up at the Sovereign it seems devoid of life, especially compared to the Falls for example.  I really like Era, highly underrated building.  Hopefully Chard will tweak this one a bit more, he's come up with some beauties so far, so fingers crossed.   

[aastra]

 

 Could never understand why someone would pay big money for small recessed box like balconies.

 

Check out the balconies on that Bowker project.

[aastra]

 

Could never understand why someone would pay big money for small recessed box like balconies.

 

The city needs to get its head out of its rear and allow (or demand) the sort of balconies and terraces that belong in the old town. You know, the sort of thing that you actually saw and can still see on some historic buildings.