It reminds me of that condo proposal for the Admiral Inn site.
Re: the height and massing, it almost seems like it was deliberately designed to perfectly block out the highest floors of the hotels and condo buildings behind it.
UNDER CONSTRUCTION TELUS Ocean Uses: office, commercial Address: 767 Douglas Street Municipality: Victoria Region: Downtown Victoria Storeys: 10 |
Posted 02 August 2020 - 12:20 PM
It reminds me of that condo proposal for the Admiral Inn site.
Re: the height and massing, it almost seems like it was deliberately designed to perfectly block out the highest floors of the hotels and condo buildings behind it.
Posted 02 August 2020 - 12:23 PM
Posted 02 August 2020 - 12:25 PM
I don't know, it's not bad but it seems generic, like it has nothing to do with its context. It could be in Surrey or Richmond just as easily as on a street facing the Empress Hotel. Methinks it would be a better fit at Douglas & Caledonia or on Blanshard between Pandora and Cormorant.
Posted 02 August 2020 - 01:22 PM
At 53 m it's above the maximum height of 45 m in Richmond so you'll have to put in Surrey, sorryI don't know, it's not bad but it seems generic, like it has nothing to do with its context. It could be in Surrey or Richmond just as easily as on a street facing the Empress Hotel. Methinks it would be a better fit at Douglas & Caledonia or on Blanshard between Pandora and Cormorant.
Posted 02 August 2020 - 01:43 PM
Posted 02 August 2020 - 01:44 PM
I knew you'd weigh in with that.
Posted 02 August 2020 - 01:45 PM
I just realized Mike K. isn't going to like the name for this project.
Posted 02 August 2020 - 02:02 PM
... wtf
Ok, are we sure this is real - has there been official confirmation? This looks like the result of one those 'worst idea ever' brainstorming sessions where people jot down terrible ideas on sticky notes as way of learning what NOT to do and to inspire creative thinking. Looks like the sticky notes from that session were passed on to an architect who thought they were being serious.
"short and stubby"
"make it bland"
"generic - could place in any tier 3 city or suburb or any block"
"dated"
"boring"
"must block views of other buildings"
"pay no attention to context - geographical or historical"
"few if any distinguishing features"
So disappointing after all the hype. When viewed from the inner harbour you just see a really wide glass blob sticking up just a bit, a generic background against away a huge swath of the Empress roofline. "What is that Bob?" "I dunno Mary, looks like maybe a failed addition to the hotel built a few decades ago..? Hard to tell from here though.."
What is needed is a taller slender more refined building with more detail - can still be glassy and evoke ocean dreams.. We want people to say. "wow, that looks cool, let's check it out!" We need a third tier to our skyline that draws people up and away from Government street.
Yet I bet the city will approve this because "it's only 11 stories - WIN". Yet the proposal ruthlessly imposes itself on every inch of the site. How about a more graceful swoop..like a gentle ocean wave, with a lower PEOPLE FRIENDLY podium? So imagine the tower to the right only and the podium:
Image from World of Architecture
Or how about 61 Oxford street in London, but about 20 stories high instead. Distinguished, elegant details with glass shape and colour that are evocative of the ocean.
This is so substandard and a slap in the face to Victoria from Telus. I'm a little shocked after all the insider hype about it.
I've never petitioned against a project at City Hall, but have publicly spoken in favour of some, including the Falls, along with many member of VV back in the day. This Telus effort however, will be the first, if this proposal makes it through. I will be actively lobbying against it - even if it's a band of one, lol.
Posted 02 August 2020 - 02:06 PM
Ok, posting images on this site is a bloody headache, especially compared to SSP, "sorry that extension is not allowed".. isn't SSP and VV owed by the same wonderful guy? Anyways, here's the site for 61 Oxford Street.. not exactly right, but you get the idea in terms of glass waves, colour banding, distinguished features:
http://timothysoarar...k/project/28262
Posted 02 August 2020 - 02:16 PM
Too short
Too wide.
Victoria in a nutshell.
Edited by Casual Kev, 02 August 2020 - 02:17 PM.
Posted 02 August 2020 - 02:24 PM
So what are you saying, zoomer? You do or you don't like it?
Posted 02 August 2020 - 02:29 PM
So what are you saying, zoomer? You do or you don't like it?
Posted 02 August 2020 - 02:35 PM
Victoria in a nutshell.
an all too relatable problem
Posted 02 August 2020 - 03:21 PM
It looks big city-ish. There are no interesting office buildings in Victoria that are tall. If the glass reflects the Empress, and my guess is the architect would ensure it does, it would be pretty cool.
Posted 02 August 2020 - 03:26 PM
Here is the link to the TELUS Ocean development proposal version 1.0, July 2020. On the top right there is a link to download the entire 61 page pdf.
https://www.dropbox.... 96dpi.pdf?dl=0
Posted 02 August 2020 - 03:36 PM
Posted 02 August 2020 - 03:40 PM
Edited by Victoria Watcher, 02 August 2020 - 03:41 PM.
Posted 02 August 2020 - 04:47 PM
well what is the application process to build it?
in closed door meetings city council agreed to sell the site to this developer for this proposal.
surely any further meetings or hearings are not required.
Posted 02 August 2020 - 05:11 PM
I'm interested to know what Madoff thinks of this. She has always said she wants to see high quality architecture Downtown yet this is a very imposing structure. It doesn't step back the way I thought it might. Straight up. It really muscles itself into that tight lot. But I don't know if Madoff will have a chance to comment on it in an official capacity; it won't be seen by heritage advisory but she might be there for Design Panel.
I didn't look at the drawings closely but it has to have a lot of razzle-dazzle at the ground floor. Lots of technologically advanced lighting tricks. This is not a sleepy suburban office tower. It has to be really dynamic. When you're walking by, especially at night it really has to knock you out.
Posted 02 August 2020 - 09:21 PM
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