1037 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

And quite the performing arts centre!

[Citified.ca]

The vision has crystallized, and with the potential for Frank Gehry to design the project's cultural centre, that would bring this development into a completely different realm as far as modern architecture is concerned.

 

A site plan, oriented with the northern perimeter of the project lands along the bottom of the image (parallel to Esquimalt Road) depicts the densities of the upcoming 'northern' half of the Roundhouse property, and an approved 25-storey condominium tower adjacent to a 21-storey massing model of a rental tower to its east on the 'southern' half. The location of a Gehry-designed cultural centre is identified by a red star, which will rise between condominium and hotel towers.

 

2,000 rental apartments and a Frank Gehry-designed cultural centre form updated vision for Vic West's Roundhouse lands

https://victoria.cit...undhouse-lands/

[Victoria Watcher]

boring.

 

just build something already.  how hard can it be?

 

 

this thread is 14 years old.  ken mariash isn't getting any younger.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 10 March 2021 - 09:12 AM.

[Brantastic]

Wow, Frank Gehry? In Victoria? He's one of the most famous architects in the world. He did the iconic Dancing House in Prague, Guggenheim in Bilbao, and Walt Disney Concert Hall in LA. I saw the Dancing House back in 2019:

[zoomer]

If Gehry's name was seriously being floated in connection with a cultural centre on inner harbour parking lots.. that might be exciting (although aren't his designs dated and passé at this point?).

This sounds like a case of using his name to get approval for higher density (which I support) much like the original promise to revitalize the Roundhouse. Perhaps another case of millionaires doing small favours for other millionaires, with no real intention of following through. Even the wording from Gehry is highly non-commital: “I am looking forward to helping, where I can, with the vision and fulfillment of this very special project.”

The site seems small and even if it comes to pass it would likely be very modest and designed by an apprentice architect in the firm. I give this a 10% chance of coming to fruition, but I'm 95% in favour of the new approach overall assuming they move away from excessive red brick and green spandrel and incorporate sufficient services and retail.

[Nparker]

...I'm 95% in favour of the new approach overall assuming they move away from excessive red brick and green spandrel and incorporate sufficient services and retail.

And perhaps some variation in shape from shoeboxes turned on end.

[jasmineshinga]

Gehry's works are certainly... unique. Not sure Victorians can handle actual artistic license in their city.

[Mike K.]

^I know!

 

We spend our days wishing for something like a Gehry, then he knocks on our doorstep (literally!) and we beat the guy down. Sometimes I have to agree with the sentiment that there's no winning.

[Casual Kev]

I just looked up Gehry's bio and he's 92 years old... hope the city doesn't make him wait until his wake.

[DavidSchell]

The vision has crystallized, and with the potential for Frank Gehry to design the project's cultural centre, that would bring this development into a completely different realm as far as modern architecture is concerned.

 

bayview-site-plan.jpg

A site plan, oriented with the northern perimeter of the project lands along the bottom of the image (parallel to Esquimalt Road) depicts the densities of the upcoming 'northern' half of the Roundhouse property, and an approved 25-storey condominium tower adjacent to a 21-storey massing model of a rental tower to its east on the 'southern' half. The location of a Gehry-designed cultural centre is identified by a red star, which will rise between condominium and hotel towers.

 

2,000 rental apartments and a Frank Gehry-designed cultural centre form updated vision for Vic West's Roundhouse lands

https://victoria.cit...undhouse-lands/

 

Looks great, but given their track record I will put odds on that 5 years from now there will be some NEW PLAN!

[LJ]

Wow, Frank Gehry? In Victoria? He's one of the most famous architects in the world. He did the iconic Dancing House in Prague, Guggenheim in Bilbao, and Walt Disney Concert Hall in LA. I saw the Dancing House back in 2019:
 

I saw the Dancing House in 2018, beautiful city.

[amor de cosmos]

what's the big deal, we already have buildings designed by arthur erickson

[Rob Randall]

Gehry would just pull a doodle from an old sketchbook and hand it off to his staff without setting foot in Victoria. That's why Pam Madoff is on the record as being skeptical of starchitects doing work in Victoria. She says there are better modern architects out there. And I'm saying that as a Gehry fan that went to Bilbao.

[amor de cosmos]

& if tourism is already a major industry in victoria, why do we need a guggenheim bilbao? btw does anyone know or care about any of its artworks? supposedly its function is a museum. & no the building itself doesn't count because a building isn't a sculpture or any other art object.

Edited by amor de cosmos, 11 March 2021 - 08:05 AM.

[Nparker]

....a building isn't a sculpture or any other art object.

Good architecture (aka "buildings") should be art. They are the most public display of artistic expression we have. 

[amor de cosmos]

^ mostly nonsense, people might also like/dislike a building's form but maybe i've seen too many episodes of holmes on homes or entries on mcmansion hell or certain entries on bored panda. i would say that in the end buildings are designed with a specific purpose in mind and have to stand up & keep the weather out, that's why a lot of other people (contractors, engineers) are involved in the design. the *form* is only one small component.

Edited by amor de cosmos, 11 March 2021 - 08:28 AM.

[lanforod]

Gehry would just pull a doodle from an old sketchbook and hand it off to his staff without setting foot in Victoria. That's why Pam Madoff is on the record as being skeptical of starchitects doing work in Victoria. She says there are better modern architects out there. And I'm saying that as a Gehry fan that went to Bilbao.

 

But that's okay. If the building can legitimately say it was designed by Gehry, that's a massive tourist draw all by itself.

[Nparker]

^ mostly nonsense....

Well that's one opinion, perhaps influenced by Victoria's mostly banal contemporary architecture, but there is no reason that "buildings" have to be entirely utilitarian in nature. While it's certainly not practical for most domestic architecture to be great works of art, I strongly believe that public buildings should be held to a higher standard.

[amor de cosmos]

but there is no reason that "buildings" have to be entirely utilitarian in nature.

well i never said that nor even implied it. straw man

 

getting back to this cultural centre, unlike an art gallery or apartment building, i don't have a clear idea of what a "cultural centre" is or does. in the case of a gehry-designed cultural centre i have no idea what purpose it would serve except to provide a shiny shape for people to take pictures of, as in the case of the guggenheim bilbao where nobody seems to know or care what artworks it contains, if any. "cultural centre" seems to be a rather *amorphous* concept (haha)

 

i still would like to know, since we already have multiple buildings by arthur erickson in the victoria area (cunningham building @ uvic, laurel point inn, sitkum lodge) and others on the island, why do we need something by a big-name "starchitect"?

Edited by amor de cosmos, 11 March 2021 - 08:58 AM.

[Rob Randall]

getting back to this cultural centre, unlike an art gallery or apartment building, i don't have a clear idea of what a "cultural centre" is or does. in the case of a gehry-designed cultural centre i have no idea what purpose it would serve except to provide a shiny shape for people to take pictures of, as in the case of the guggenheim bilbao where nobody seems to know or care what artworks it contains, if any. "cultural centre" seems to be a rather *amorphous* concept (haha)

 

Currently, most of Victoria's arts organizations are barely making ends meet operating out of run-down old buildings. Relocate them in a high-maintenance building made out of aircraft titanium and someone's going to have to bring some cash to the table to make it work. 

 

When I was in Bilbao the upper gallery had an Armani exhibition which demonstrates usually how these things work. $$$