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Roundhouse Marketplace
Use: commercial
Address: Esquimalt Road at Sitkum Road
Municipality: Victoria
Region: Urban core
Storeys: 1
Roundhouse Marketplace is the first phase of Bayview Place's Roundhouse neighbourhood. Comprised of commercial... (view full profile)
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[Vic West] Roundhouse at Bayview Place | Condos; rentals; hotel; commercial | 2008 plan approved | 2020 plan proposed

Condo Commercial

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#601 davidN

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Posted 11 March 2021 - 09:23 AM

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.

In my opinion the leading development firm in Victoria when it comes to marrying usage and design is the Jawls. They continually create buidings with an artistic flair and a keen eye to practical usage.


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#602 Mike K.

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Posted 11 March 2021 - 09:28 AM

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

Some of Canada’s most expensive condos are in that very neighbourhood, though. I’m sure quite a few of the Songhees residents have their fair share of luxury items.

I don’t know why we have to be so down on this. 99% of Canada would be thrilled even if a Gehry-caliber architect looked this way. We scoff at it like it’s derision towards our built form.

Regarding Pam Madoff, while a champion of heritage preservation, presided over the ugliest, cliche faux heritage Disneyland-esque buildings to ever rise in this city, and she blessed many of them with her support. What she has to say on the matter of modern architecture is hardly something for us to hang our hats on, and I say that with the deepest respect for her as a politician and a promoter of the arts.
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#603 Rob Randall

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Posted 11 March 2021 - 09:43 AM

I don't recall Madoff being a fan of the original Songhees condo designs.

 

Some of Canada’s most expensive condos are in that very neighbourhood, though. I’m sure quite a few of the Songhees residents have their fair share of luxury items.

 

 

What I'm trying to say is that some modern arts institutions subsidize their arts programming by including "paid content" cultural exhibitions by big brands.


Edited by Rob Randall, 11 March 2021 - 09:45 AM.


#604 Mike K.

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Posted 11 March 2021 - 10:05 AM

Sure, I mean why not? There are few events or art
projects that don’t incorporate some form of corporate sponsorship.

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#605 Rob Randall

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Posted 11 March 2021 - 10:44 AM

I'm just saying that once a decade a developer dangles the idea of a shiny new "cultural centre" and we all go gaga for a few weeks and council whips out their "YES PLEASE!" rubber stamps. Going forward let's be clear about what that would actually entail and what the potential tenants would be.


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#606 Mike K.

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Posted 11 March 2021 - 10:58 AM

Langford is building a new cultural centre. They’ve also built sports fields and stadiums.

Maybe it’s not the architects and developers that are the problem, but our governments? How many times now have we heard the City planning to redo a major cultural space, like Ship Point or the Belleville terminals or the David Foster pathway that the namesake is now embarrassed to be associated with? It all seems to hinge on some unseen hand that is oppressing the plans. But then places like Langford just go ahead and get it done. What’s stopping downtown?
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#607 AllseeingEye

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Posted 11 March 2021 - 11:07 AM

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"?

 

Ever been to Hawaii? The Polynesian Cultural Center is an excellent example of a "cultural center". Both times I was there it was one of the biggest tourist draws on O'ahu, hands down. And you learn a lot about local and Pacific cultures along the way...


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#608 Mike K.

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Posted 11 March 2021 - 11:11 AM

Imagine if this taps into the First Nations theme. A First Nations cultural centre designed by one of the world’s architectural visionary.

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#609 Nparker

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Posted 11 March 2021 - 11:18 AM

...The Polynesian Cultural Center is an excellent example of a "cultural center". Both times I was there it was one of the biggest tourist draws on O'ahu, hands down. And you learn a lot about local and Pacific cultures along the way...

The PCC is great, especially the evening show in the amphitheatre. I mean it has to be good to make people forget the absence of alcohol and caffeine products on site.


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#610 AllseeingEye

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Posted 11 March 2021 - 11:34 AM

Imagine if this taps into the First Nations theme. A First Nations cultural centre designed by one of the world’s architectural visionary.

 

Exactly; I had been thinking of maybe parking it on the Rock Bay lands to cite one possibility but "Bayview" works equally well, maybe even better.

 

I know plenty of folks from the US, the UK, some from Germany, Italy etc., who couldn't give a fig about our "historic" 100 year old hotel but go ga-ga - especially Continental Europeans - over "Indian" culture. They are fascinated by it I think in part because they are smart enough to know FN cultures encompass so much more than the Hollywood stereotype of smoking peace pipes or the 7th Calvary charging "heroically" into battle against Sioux and Cheyenne warriors. Done well IMO it would be a big hit....



#611 Rob Randall

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Posted 11 March 2021 - 12:24 PM

^As discussed previously, German obsession with Indigenous peoples through the lens of pop culture goes back almost a century. They get hooked on the Hollywood ideal and travel here to see the real thing. It will be a crucial part of our future tourism planning.

 

However, I doubt Gehry is the right person for that particular project.



#612 Mike K.

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Posted 11 March 2021 - 01:31 PM

I had a German girlfriend and she spoke of no such Hollywood-esque affinity for First Nations history. Sometimes we latch onto one perception or one story and apply it universally to (in this case) 80 million people who (pertaining to Germans) are quite likely more worldly and more travelled than an average person in our own society.

Germans invested heavily into research and archaeological efforts all over the world. This notion that they developed some faux sense of one particular culture while expending so much effort on uncovering global history is a little much.
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#613 Jackerbie

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Posted 11 March 2021 - 03:01 PM

I had a German girlfriend and she spoke of no such Hollywood-esque affinity for First Nations history. Sometimes we latch onto one perception or one story and apply it universally to (in this case) 80 million people who (pertaining to Germans) are quite likely more worldly and more travelled than an average person in our own society.

Germans invested heavily into research and archaeological efforts all over the world. This notion that they developed some faux sense of one particular culture while expending so much effort on uncovering global history is a little much.


Was she at least obsessed with David Hasselhoff?
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#614 Mike K.

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Posted 11 March 2021 - 05:13 PM

Sorry, that wasn’t a thing, either. She was amused that Pamela Anderson was from up-Island, though.

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#615 LJ

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Posted 11 March 2021 - 08:48 PM

Ever been to Hawaii? The Polynesian Cultural Center is an excellent example of a "cultural center". Both times I was there it was one of the biggest tourist draws on O'ahu, hands down. And you learn a lot about local and Pacific cultures along the way...

And get to eat poi, yuk.


Life's a journey......so roll down the window and enjoy the breeze.

#616 Rob Randall

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Posted 11 March 2021 - 10:04 PM

I had a German girlfriend and she spoke of no such Hollywood-esque affinity for First Nations history. Sometimes we latch onto one perception or one story and apply it universally to (in this case) 80 million people who (pertaining to Germans) are quite likely more worldly and more travelled than an average person in our own society.

Germans invested heavily into research and archaeological efforts all over the world. This notion that they developed some faux sense of one particular culture while expending so much effort on uncovering global history is a little much.

 

Your girlfriend might not be aware of that phenomenon, but her parents/grandparents/great-grandparents etc. would have. Look, I find it as strange as you. Is every German obsessed? Obviously not, just like not every Canadian drinks maple syrup for breakfast and every American doesn't own an AR-15. But the undisputed fact is, Germans on the whole are fascinated by North American indigenous culture, more so than other Europeans, and have been for a very long time. And some sort of cultural centre near Victoria's Inner Harbour is sure to be a hit with visitors from all over the world.



#617 RustyNail

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Posted 11 March 2021 - 10:23 PM

Your girlfriend might not be aware of that phenomenon, but her parents/grandparents/great-grandparents etc. would have. Look, I find it as strange as you. Is every German obsessed? Obviously not, just like not every Canadian drinks maple syrup for breakfast and every American doesn't own an AR-15. But the undisputed fact is, Germans on the whole are fascinated by North American indigenous culture, more so than other Europeans, and have been for a very long time. And some sort of cultural centre near Victoria's Inner Harbour is sure to be a hit with visitors from all over the world.

I lived in Germany for more than 5 years when I was a kid and I have never heard of anything like this German obsession you describe. I'll have to ask my parents if they are familiar with this.

#618 Rob Randall

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Posted 11 March 2021 - 10:30 PM

It's a dying phenomenon. Younger kids have no interest in outdated patronizing stereotypes.

 

https://en.wikipedia...popular_culture



#619 AllseeingEye

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Posted 12 March 2021 - 12:02 AM

And get to eat poi, yuk.

 

Yeah "white" fish there is not in the same class as halibut, I'll grant you that. Poi was and is not a favorite. But that is why you go to a certain bar near King's Village on Ka'iulani Ave and swill down some good ice cold Canadian Old Vienna beer....

 

But we loved the PCC. Sure its "tourist-y" but well worth it IMO. I'd do it even again. Especially if you are one of those like me who doesn't just sit like a lump all day at the swim up bar when on holiday, but goes at least a little out of my way to learn something about the place(s) I visit. Then I go to the swim-up bar.....


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#620 Mike K.

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Posted 12 March 2021 - 07:03 AM

It's a dying phenomenon. Younger kids have no interest in outdated patronizing stereotypes.

https://en.wikipedia...popular_culture


If it’s a dying phenomenon maybe we shouldn’t be worried about it.

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