Parliamentary Precinct Redevelopment: Block 2 | Proposed

[FutureWickedCity]

First the Alexandra bridge and now this...what a depressing week.
DSA/Bjarke Ingels is the only one I'm enthusiastic about at all, but I doubt it will be chosen, as it's so outnumbered by mediocrity. I could live with Zeidler/David Chipperfiel or Provencher Roy. The others are just awful 1970s throwbacks and I will cry if one gets selected.

[phil235]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

I’m thinking of a space with a Service Canada counter, a passport office, and a tourist information centre, etc., so it has an important public purpose. All the uses presented seemed potentially exclusive to Parliamentarians and government business, reminding me of what happened to the Bank of Canada’s winter garden where the public gets shut out of buildings they’ve paid for.

I suspect the days of having a public service centre in the atrium of a building of MPs' offices are likely long gone for security reasons. That said, it does look like they will allow for retail to be incorporated on the Sparks side. It will be really tricky to create a lively public space with the current hyper-emphasis on security.

Minor nitpick - the Bank of Canada isn't taxpayer funded.

[Kitchissippi]

Originally Posted by phil235

.

Minor nitpick - the Bank of Canada isn't taxpayer funded.

The BoC is an instrument of the State, we all own it.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by waterloowarrior

Zeidler/David Chipperfield team proposal

Looks like some basic 1950s office buildings, like this one proposed one block west in 1953.

DSA/Bjarke Ingels team proposal

Angled FBI HQ.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Edgar_Hoover_Building

Provencher Roy team proposal

The base of the Tower of Pisa just doesn't go with the existing aesthetics of Wellington.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leaning_Tower_of_Pisa

Watson MacEwen Teramura/Behnisch Architekten team

Boston City Hall.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_City_Hall

I guess we could interchange J. Edgar with Boston City Hall.

Wilkinson Eyre/IDEA

Good scale, but doesn't look right. I feel like I've seen something similar before. Maybe Vancouver?

Renzo Piano/NEUF

I think this is my favourite design wise, but something's missing... Oh yeah! The HERITAGE buildings!!!

Very disappointed with the whole lot. Sparks is better for the most part. Treatment of the Valour Building differs quite a bit, from solar panels on the walls, to a complete recald and adding windows to the blank wall (which I don't believe would be to code) and some interesting work on the roof.

If I had to choose one, considering the proposals as a whole, I guess it would be DSA/Bjarke Ingels.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

It’s become evident that reserving the old US embassy for the indigenous space was so premature and really adversely affected this project. The entire east side would have been better instead of right in the middle which cuts this project in two and leaves central part unknown and untouchable for now.

Agreed. We should have offered Victoria Island or a parcel at LeBerton along with a budget for a new build.

[phil235]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

The BoC is an instrument of the State, we all own it.

I guess in a general sense, but it was the "we've paid for" part that I was referring to. We didn't pay for the Bank's renovation. That came out of its revenues.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Richard Eade

My issue with most of the presented ideas is that they are using the same look on each side of a smaller building. If they could make it a large, expansive building face, some of the designs might work – but not when it is broken. In my opinion, it would be best to have a different look to the building on either side of the old US embassy.

I had the same thought. Wellington is lined with about a dozen distinct buildings, all with their own style and each contributing to an interesting experience.

The new buildings on each side of the old American Embassy should have the same architectural style, but not be identical. Think the Wellington Building, or the WEP, SunLife or even the East and West Blocks.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

The southwest corner of this lot is a mere 300 feet or so from the LRT station and I’m disappointed that none of them hinted at a direct link. Probably out of scope, I know, but it ignores what has become a major mode of access. Imagine getting off the O-Train and instead of going into Winners you could walk through a short passageway beneath O’Connor and emerge out into one of the proposed atriums with access to Wellington. I’m thinking of a space with a Service Canada counter, a passport office, and a tourist information centre, etc., so it has an important public purpose. All the uses presented seemed potentially exclusive to Parliamentarians and government business, reminding me of what happened to the Bank of Canada’s winter garden where the public gets shut out of buildings they’ve paid for.

That would be great. Other than Portage, I feel like many of the public service desks are relegated to suburban strip malls. This would be a great spot to showcase great architecture while while giving citizens a functional and accessible space to access some basic Governmental services.

EDIT: I understand the security concerns, but we could use the Valour Building for public functions while keeping the rest of the complex for MPs.

I do hope to see at least one restaurant/café and/or some museum space on the Wellington side. Also curious about the NCC info centre. That should remain in a highly visible spot facing Parliament (and that could host the resto/café/museum). I suspect it might move to the old British High Commission on Elgin, along with the NCC HQ.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

It’s become evident that reserving the old US embassy for the indigenous space was so premature and really adversely affected this project. The entire east side would have been better instead of right in the middle which cuts this project in two and leaves central part unknown and untouchable for now.

It was evident from the outset, I would have said.

[postingaboutottawa]

I think the renzo piano/neuf project did itself no favours with the angle and resolution of the renderings, the "special" glass and limestone detailing would make or break the design. Could be the best but going off what's posted here i would put it third behind the BIG/DSA and the Benisch, which is perfectly fine and maybe even clashes the least with the indigenous space

[Kitchissippi]

Originally Posted by phil235

I guess in a general sense, but it was the "we've paid for" part that I was referring to. We didn't pay for the Bank's renovation. That came out of its revenues.

We fund the Government to manage the State or “Crown” which all Canadians own (we just give the Queen the privilege of “wearing” it). If the State has revenues, it’s still our money, so yeah we paid for it.

[J.OT13]

More images, taken from Rail Fans Discord:

Zeidler/David Chipperfield





DSA/Bjarke Ingels




Provencher Roy






Watson MacEwen Teramura/Behnisch Architekten




Wilkinson Eyre/IDEA







Renzo Piano/NEUF

[J.OT13]

So based on these, Zeidler/David Chipperfield remains basic and unaspiring. Only one that leaves the giant blank wall on Valour.

DSA/Bjarke Ingels continues to be decent, with the angles insuring that the Sparks facades are not overwhelmed.

I live the greenery on the roof structures, but I find that the Metcalfe and Sparks elevations overtake the heritage buildings. So does Watson MacEwen Teramura/Behnisch Architekten.

Wilkinson Eyre/IDEA is a solid #2. A bit too much going on design wise, but the scale is right.

Renzo Piano/NEUF decimates the heritage buildings on Wellington and it's way overbearing on Sparks.

[phil235]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

We fund the Government to manage the State or “Crown” which all Canadians own (we just give the Queen the privilege of “wearing” it). If the State has revenues, it’s still our money, so yeah we paid for it.

We are definitely veering off topic, but you have a broad definition of "our money". The Government doesn't manage or fund the Bank of Canada. I think it's a pretty big stretch to call transactional interest rates paid to it by financial institutions your money. Also, there is a distinction between State revenues and the revenues of independent Crowns. Do you think of the insurance premiums paid to EDC by companies as your money as well? What about money people pay for train tickets on Via (which, unlike the Bank or EDC, is funded by the government)? Still ours?

[Artking]

I don't know if it's entirely feasible, but the interior of the Wilkinson Eyre/IDEA proposal is just WOW!!!

[Kitchissippi]

Originally Posted by phil235

We are definitely veering off topic, but you have a broad definition of "our money". The Government doesn't manage or fund the Bank of Canada. I think it's a pretty big stretch to call transactional interest rates paid to it by financial institutions your money. Also, there is a distinction between State revenues and the revenues of independent Crowns. Do you think of the insurance premiums paid to EDC by companies as your money as well? What about money people pay for train tickets on Via (which, unlike the Bank or EDC, is funded by the government)? Still ours?

From the Bank’s own website:
‘The Bank of Canada is a special type of Crown corporation, owned by the federal government, but with considerable independence to carry out its responsibilities.”

The government does not manage or fund the Bank, it owns the Bank which is self- running . If the Bank is owned by the government, its hard assets e.g. buildings are essentially owned by the government. Crown corps are not normally set up to make a profit but if they did they would be paying a dividend to the government. So yes, our collective money. Who else do you think owns it?

[waterloowarrior]

The Wilkinson Eyre interior proposal reminds me of Norman Foster's pharmacy building in Toronto.. but looks even better with the warmer colours.

I think the Canada Four Corners Building is an important perspective... DSA/Bjarke Ingels nailed the roof and background building. I don't like the height of Provencher Roy's proposal, but the foreground at Sparks and Metcalfe looks good. The Behnisch building is way too big along Sparks.

[phil235]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

From the Bank’s own website:
‘The Bank of Canada is a special type of Crown corporation, owned by the federal government, but with considerable independence to carry out its responsibilities.”

The government does not manage or fund the Bank, it owns the Bank which is self- running . If the Bank is owned by the government, its hard assets e.g. buildings are essentially owned by the government. Crown corps are not normally set up to make a profit but if they did they would be paying a dividend to the government. So yes, our collective money. Who else do you think owns it?

Let's agree to disagree on this. The public owns the Bank - sure. Did the public actually pay for the building? Not so much. That comes from fees and interest paid by financial institutions. The bottom line is that just because something is ultimately publicly owned doesn't mean that it is (or should be) publicly accessible. I think that is pretty clearly the case for a building like this that contains MPs offices and committee rooms. Also nuclear plants.

[mykl]

I'm leaning heavily toward the Wilkinson Eyre/IDEA building, especially after seeing these interior shots. The scale is correct, the colours and materials are correct. On the exterior, the ground floor columns mimic the tree-like structures inside the temporary House of Commons.

The DSA proposal is absolutely hideous and out of place, and you all need to give your heads a shake on that one. It might be one of the most disgusting building proposals I've ever seen. They've also had their hands in enough major projects lately.

[Kitchissippi]

My point in mentioning the BoC building was that the winter garden was specifically designed by the architect as public space, and it was taken away. There are elements of these designs that are meant to be “symbols of the people” that end up inaccessible to the public. We used to be able to walk through the Birks building and into the info centre plaza, and the Valour building used to have two levels of shopping. If most of the ground floor of these buildings are closed to the public, it’s yet another erosion of public space downtown.