I find one arch gimmicky on this clean, utilitarian design. I find the street interaction on the narrow end a failure.
The arch is a fairly prominent feature in some major landmark buildings around here, as shown above. So this builds on that theme. And it livens up what would otherwise be a very understated design.
60% of the north side is 6 meter high curtain wall with a large outdoor patio on the canopy at the second floor. I think it'll engage the sidewalk on that side better than most buildings in the downtown....and the 53 meter high bookend will be dramatic from the sidewalk.
Last edited by trueviking; Jun 6, 2022 at 10:12 PM.
I absolutely love the arch and wish every second building downtown had one haha. Nice to see so much brick, and the recessed balconies.
My only small criticism is that the blank walls meeting the sidewalk create those blind corners where you go to turn and another person pops out coming the other way
I absolutely love the arch and wish every second building downtown had one haha. Nice to see so much brick, and the recessed balconies.
My only small criticism is that the blank walls meeting the sidewalk create those blind corners where you go to turn and another person pops out coming the other way
There were windows in that wall but it became a structural shear wall when it went to a precast structure so it couldn’t have any openings anymore. I agree. The sidewalk is very tight there and the city wouldn’t let us widen it. There is a refrigerator sized signal box built right on the property line there that the city wouldn’t move even though the entire street was redone. The streetlight at the corner is also right on the property line. Will run up the middle of a window. The initial design had a canopy along the sidewalk but the city wouldn’t relocate the lights along Donald so it got axed.
There were windows in that wall but it became a structural shear wall when it went to a precast structure so it couldn’t have any openings anymore. I agree. The sidewalk is very tight there and the city wouldn’t let us widen it. There is a refrigerator sized signal box built right on the property line there that the city wouldn’t move even though the entire street was redone. The streetlight at the corner is also right on the property line. Will run up the middle of a window. The initial design had a canopy along the sidewalk but the city wouldn’t relocate the lights along Donald so it got axed.
Thanks for the explanations...I know there's always a lot going on behind the scenes. Must be frustrating sometimes!
Interesting. it's taken less than a day for posts about this building to shift from "wow", "fantastic". "beautiful" to "I don't like this/ I don't like that". Coming up next: "it's a travesty", "it's a dumpster fire", "only Winnipeg would allow something this hideous". Human nature is quite hilarious at times....the more we ponder something, the less we like it.
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"Opinion is really the lowest form of intelligence"-Bill Bullard
"Naysayers are always predicting the present"-Anon.
"Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength"-Eric Hoffer
Interesting. it's taken less than a day for posts about this building to shift from "wow", "fantastic". "beautiful" to "I don't like this/ I don't like that". Coming up next: "it's a travesty", "it's a dumpster fire", "only Winnipeg would allow something this hideous". Human nature is quite hilarious at times....the more we ponder something, the less we like it.
Given the nature of this forum there is more pickiness here than you would see among the general public!
But generally speaking I think the reviews are very positive. I've certainly seen far worse. That doesn't mean people aren't going to pick a few nits here and there, though.
Given the nature of this forum there is more pickiness here than you would see among the general public!
But generally speaking I think the reviews are very positive. I've certainly seen far worse. That doesn't mean people aren't going to pick a few nits here and there, though.
Fair comments! For the record i like the building deign as well-I think it's going to look great.
__________________
"Opinion is really the lowest form of intelligence"-Bill Bullard
"Naysayers are always predicting the present"-Anon.
"Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength"-Eric Hoffer
My only gripe from the images would be the way it sits on the site.
Pushing all that mass up against the sidewalk leads to a very unfriendly 'wall', rather than mediating the public and private.
The more revered towers of architectural history find a way to give something back to the public realm of the city. The plaza at the Seagram building, the courtyard of the Lever House. At least a setback. My 0.02, but I'm aware these aren't always choices of the architect...
The more revered towers of architectural history find a way to give something back to the public realm of the city. The plaza at the Seagram building, the courtyard of the Lever House. At least a setback. My 0.02, but I'm aware these aren't always choices of the architect...
IMO this works best when it is highly exceptional as it is in the case of the Seagram Building in NYC. A building with a fairly ordinary function like this one doesn't need a courtyard, plaza or setback... given the state of downtown Winnipeg, I'd say we need buildings that fill their parcels and define the street wall far more than we need more sparsely used plazas.
IMO this works best when it is highly exceptional as it is in the case of the Seagram Building in NYC. A building with a fairly ordinary function like this one doesn't need a courtyard, plaza or setback... given the state of downtown Winnipeg, I'd say we need buildings that fill their parcels and define the street wall far more than we need more sparsely used plazas.
Completely agree, especially in light of the project's proximity to Millennium Library Park.
Something like this proposal in Montreal (IMO) would be perfect for the other side of Donald & St Mary. Montreal is building and proposing some great 4 to 8 storey buildings right now....I get that this proposal looks like 10 storeys but you could cut off the top 2 floors and it would still look good.
I am not sure why we don't see many/any of the quality 4-8 storey proposals in our downtown.
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"But a city can be smothered by too much reverence for its past. The skyline must keep acquiring new peaks, because the day we consider it complete and untouchable is the day the city begins to die." - Justin Davidson - May 2010 Issue of New York
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