What was actually built as the Imperial Oil building must have looked quite imposing up on St Clair when it was originally constructed. What with the elevation distance compared to downtown. I'm glad they were able to repurpose it, but some of the details in the condo conversion are not... good.

People that actually have to work at City Hall might have wished that the boring design had won, since Revel’s curved towers are reportedly not very practical for interior space. When the megacity was instituted, it sounded like most people were hoping to move to Metro Hall, but the icon won out.

They’ve been installing opaque glass along the ground floor at the back of Toronto City Hall in the last few weeks, so the innocent pleasure of gawking at our civil servants’ desks and screensavers is now forever lost.

Not my town but for Sudbury there are three, the Big Nickle, Big Smoke @ 380 metres (1,250 ft) tall, and Science North.

[IMG]https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5616/...81d0c1cc_b.jpgThe 'Big Nickel' by Tim Ball, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5813/...4fc9c240_k.jpgVale Copper Cliff Nickel Refinery Smoke Stacks - Sudbury, Ontario by Tony Webster, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4532/...34290aaa_k.jpgscience north by Cameron Nawalaniec, on Flickr[/IMG]

I believe it! I worked in Metro Hall for a year (great building) and heard how annoying the setup at City Hall proper was. People spent way too much time going up and down to different floors because of the small and awkward floor plates.

The stylistic curve of City Halls podium to the square (which is where you get to the green roof) is a really nice touch I must add. It adds an inviting and pleasant sight for the front of City Hall....and yes, the green roof is such a great aspect of City Hall now that we have it:
[IMG]https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1794/...cda78ea4_c.jpgTJ111564 by Josh Kenn Photographics, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1816/...263045b1_c.jpgTJ111548 by Josh Kenn Photographics, on Flickr[/IMG]

There's been a trend toward contorting buildings to make them stand out, I guess because ornamentation went out of style a century ago. You could also signify that a building is special through higher quality materials and finishes but that doesn't say much about the architect.

A lot of older buildings were designed by craftsmen. An expert stonemason might become an architect. But now the architect portion tends to be divorced from the craftsmanship portion (if there is any craftsmanship).

One big trend these days is toward automated production, which allows you to build large volumes of identical buildings cheaply. But it could also be used to add a level of detailing to a higher quality building than would have been previously possible. I am not sure we have seen much of that yet, or at least it is nowhere near its potential.

Yes, in the case of the Royal Ontario Museum, as soon as Liebeskind submitted the "Crystal" the competition was over. It didn't matter how the interior would actually function. Toronto was desperate for a contorted building. Now they're having to substantially re-work the entrance areas because the design is so bad.

The only thing I don't like about the ROM Crystal is the cladding. I realize the price of titanium made that option impossible but I'm surprised they couldn't do better than what we ended up with.

I actually like the cladding. At first I was disapointed that we didn't get titanium or all glass but I think the end result is striking. It's impossible to walk past without seeing people taking pictures of it. The only Libeskind cladding I'm not a fan of is on L Tower.

Although I do not live in Vancouver, I do think that their main public library building is iconic.

https://tce-live2.s3.amazonaws.com/m...600aacc752.jpg

https://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/me...ary-square.jpg

in Saskatchewan, for Regina, the top five iconic buildings would probably be:
The Saskatchewan Legislature
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/659/3...ab465533_b.jpg
pinterest.ca

New Mosaic Stadium
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1771/...af5ce977_b.jpg
Trip Advisor

Regina City Hall (with Queen's Crown top floor) and the angled McCallum Hill Twin Towers
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1774/...c0b1cb6e_b.jpg
regina.ca Aldo Columpsi/CBC

Wave shaped Sask Power Building or the Conexus Arts Centre
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1836/...b3713e95_b.jpg
Don Healey Conexus Arts Centre


In Saskatoon, top five would probably be:
The Bessborough Hotel
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5518/...acf50921_b.jpg
ScottProkop.com

The Remai Modern
https://i.imgur.com/cFZixrp.jpg
https://twitter.com/RitornelloFest/s...80796364378113


Sasktel Centre
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1775/...b6e10ba7_b.jpg
electrasalesltd.ca

The Sturdy Stone Building or the University of Saskatchewan's Thovaldson Building
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1799/...8cbf1858_b.jpg
westerntour.com coadunate.net

Once construction is finished I'd imagine Riverlanding will take over from Le Renassance & Radisson as the iconic towers in the city
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/736/3...051b65e8_b.jpg
Riverlanding.ca

The SK legislature is a classy one !

I thought @lio45 would do Sherbrooke, but he is probably debating or defending an idea in some other thread. There are probably 2 main regional landmarks there, along with a few local ones.

1. Basilique Saint-Michel, dominating the old city
https://c1.staticflickr.com//3//2399...cc612e8c_b.jpg
Downtown Sherbrooke by Simon, on Flickr

2. Not a building : the "Archangel" cenotaph (WWI)
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/360/2...0892dd03_b.jpg
L'ange de Sherbrooke by sherbypictures, sur Flickr

You listed over 12 buildings there.

Niagara Falls has a couple possibilities but I think the winner would have to be the Skylon Tower.


The Skylon Tower in operation since October 1965
[IMG]https://farm1.staticflickr.com/960/4...94bd9369_k.jpgSkylon Tower and Rainbow Bridge by formulanone, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5531/...cc2424e9_k.jpgNiagara Falls by Shawn Burgess, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7300/...82aa2e50_k.jpgSkylon Tower by Donnie King, on Flickr[/IMG]


And a few other notables even though not buildings.

The Whirlpool Aero car
Started service on August 8, 1916

[IMG]https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7786/...42125a45_k.jpgWhirlpool Aero Car and the Niagara Gorge by Sean_Marshall, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8284/...92414dbb_k.jpgCable Car by Maris Luksis, on Flickr[/IMG]

"The Maid of the Mist" which is now "Horn Blower Tours" It started as a ferry service from Toronto to NYC in 1846. In 1848 a bridge connection killed the service and from that point on it has been a sight seeing cruise service to get visitors as close to the base of the falls as possible..
[IMG]https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8033/...296aa7fd_k.jpgNiagara Falls by Christoph Ulański, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1730/...f36d1319_k.jpgThe Maid of the Mist by Claudio Dionigi, on Flickr[/IMG]

The Rainbow Bridge officially opened on November 1, 1941, it replaced the original Honey Moon Bridge that collapsed due to an ice jam 2 years earlier.
[IMG]https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1738/...8e6e3f89_k.jpgRainbow Bridge, Niagara Falls by Prashant Y, on Flickr[/IMG]

• Video Link

Refreshing pics of Niagara Falls. A quite large city that is barely ever mentioned on here. It made me think it would be cool to have an active forumer based in Niagara Falls so we can get updates on everything about this city (maybe even a second SignalHillHiker :D)

Hopefully we see some of those proposals move forward in Niagara Falls.

Is there enough bandwidth in the world for two of them? :( Just kidding but in all seriousness it is an interesting city where they should be (and, I think, are) trying to improve their downtown and catch some of the more upscale business that goes almost exclusively to Niagara on the Lake.

:haha: Be nice.

But agreed - I'm loving seeing Sarnia, Niagara Falls, etc. The Sarnia one especially was like looking into a mirror and feeling embarrassed lol

You gotta love the fin de siècle Worlds Fair gaucherie of the BC Legislature! I keep looking for the Ferris Wheel.

[IMG]https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7146/...2ac2a363_z.jpgA Few Shots in the Snow with Wherever I Roam by Brandon Godfrey, on Flickr[/IMG]