[Halifax] Waterfront Arts District | ? m | ? fl | On hold
 

The submissions for the design competition have been released today and can be seen here: https://artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/artsdistrict

I'm not a fan of the Architecture 49 one. The other two I like but the second one by DIALOG is the most interesting to me. I like the curved front and modern design.

A selection of renderings from each submission:

ARCHITECTURE49 WITH DILLER SCOFIDIO + RENFRO AND HARGREAVES JONES --

https://artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/si...iles/A49-2.jpg
https://artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/si...iles/A49-1.jpg
https://artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/si...iles/A49-4.jpg
https://artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/si...iles/A49-7.jpg
https://artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/si...iles/A49-6.jpg
https://artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/si...iles/A49-8.jpg
https://artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/si...iles/A49-9.jpg
https://artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/si...les/A49-10.jpg

Source: https://artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/artsdistrict

DIALOG, ACRE ARCHITECTS, BRACKISH DESIGN STUDIO AND SHANNON WEBB-CAMPBELL ---

https://artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/si...s/Dialog-2.jpg
https://artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/si...s/Dialog-1.jpg
https://artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/si...s/Dialog-3.jpg
https://artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/si...s/Dialog-4.jpg
https://artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/si...s/Dialog-6.jpg
https://artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/si...s/Dialog-7.jpg
https://artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/si...s/Dialog-8.jpg
https://artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/si.../Dialog-10.jpg
https://artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/si.../Dialog-11.jpg
https://artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/si.../Dialog-12.jpg

Source: https://artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/artsdistrict

KPMB ARCHITECTS WITH OMAR GANDHI ARCHITECT, JORDAN BENNETT STUDIO, ELDER LORRAINE WHITMAN (NWAC), PUBLIC WORK AND TRANSSOLAR ---

https://artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/si...les/KPMB-3.jpg
https://artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/si...les/KPMB-2.jpg
https://artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/si...les/KPMB-5.jpg
https://artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/si...les/KPMB-6.jpg
https://artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/si...les/KPMB-8.jpg
https://artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/si...les/KPMB-4.jpg
https://artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/si...es/KPMB-10.jpg
https://artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/si...es/KPMB-11.jpg
https://artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/si...es/KPMB-12.jpg
https://artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/si...es/KPMB-13.jpg
https://artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/si...es/KPMB-16.jpg
https://artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/si...es/KPMB-18.jpg
https://artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/si...es/KPMB-19.jpg
https://artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/si...es/KPMB-21.jpg
https://artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/si...es/KPMB-24.jpg

Source: https://artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/artsdistrict

Very nice. :tup:

I like the KPMB proposal best, but it seems very busy.

I recall when they had four different architectural visions for the new downton arena in Moncton (the current Avenir Centre), all four firms came up with grandiose plans that did not end up looking like the final product whatsoever. I suspect the same thing will happen here, but the KPMB proposal is certainly a good starting point.

Wow! Blown away by the KPMB/OG submission. I had high hopes after following Omar Gandhi for the past few years, and they certainly did not disappoint.

Interesting how they all have somewhat different footprints. KPMB ties in with the Waterfront Warehouse but Dialog does not.

I think the interior public space is actually more interesting and important than the exterior space. Halifax has tons of outdoor public space but not a lot of indoor space. I think that the new library was a hit partly because it filled a niche as far as being a good place to go when the weather's not so great.

If I had to rank them I’d absolutely place the KPMB proposal at the top. It’s such a dynamic space, and it just seems like it would draw people in, a space that both locals and tourists will love. It comes alive with all the nature they’ve incorporated, and I think it’s a bold design for one of the last two vacant lots on the waterfront. Love it!

I’d put the Dialog proposal in second. I think it’s quite beautiful, but it seems a bit overpowering for the Salter lot, especially with Bishop’s Landing next door. The space also doesn’t seem to come alive in the same way that the first one does. This could certainly be fixed by adding more trees and landscape features to the site. If this were the chosen design I’d be more than happy, I think this is a great concept for our waterfront.

In terms of the proposal by Architecture 49, I honestly just don’t like it. I think it looks too busy, and the design on the whole is just unattractive, in my opinion. I don’t see this as a space that is going to draw people in like the first two, and it just seems unremarkable.

Overall I’m really excited and hope that one of the first two proposals is selected. I just hope that what we get in the end matches the renderings and is as ambitious and beautiful in actuality as it was on paper.

I’m interested to hear everyone else’s thoughts!

As I posted earlier in the Cunard Block topic; I deleted that post there and moved it here below with additional commentary/editing:

First impressions: they are all pandering to the current social climate to some greater or lesser extent, and some have an overdose of woo-woo in their proposal documents.

The Architecture 49 version is mostly on stilts, which I figured we would see for some, but the wood used on the outside and especially the waterside perspective reminds me somehow of the Maritime Museum which is not a plus, though overall this is a far more impressive design of course. It routes the Boardwalk rather awkwardly, as does #3. Plus it appears to have a set of Killer Stairs (TM Regd.) inside, which is a deal-breaker of course. :haha: I agree with the other voices seen here so far that it is by far the least impressive of the three.

The second design by DIALOG is certainly distinctive and landmark. They appear to be counting on a sea wall of sorts to control water infiltration. I'm not sure I buy the beach concept nor the little theater perched right on the shoreline (it looks very small) but at least they allow the Boardwalk to pass straight through the site, which is a plus I think. I really like the exterior of the building itself. Interior renderings seem rather sparse though. I wasn't sure if I was looking at a giant round picnic table or an art piece in one of the renderings, but I didn't care for it.

My impression of the third design by KPMB has changed after looking at it in more detail. At first it was the least impressive for me. Seeing the interior spaces proposed it is redeemed somewhat as those look much better to me than the exterior. I don't care for the teepee structures shown outside though, don't think we need another set of steps going into the harbour, and am unsure how those people shown on the island in the last rendering seen above got there, or are going to get off. That ties into this:

I presume there was a requirement given to integrate the water somehow into the space, but all of the proposals don't really thrill me with the approaches they propose. I see the ponds and such being murky, dirty and smelly, and possibly magnets for tourist trash in the summer. The areas would likely all be pretty desolate in the winter too. This is a harbour, not a tropical lagoon, and the abundance of greenery that makes those areas look like a tropical jungle just seems jarring.

I also wonder what these would all cost. Some of them seem to be proposing ridiculously expensive ideas based upon first impressions.

I watched the videos and was disappointed with the Wave version video... It didn't show anything.

Yes, that was part of the woo-woo element I referenced. It seemed to have little point.

They're all... interesting. And clearly very different from the AGNS's current space. I wonder what the plans are for the existing gallery buildings?

Overall I like the second one best. It reminds me a lot of the Calgary central library, and just feels like the best design for this location, of the three.

The first and third ones feel like they might work well in Winnipeg but not so much here - I just find they look awkward in that location. The quasi-naturalized wetland in the first one feels out of place, and the building kind of looks like a Daniel Libeskind design that someone forgot to unpack out of its boxes. The third one feels particularly "Winnipegish" to me and I agree that its strong point is its interior spaces (which I guess makes sense for a gallery); its exterior looks awkward in the renderings.

I'm a big fan of the KPMG proposal. I think it hits a lot of the right marks for what this site needs. It has a distinctive presence when viewed from the water. It does a good job of integrating the public realm with the building itself and the landscape plan is amazing. I love the marsh, boardwalk extension and what looks like a swimming area out beyond the boardwalk. And I like how it overflows the site both into the harbour and north towards the waterfront warehouse. It also has the best interior spaces in my opinion. Those big, open wow spaces that you want in a public building of this nature.
I also love that it looks like its made from cross laminated timber products instead of concrete and steel.
My one concern with it is what gets cut as it goes through the process. I think I would not like it nearly as much if it didn't have those overflowing public spaces.

I am a fan of the Architecture49 proposal. I really like the fact that its up on stilts and creates all of these interesting public spaces in and around the building. I do think the top level needs another round of refinement though. It is a little lacklustre. I think it would be cooler if all of the little building sections on this level looked more to our waterfront heritage than to what they have in the proposal. I like the naturalized shoreline too.

I actually don't like the DIALOG proposal. The renderings are stunning but I don't see Halifax when I look at it. I think its a bit too flashy and doesn't fit in the way the other two proposals do. It lacks a lot of trees and landscaping on what is a fairly open site. I see that big beautiful arch structure more so as a big wind tunnel waiting to happen. It's presence on lower water is also kind of lacklustre compared to the others.

I like the building as a sculpture and think it looks the best of the 3 but I agree about these other drawbacks. I am not sure any of them look like they have a locally-specific style yet it is possible since Queen's Marque is a similar or larger development in the same setting that does look very tied to the area.

I'm a bit skeptical of the greenery renderings. Imagine these in March when everything is brown and muddy. I think a prime outdoor space should be usable and look good for most of the year. Also note that some of these renderings show large trees that won't be there for decades if they ever grow like that.

At least for the corner of Salter and Lower Water, the trees in KPMGs proposal seem to be the trees that are there now. Whether or not they make it through construction is another story.

I agree with others that the KPMB proposal feels the most like Nova Scotia. The Dialog is impressive and is very clearly an art gallery, but could be anywhere. I see modern Atlantic Canada in the KPMB rendering — inspiration from the indigenous populations, the timber construction and green space.

I would really like to know what is going to be happening with the existing space though. Perhaps a space for the Museum of Halifax if the old library is unfit?

My fave is the Dialog submission. The building is architecturally unique and seems to not suffer allegiance to any particular place or people. Let the building be the canvas and let the art(s) tell the story. I believe the building design is memorable and could become another signature building for Halifax. This submission also has the most realistic interface with the harbour and the most realistic landscaping by far. I would like to see the Lwr. Water St. side and the side facing Bishop's Landing (the square parts) faced with the same sandstone as Queens Marque. Glass covering the rest of the building will reflect the harbour and surrounds nicely. It appears the boardwalk passes through an archway providing pedestrian cover. The small performance area closer to the harbour is nice.

KPMB hands down for me. It’s beautiful. Bold architecture for Halifax but still feels like it fits with the waterfront. Good interface with the harbour. (Though I agree with the comments that a lot of this may look messy half the year.)

I mostly like the design of the Dialog one too. I don’t think it necessarily feels like it’s not “Nova Scotia”. Nods to the past are nice but we are also creating a future and this is a big opportunity - for example the curved panelled portions would (literally and figuratively) reflect the granite boulders and the water nicely. However, overall the building is just a bit too blocky for me.

I hate the Architect49 proposal. It’s like the Keshan Goodman library meets brutalist meets Mid-century meets shingled or plain-clad cottages. And yet somehow manages to look sterile and institutional at the same time as being in a messy identity crisis. And I really can’t see it weathering nicely at all. For me, it one of those race to the bottom designs that I really really hope doesn’t get pushed through just because it attempts to look more quaint than the others.

P.S. is it just me or does the overall massing of the KPMB proposal in that last shot from the water resemble a tugboat?? That concept sounds terrible but it looks good.

KPMB is by far my favorite of the bunch. As others have mentioned, the indoor spaces are really great. I really like much of the outdoor space as well, although I am a bit skeptical of the Lothlorien-ish imagery on some of the renderings. It's nice, but seems like a bit of a stretch. I also agree about parts feeling a bit busy outside. Particularly the addition beyond the existing boardwalk extending into the harbour. I like the idea, but it seems like something similar could be accomplished a bit more cleanly & simply.

Seeing the layout of all 3 proposals, I was struck at how they take up the whole site. Wasn't it originally proposed that NSCAD would share the site?

I guess the plans have definitely changed. Develop NS did purchase the Svitzer wharf next door including the waterlot. I wonder if there is the potential that NSCAD may go there.

In any case, it was also interesting to see the use of the existing waterfront walkway as a breakwater. Especially in light of today's weather. The KPMB proposal actually shows a drawing of the site in the midst of a storm

KPMB Takes the cake, love the curved walkway leading to the summit. The shrubs and grasses are supposed to take on a wave breaking function in addition to their aesthetic qualities. These “nature-based solutions” don’t provide the same level of protection as grey infrastructure, but there are also not prone to complete failure if their capacity is exceeded. I think KPMB combined the capacity of grey infrastructure with the resilience of green infrastructure to create a “hybrid infrastructure” approach. The small archipelago creates new public space and a lush lagoon, while shielding the site from waves and mitigating surges. The other proposals seem to be at each opposite end of the spectrum. Architecture 49 relied solely on green infrastructure which is suited to surges, while Dialog uses the classic seawall suited against waves.

Architecture 49 looks like a fishing shanty had a child with a modernist building, what am I looking at?

Dialog is impressive and clean, but it is exactly how you expect any new art gallery to look. It certainly reflects our era but I don’t think the design would age as well as KPMB.

Site plan for A49/Diller Scofidio & Renfrew identifies "Art Yard/Future Development for the southern portion of the site. I don't know what the plan is for NSCADU now, or how much footprint it would need, but this may reflect what the competing teams were told to reserve for something else.

DIALOGUE/Acre's site plan identifies the southern portion of the site as "Exhibition Grounds. It's not explicitly for future development, but looks like it might have the same sort of intent.

KPMB/Omar Gandhi's design appears to hug the north side of the site, leaving space on the south, but without labelling or other information, I don't know what the intent is (but I assume it's similar to the other two, and all three are responding to what they've been told is to be reserved for some future development).

I think the future of NSCAD itself may be very much in doubt within govt circles. The ongoing debacles there both with facility decisions and Board/management/staffer intrigue might result in it being disbanded as a separate institution. Might not be a bad thing.

I like the KPMB/Omar Gandhi design the most too. Beautiful and distinctive design that also seems like the best fit for the site/context. And the public spaces (exterior and interior) look the most convincing.

The Dialog proposal seems like they were more interested in creating an iconic building/sculpture/spacecraft than contributing to the surrounding city fabric. The Architecture49 scheme is not bad, but definitely not as unique as the KPMB design. The massing feels like a lot of other art museums around the world.

According to the competition website, the design brief stated that: "Space in the southeast corner was meant to be left for a future development at the Arts District." So I guess this area is reserved for NSCAD.

I hope it remains a separate institution. It's the only independent art school east of Toronto and definitely adds to the province.

But the reaction of the university community to the firing of the last president has been shameful. Fuelled by a lazy piece by Tim Bousquet, based entirely on hearsay and speculation, that heavily implied that the board of governors is composed of racists who are also in the pocket of big developers. Meanwhile the board members can't openly defend themselves against the onslaught of vitriol because it's actually a private personnel issue.

Agreed. The more I mull these, the more I have that feeling that a) the A49 is a hot mess of differing pieces that just don't go together well in spite of some individual aspects being interesting, b) the Dialog proposal is certainly an interesting building that, as you say, looks like what one might imagine an art gallery in 2020 to look like, but c) the KPMB proposal is the one that brings it all together with a building that is in equal parts modern and yet has a vibe that fits with Nova Scotia. To me it has a "coastal" vibe that A49 was going for but unsuccessfully, with the KPMB one looking like it could equally be at home as a gallery on the coast of Sweden (which, ever since I was sailing around the archipelago 10 years ago, I have felt like one could transplant someone from NS onto the Swedish coastline and fishing villages and they wouldn't be able to tell the difference). It looks modern and clean, but with a Scandinavian aesthetic that suits Nova Scotia's rugged coastal feel.

Well that's how Tim rolls. I cannot understand how people praise him and his site.

I honestly don't know why he hasn't been banned from Twitter. He makes about 10 spam posts begging people to subscribe or even just give him money for every one that actually contains anything of interest. Unreal.

I recall a certain amount of griping on this site in regards to how renderings often don't resemble final product. I understand a design concept is not meant to be an actual or exact rendering of what is to be built and I understand that this is a design competition where images are used sell. I believe the KPMB submission is the most dishonest of the three submissions by way of portraying the impossible. When viewing their submission start by removing everything beyond the now existing boardwalk...all that Disney-ish resort stuff. There is no tree species that will grow in that environment to the extent illustrated. Is that little treed island meant to float up and down with the tides? The swimming pool too? Fast ferries and both industrial and recreational harbour traffic create slosh in the harbour beyond that which would allow this to exist. The illustration of the folks standing around in the old growth forest leaves me perplexed. Clearly this is impossible so why is it included in the submission? What's that flowery vine clinging to the arched stairway growing in? Regarding the main building, the many wooden posts to a great job of obscuring the view as well as creating shadows throughout the interior too. In the resort theme, this submission looks like it's lifted off the Yucatan peninsula and I don't think it belongs on the Halifax peninsula.

:previous:

In my brief earlier comment that I preferred the KPMB proposal, but found it "busy", I was referring specifically to the landscaping features outside.

I still prefer this project because I find the architectural design of the building to be a good fit for the neighbourhood, and I like the design of the interior spaces of the building. I'm sure they can come up with impressive external landscaping features for the lot which might be a little less grandiose and over the top than what they have included in their initial submission. Given the location of this building on the boardwalk, great care will have to be taken to integrate it appropriately into it's surroundings. This building will ultimately be iconic for the city, and will end up being closely associated with the city's identity, especially through all the photographs that the cruise ship passengers passing by will take. Not to engage in excess hyperbole, but this building could end up being Halifax's version of the Sydney Opera House. It needs to be done right.

I wonder what the relative costs of all three proposals are. I'm sure this will be a big factor in deciding who the winner will be.

My understanding is that all the proposals must fit within the confines of a pre-determined budget, so should all cost the same. Of course, I can't find anything to back that statement up right now, so I may have fabricated it, LOL.

I seem to recall there was a predetermined budget too. I think it was $150M or so. The library was in the ballpark of $60M.

I think I'll cast my vote behind KPMB as well now that I've seen more detailed renderings. In the national proposal thread I was leaning toward Dialog but I enjoy how KPMB makes use of more natural materials such as the wood beams which I think works for the waterfront setting. I also like the landscaping the most.

One complaint I have about the exterior aesthetics of these proposals is that they don't fit the location much. Right next to this for example we have the brewery with its stone facade and arches. That Halifax-waterfront-specific theme could have been carried through in a big way in a project like this. A solid-looking masonry wall or form, maybe along Lower Water, would have made me like the proposals a lot more.

The KMPB material is full of woo like the mentions of "ways of knowing"; maybe their design was inspired by telepathy or communication with the supernatural beings instead of the usual architectural design process. :haha:

Bishop's Landing next door is also kind of unfortunate. The north elevation of Bishop's is basically treated like an alley and is basically a 100 m+ long blank wall. One solution to this would be to build some interesting stuff as close to that blank wall as possible and treat that as the southern end of whatever public space gets put on the AGNS site.

I think the beams of this proposal complement the grey stone of nearby buildings nicely. Natural materials on a grand scale, contrasting with the more modern glass and spandrel buildings that are mixed in with it. It add variety without clashing like some of older (and cheaper looking) styles like the Maritime Museum do.

I feel like Halifax has begun to develop in a more European direction and that's a good thing.- and this proposal adds to the feeling

The detractors of development worry that we are trying to imitate Toronto or something by aiming for modernity, but we are NOT building endless monotonous swaths of plain glass with no street life. We're sticking with medium rise development for now and mixing in buildings with a human feel and purpose - avoiding the sterile wasteland feel that downtown Calgary has.

In years past were a lot of "this isn't Toronto!" folks who seemed to have gripes about development or capitalism or change in general while offering little to no constructive feedback.

My sense is that the bad attitude is waning and that there are more people out there who will like a new art gallery than complain about it. But I no longer live in the city and I am not in touch with that.

I think all of these proposals could be nice and will be a big step up from the parking wasteland that's existed on this site for many decades. There is also a need to stitch the small neighbourhood south of downtown in with the rest of it, and to create waterfront attractions worth visiting year-round. There's a dead zone created by the Burial Ground (no pun indended), Maritime Centre, MetroPark, and all the empty lots.

Of course the Barrington St. Superstore doesn't help, nor does the inability to cross from Inglis / Barrington to the piers without going around the Westin. I hope "they" can figure out how to knit those pieces back together.

Reminds me of this:

I think it's just meant to be an abstract massing type diagram. But wow does that ever change the appearance of that area by defining the square properly and making Barrington more consistently built up. It is mostly a nice neighbourhood with a good scale, with one particularly bad planning mistake. Halifax is full of "almost great" areas. In many cities the streets sloping up from the Westin would have been turned into a heritage conservation district long ago.

Yup, we really need developers to stop putting big developments behind parking lots (Gladstone comes to mind.) What ever happened to "parking at rear"?

A picture of the KPMB model:

https://scontent-sea1-1.cdninstagram...c4&oe=5F94D66B
Source

I've always liked architectural models. It's nice that they are still made today even in the era of easy 3D computer modeling. Or maybe this is just a convincing 3D model of a wood model. :haha:

It's amazing how much this one building changes this space. With a parking lot you get one empty wasteland and maybe a couple of marginal walking paths on the perimeter. With the gallery building there are half a dozen or so distinct outdoor spaces. I think this complexity is part of what defines a good or bad urban area, and even makes places feel bigger (not just larger spatially but more complex) or smaller (simple).

This model makes me love it even more. And the appearance of the water interface seems much more reasonable than some of the drawings made it appear. Part of it already exists (the boardwalk that goes out around the shoreline instead of over land.) The add-ons further out into the water are not so large and messy after all. I want to see this thing built!

I agree. This just reconfirms my opinion that KPMB is the best option. The scale of the building suits the space and the style is pleasing to the eye. This building would fit into the Halifax panorama like a silk glove. There is a lot of potential for the public space on the waterfront as well. The public space may require some tweaking, but this is my only concern. I would give this one a 9.5/10. :tup:

Yes, perhaps some of the drama added to the renderings detracted from the appeal of the proposal by making it look less realistic. With this model it is clear how it fits in with the surroundings.

I know a lot of people aren't a fan of the Cunard proposal but I think the trio of current waterfront developments is going to completely transform the area if they're all built. There will still be many areas to improve, but there won't be any big dead zones left.

There's a tunnel under the tracks that goes between the Seafarer's Mission and the very end of Barrington, if you don't turn up the hill to Inglis.

In this aspect, DIALOG's proposal has the facade that is most solid on Lower Water - it's one of the concerns I have with the proposal though - not the most welcoming for a building that is supposed to move beyond a container for art and become more about supporting social connections, community gatherings, and be more of an active participant to public life in the city.

Yes. It seems the instruction to reserve the southern portion of the site for future development seems to have resulted in difficulty in meaningfully connecting to Bishop's Landing.

Absolutely. This addresses what is potentially one of the biggest detractions of the neighbourhood (the suburban model Superstore with massive parking lot right at the street).

The winning design has been selected:

KPMB ARCHITECTS WITH OMAR GANDHI ARCHITECT, JORDAN BENNETT STUDIO, ELDER LORRAINE WHITMAN (NWAC), PUBLIC WORK AND TRANSSOLAR ---

https://www.thechronicleherald.ca/me...omar_large.jpg

https://www.thechronicleherald.ca/ne...rfront-521729/

:fireworks

Great news! I was hoping this one would come out on top.

Now they just need to figure out how to pay for it. This strikes me as another Designer Library (TM Regd.) only several times more expensive.

I’m willing to start a gofundme effort in order to have a room named after you Keith!

Good stuff! This was my preferred choice. :)

This should be a good fit for this part of the waterfront and should fit in very well with the surrounding neighbourhood.

So, which room in this building should we name after Keith? Maybe the cloakroom???? :haha:

The boardwalk is okay around this area but it will be much nicer with the gallery and this empty site is one of a handful that really feel like open wounds and are compromising a whole little district of a few surrounding blocks.

There are some gems nearby like the brewery and the Bishop's Landing area has become vibrant (even if the architecture is a little dated). But that area will never feel like a seamless extension of the city when it's half parking lots.