According to allnovascotia.com, a council committee, which advises regional council, liked the Roy building design and unanimously rejected the Discovery Centre design. My own explanation for that viewpoint is that they think that square, unremarkable buildings fit in with downtown Halifax architecture; curved, ultramodern buildings don't fit in.
It is interesting that many people on this skyscraperpage forum seem to have the opposite opinion. Beverly Miller referred to the Discovery Centre design as looking like the Queen Mary "kind of washed up and crooked". Councillor Sloane stated that the "ultra modern" building design was distracting. Interesting how Councilor Sloane feels that buildings should attract people to downtown Halifax but keeps rejecting one residential tower after another.
All I can say is "this is frightening and makes me feel sick to my stomach". Downtown Halifax is doomed to be an area of squat, rectangular, uninspired buildings that fit in with the rest of the squat, rectangular, uninspired buildings. Add to that
vision all the vacant lots and you have a recipe for a very dull, decaying downtown core.
This council advisory committee is too lopsided and out of touch with the viewpoint of the majority of the people in the HRM. It is time for a change. Hopefully the rest of the Regional Council will be more progressively minded and have a better sense of what is good for downtown Halifax.
PS: Unfortunately allnovascotia.com didn't give the name of the advisory committee - is it a heritage committee? Are they recommending against any modern building in downtown Halifax - the feeling in my stomach is .
- I really feel like vomiting.
PS: Question, are ultra-modern buildings bad anywhere in downtown Halifax or just along Barrington Street? If ultra-modern buildings are bad anywhere in downtown Halifax then why is the new Central Library considered to be an inspired building along Spring Garden Road? Interestingly, Spring Garden Road is a popular vibrant area whereas downtown Halifax is going in the opposite direction.