Canadian University Thread

[BretttheRiderFan]

Pretty straightforward...photos/discussion about the skylines (or you can branch off to discussing the campus in general or whatever you want) of our fine post-secondary institutions.

I'll start by providing a photo of what I consider to be a pretty decent skyline, that of the University of Alberta.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi.../40/U_of_A.jpg

[Chadillaccc]

University of Calgary, slightly out of date, but it gives you a good idea. There are currently about 6 buildings UC in the area, including several high rises.


http://workabove.com/gallery/university-of-calgary/

[Beedok]

Trying to separate U of O from Ottawa's downtown would be tricky.

[SignalHillHiker]

Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN) - St. John's

Easily one of the ugliest university campuses in North America. The old core is quite nice, and some of the newer buildings are lovely - but the bulk of the university dates from the Smallwood era when industrial architecture from the Canadian mainland were considered superior to our outdated heritage styles by the authorities.

That's not a slight, by the way - I literally mean industrial architecture. Smallwood thought we should live and work in buildings that looked like factories in southern Ontario.

The campus is located adjacent to Pippy Park, one of the largest urban parks in North America - which, unfortunately, pushes St. John's out to either side, giving the illusion of a city that is much smaller than it's actual (still small, of course) size. It's divided in half by the Prince Phillip Parkway, a major four-lane commuter route that's effectively the ring road for post-war St. John's. It has a tunnel network, the Munnels, as well as large skywalks - including one that houses the main cafeteria and food court.

But it is the largest university in Atlantic Canada, and growing considerably. In addition, Newfoundland has - by far - the lowest tuition in the country behind Quebec. The Province also decided to abolish the provincial portion of student loans, providing non-repayable grants instead. For local students, MUN will be, by far, the least expensive post-secondary education option in North America with an average cost for a four-year degree well under $20,000.

Memorial is generally recognized as a good school in most disciplines, but it is renowned around the world for its folklore and marine-related programming. Especially folklore. It is one of the top universities in the world in that field.











*****

And a few slightly outdated aerials from Bing maps.

The old core:



The bulk of the campus:



Some of the outlying buildings are interesting enough, such as the world-famous Marine Institute:

[BretttheRiderFan]

I love the colour of St. John's in those winter pics.

[MrChills]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN) - St. John's

Easily one of the ugliest university campuses in North America. The old core is quite nice, and some of the newer buildings are lovely - but the bulk of the university dates from the Smallwood era when industrial architecture from the Canadian mainland were considered superior to our outdated heritage styles by the authorities.

That's not a slight, by the way - I literally mean industrial architecture. Smallwood thought we should live and work in buildings that looked like factories in southern Ontario.

The campus is located adjacent to Pippy Park, one of the largest urban parks in North America - which, unfortunately, pushes St. John's out to either side, giving the illusion of a city that is much smaller than it's actual (still small, of course) size. It's divided in half by the Prince Phillip Parkway, a major four-lane commuter route that's effectively the ring road for post-war St. John's. It has a tunnel network, the Munnels, as well as large skywalks - including one that houses the main cafeteria and food court.

But it is the largest university in Atlantic Canada, and growing considerably. In addition, Newfoundland has - by far - the lowest tuition in the country behind Quebec. The Province also decided to abolish the provincial portion of student loans, providing non-repayable grants instead. For local students, MUN will be, by far, the least expensive post-secondary education option in North America with an average cost for a four-year degree well under $20,000.

Memorial is generally recognized as a good school in most disciplines, but it is renowned around the world for its folklore and marine-related programming. Especially folklore. It is one of the top universities in the world in that field.











*****

And a few slightly outdated aerials from Bing maps.

The old core:



The bulk of the campus:



Some of the outlying buildings are interesting enough, such as the world-famous Marine Institute:

What kills me about MUN is that every single building that they add on, they do a totally different design and colour scheme! Take a look at this mess and then compare it to the majority of other shots I am seeing it, it's brutal how patch worked the campus is.

[RWin]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN) - St. John's
And a few slightly outdated aerials from Bing maps.

The old core:

I can see my daughter's residence building!

[RWin]

The University of Victoria is where I went. There is a lot more there now than when I went. Not much for a skyline (tallest is 6 floors) but a very nice setting.



(Photo from UVic website)

[GreaterMontréal]

Université de Montréal

http://ilc2014.iro.umontreal.ca/

[Log1988]

My alma mater UBC looking North:

Looking South:

Globalairphotos.com

[Rico Rommheim]

Originally Posted by GreaterMontréal

Université de Montréal

http://ilc2014.iro.umontreal.ca/

Nice. Love the UdM campus. It just needs some revamp and new landscape architecture.

[BIMBAM]

Originally Posted by Rico Rommheim

Nice. Love the UdM campus. It just needs some revamp and new landscape architecture.

It could also use nearby independent businesses. I swear, trying to buy something other then overpriced cafeteria slop for lunch when working at Polytechnique was an incredible saga.

[isaidso]

To my Maritime eyes, some of these western campuses don't give me that university feeling. I know it's not fair to compare 200 year old schools to ones that are relatively new, but it's ingrained in me that universities have charming old architecture, ivy, and bucolic vistas.

[RyLucky]

And then there is Arthur Erickson's UofL:

[isaidso]

Originally Posted by RyLucky

And then there is Arthur Erickson's UofL:

I do love that building. I visited it last summer.

Dalhousie University (All photos by me)

[ciudad_del_norte]

Originally Posted by isaidso

I do love that building. I visited it last summer.

Dalhousie University (All photos by me)

I have to say Dal was actually a bit dissapointing building-wise. Not that it doesn't have some cool ones, but my western mind expected it to be much more dominated by old university buildings than it actually is. Overall it didn't feel any more historic than the U of A campus IMO.

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by ciudad_del_norte

I have to say Dal was actually a bit dissapointing building-wise. Not that it doesn't have some cool ones, but my western mind expected it to be much more dominated by old university buildings than it actually is. Overall it didn't feel any more historic than the U of A campus IMO.

I think that's less a reflection on Dal's lack of history and more that U of A is really well built for a western university: Athabasca Hall, Rutherford Library, Rutherford House, the Old Arts Building, St. Stephen's College, St. Joseph's College, and Corbett Hall.

Still, Dal definitely feels more "old" than U of A (which I know pretty well, having lived a few blocks away for a couple of years). It's got two historic quads including the one at King's and the one in front of the Henry Hicks building and its complementary stone buildings. Then there's the Forrest building (and two other great stone buildings on that same block, visible from University Avenue, including the Clinical Research Centre). Shirreff Hall is a pretty authoritative-looking, Georgian-style residence house.

Then, off the Studley campus, there's the architecture faculty and some of the other properties eastward on Spring Garden.

Plus a bunch of smaller Victorian houses, both brick and wooden, on and off-campus housing residences and offices.

[BretttheRiderFan]

Originally Posted by isaidso

To my Maritime eyes, some of these western campuses don't give me that university feeling. I know it's not fair to compare 200 year old schools to ones that are relatively new, but it's ingrained in me that universities have charming old architecture, ivy, and bucolic vistas.

University of Alberta

Old Arts Building:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._Canada_02.jpg



Corbett Hall

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...Canada_08A.jpg



St. Joseph's College

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...Canada_06A.jpg

[RyLucky]

It's fascinating how each university has a slightly different lay out and relationship to its community.

At Queen's, I like how everyone could walk to the "student ghetto", and how Kingston has so many old buildings. At UofT and McGill, I like how seamlessly it integrates with the city. At UofC, I like how connected the campus is to itself and how dynamic it is, like a living campus, with new buildings constantly built amid older ones. At UBC, I like how it's surrounded by what is essentially rainforest and nude beaches.

To be improved:
-The area surrounding UofC is little by little beginning to develop FINALLY. For decades, the local CA's have put a stop to all integration.
-B LINE TO UBC!!!

[MolsonExport]

these poke the sky at UWO

uwo