New Central Library | Construction

[sim]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

Since you would have more intimate knowledge of the construction of this thing, can you say whether or not the encapsulation will help this? It's not like there's simply a pane of glassing separating the lrt. Isn't it like a huge raft slab?

In any case maybe I'm weird, but I tend to like white noise.

Well, I'll continue with this a bit, as I did enjoy that bit of flattery. I'm not sure I'm gonna hit the nail on the head, but the short of it is that ground borne noise is not overly easy to predict.

It is noise that is borne out of vibrations that underground rail causes (other things can too, but rail is common). The vibrations go through the ground and interact with building structures. Depending on the structures' resonant frequency, it may or may not have much of an effect and it may or may not have easily audible frequencies.

This is not a type of noise that most people can put up with. I remember a second hand story of a fellow that complained to an S-bahn agency after a new tunnel (in Stuttgart). Couldn't sleep anymore. The did multiple tests and measurements over years, never picked up anything, believing the man for crazy. More complaints and finally they did something at track level. The man stopped complaining, although they didnt tell him they addressed it..

Anyway, my opinion would be that the encapsulation would do little to address this, but it may never be a concern. If it is, it will likely have to be addressed at track level a la mass-spring system or something.

[McMurph]

Put me in the camp with those who were expecting more of a "wow" factor, but I for one am ecstatic about it. We're getting a stunning building that beautifully responds to the site and function, without resorting to a "LOOK AT ME" approach to starchitecture or mockstarchitecture (a category in which I have to put both the Edmonton Art Gallery and the Winnipeg Museum of Human Rights).

There are many little things I love about the NCL, and many more that I'm sure I'll discover when it's built. One little thing that I think is fantastic is that it turns the ass-end of the municipal building into a beautiful thing. The pass-through from Stephen Ave needs help (although it is there), but the cold blue wall of the municipal building next to this white beaut may create an amazing, if slightly institutional, space.

[Tills13]

Originally Posted by jsbertram

Just noticed in the renders that there isn't a Plus15 connection to City Hall or other nearby buildings.
Oversight?

One of the Snohetta people talking at the event yesterday (apparently) said, "You could make a great plus-15...but you can also make a great street crossing"

[H.E.Pennypacker]

Originally Posted by jsbertram

My first impression of the interior renders is that someone has an unresolved vaginal fixation, but that would be better discussed in the Freud forum.

Interesting design, but I question locating the theatre right beside the LRT ramp to the tunnel. Not sure how useful the theatre will be with the LRT trains rumbling by every few minutes.

They may have solved this during the design stage, but I won't be surprised that the acoustics tweeking gets deleted at the pre-build cheapening stage, or during construction as they need cost-cutting when someone realizes they are over budget.

Also, how do you get theatre staging gear over /under /around the LRT tracks?
Not a trivial question if this is meant for actual stage performances.


I'm intrigued by the 'little house on the prairie' escher-eque facade, but why not use fanned-open books instead?

In fairness, Calgary's skyline has a predominate masculine look - one reason why Telus Sky is getting raves is the sleek feminine type design ... So added another one like the library helps balance it out

All we need now is for the Palliser "balls" to get built and we're set

[bt04ku]

Originally Posted by Tills13

One of the Snohetta people talking at the event yesterday (apparently) said, "You could make a great plus-15...but you can also make a great street crossing"

Was said and was met with applause (I think in no small part because of the show the guy asking the question was trying to put on, "the question from hell" as he described it).

[Ramsayfarian]

I'm a day late and a dollar short. I wish I worked where you guys do. I've been so busy lately, I can't even check the internets during the day. But those fries aren't going to cook themselves.

I have mixed feelings about the new library. I love the building and I love the fact that it is utilizing a piece of land that was until now unusable. What I don't like is it's location. It's too nice of a building to be stuck behind City Hall.

[Fuzz]

I used to live one street off from the Banff trail C-train station. My room was in the basement. You could definitely hear the train going buy. In the winter, it was much worse, presumably because the ground was frozen. Things in my room would shake. Upstairs wasn't nearly as bad. So this could be an issue, no matter how much sound proofing is available. I just measured, my room was about 38m from the tracks.

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by Ramsayfarian

I'm a day late and a dollar short. I wish I worked where you guys do. I've been so busy lately, I can't even check the internets during the day. But those fries aren't going to cook themselves.

I have mixed feelings about the new library. I love the building and I love the fact that it is utilizing a piece of land that was until now unusable. What I don't like is it's location. It's too nice of a building to be stuck behind City Hall.

The more I think about it the more I actually like the building for this location. It's a hidden jewel that people will need to actually walk to discover.

[H.E.Pennypacker]

A high profile project like this must have some mitigations planned for the sound

[youngregina]

I just have some questions of my own regarding the train passing underneath the library. If and when the 8th ave subway is built for the downtown core, are there any plans to utilize the space that trains will pass under, or to mitigate any impact this may have on our 245 million dollar library?

I just hope there is a design put forth by city of calgary/snohetta that shows how the space will be capped off without making it look like a poorly designed addition later on. (I would expect there be plans for this considering it isn't chump change we are playing with)

[Chadillaccc]

I was wondering the same thing.

[Chadillaccc]

Delete

[Chadillaccc]

Here are my enhanced photos from the unveiling last night. I think they're pretty decent.



West by Chadillaccc, on Flickr

East by Chadillaccc, on Flickr

Plaza by Chadillaccc, on Flickr

Interior by Chadillaccc, on Flickr

[nick.flood]

delete

[Innersoul1]

Originally Posted by Blue_Cypress

...absolutely vacuous.

Wow mate, not much of a sense of humour eh? Happy Friday

[Innersoul1]

Originally Posted by mellbell416

Well, I would have thought a tag name like "mellbell416" should have been your first clue...pretty sissy name for a Skyscraper guy...

Innersoul is pretty sissy/granola-ish too

[Wooster]

Originally Posted by Ramsayfarian

I'm a day late and a dollar short. I wish I worked where you guys do. I've been so busy lately, I can't even check the internets during the day. But those fries aren't going to cook themselves.

I have mixed feelings about the new library. I love the building and I love the fact that it is utilizing a piece of land that was until now unusable. What I don't like is it's location. It's too nice of a building to be stuck behind City Hall.

When East Village builds it won't feel like that place "behind" city hall, it will be a distinct and worthy place unto itself. Like the tracks do for Beltline, city hall will continue to be a physical and psychological divider, but that doesn't have to be a bad thing (especially once 3rd is transformed). I like distinct districts, the library will be a great focal point for East Village - not an isolated outpost of the cultural area of Olympic Plaza.

[youngregina]

Originally Posted by nick.flood

The rail track will remain for transferring cars between lines.

Nice pics Chad, great job on the enhancing.

Oh gotcha, I just assumed that if they were to bury the line, both lines would be burried. Unless of course the idea that I've missed is one will be burried and the other will remain above grade. Which would make sense as far as increasing capacity goes.

Sorry, rambling too much.

[Chadillaccc]

That is exactly the plan. The 201 will be buried and the 202 will stay on 7th Avenue. The future 203 will be buried as well, though that will be under 2nd street and 10th or 12th Avenue.

[RyLucky]

Think you could visit all of Calgary's walkable cultural centres in a day?
1) Spark Science
2) Calgary Zoo
3) Fort Calgary
4) National Music Centre
5) Calgary Central Library
6) Glenbow
7) Epcor Ctr