The Great Canadian Skyline Thread!

[Ashok]

It is not that I want to star a city vs. city war, but one thing what people do not realize is that Montreal is VERY dense and a lot of the pictures we see just don't do it just. If you look @ the photo below, the city isn't just highly developed around the downtown core, but 3 floor residential projects tend to stretch across the entire city. Look more @ the right, because the left shows Westmount which is a super posh neighbourhood.

[TownGuy]

Originally Posted by FrAnKs

Looking at the Denver thread, and I start to think that Canadian cities punch over their sizes in matter of Skyline compared to US.
Do you think it's true, or it varies ?

.. just think about Los Angeles.

But Denver is the equivalent to a what in Canada? Regina? Population wise sure it is big but it's overall footprint in the US is small. Maybe we should compare ourselves with our cousin Australia instead of the US. Do we punch above them when it comes to skylines? Not really.

[TownGuy]

Originally Posted by Ashok

It is not that I want to star a city vs. city war, but one thing what people do not realize is that Montreal is VERY dense and a lot of the pictures we see just don't do it just. If you look @ the photo below, the city isn't just highly developed around the downtown core, but 3 floor residential projects tend to stretch across the entire city. Look more @ the right, because the left shows Westmount which is a super posh neighbourhood.

Yes, but this is about skylines. Obviously Montreal is a superior city to its smaller Canadian counterparts with better skylines...but that's not really the discussion.

[FrAnKs]

Originally Posted by Ashok

It is not that I want to star a city vs. city war, but one thing what people do not realize is that Montreal is VERY dense and a lot of the pictures we see just don't do it just. If you look @ the photo below, the city isn't just highly developed around the downtown core, but 3 floor residential projects tend to stretch across the entire city. Look more @ the right, because the left shows Westmount which is a super posh neighbourhood.

Montréal has good bones.

I prefer that, WAYYY before higher buildings surrounded by an ocean of bungalows.

It is undebatable.

That's why, an experience in person, make the whole difference than starting to judge a simple picture.
A picture can't share the athmosphere of a city and Montréal is a beast.

Seriously, what would be the difference if Montréal had some towers of 60-65fl. ? Absolutely None.

Anyway our Skyline is still pretty good and will improve soon.

[Rico Rommheim]

^That's a great picture, but it doesn't quite make a case for the skyline. Rather, it shows just how built-up, varied and dense the core is.

From this view I see massive "holes" in the skyline, notably between Bleury and Beaver Hall and between PVM and CIBC. I really hope that one day, the next tallest building will be built on the current site of central station on La gauchetiere, between PVM and le 1000. That lot is central, elevated on a plateau and zoned for maximum permissible height and is currently wasted by a hideous parking garage.

[FrAnKs]

By the way. I found this Photosphere from a building Under-construction in Griffintown : https://www.google.ca/maps/@45.493915,-7...e1!3m3!1spqAvI0nUGKMAAAQYNN5SYw!2e0!3e11

[Ashok]

Originally Posted by TownGuy

Yes, but this is about skylines. Obviously Montreal is a superior city to its smaller Canadian counterparts with better skylines...but that's not really the discussion.

Yes, but in terms of its size, Montreal def. has a HUGE skyline - the Photo I posted only shows like 2/3ths the length of the skyline. The problem people see with Montreal is that it doesn't have 60floor buildings - rather, Montreal has a sea of mid-rises, going all the way from Atwater (Western end) to like Beaudry.

In terms of its appearance, well, that is subjective - personally, I still like Montreal's skyline because of the depth of its skyline and the its layers.

[FrAnKs]

Originally Posted by Ashok

Yes, but in terms of its size, Montreal def. has a HUGE skyline - the Photo I posted only shows like 2/3ths the length of the skyline. In terms of its appearance, well, that is subjective and I rather not get into that here.

I think we have a good overview here :


https://www.flickr.com/photos/w_yvr/498649524/sizes/o/

[Ashok]

Originally Posted by Rico Rommheim

^That's a great picture, but it doesn't quite make a case for the skyline. Rather, it shows just how built-up, varied and dense the core is.

From this view I see massive "holes" in the skyline, notably between Bleury and Beaver Hall and between PVM and CIBC. I really hope that one day, the next tallest building will be built on the current site of central station on La gauchetiere, between PVM and le 1000. That lot is central, elevated on a plateau and zoned for maximum permissible height and is currently wasted by a hideous parking garage.

Place Bonadventure needs to go, and replaced by a nice modern, glassy superstructure.

[Ashok]

Originally Posted by FrAnKs

I think we have a good overview here :


https://www.flickr.com/photos/w_yvr/498649524/sizes/o/

Yeah! Exactly, the skyline stretches from somewhere east of Vendome, all the way to Beaudry. You still can't see CBC's headquarters here. In terms of the North-South Direction, it starts from the way, all the way to park Jean-Meance.

[Delirium]

Photo by Sandraorourke https://www.flickr.com/photos/noparticularplace2go/15196798317/sizes/h/


Photo by Sandraorourke https://www.flickr.com/photos/noparticularplace2go/15196824657/sizes/h/

[FrAnKs]

^^ and I think it's an old picture ! No altoria, no Le V, and no griffintown boom yet.

[Rico Rommheim]

I'm actually okay with Bonaventure now. Sure, it took me 15 odd years to get "used" to it but now I get it, it's a classic work of mid-20th century modernism. It's one of the largest buildings in the country in terms of floor space, it has a cool rooftop hotel, it plays its role as a secondary Palais des Congres well, and it was built on top of 20 railroad tracks, that's pretty cool. It does need a facade renovation, the concrete is old and worn-out. The best thing to do for Bonaventure I think, is to completely surround it with tall office towers. This will happen in the coming decades as downtown development is finally creeping into this formerly no man's land with the current re-development of Griffintown and the future demolition of the Bonaventure expressway. In 30 years maybe, the Place Bonaventure might just vanish from sight.

[FrAnKs]

Originally Posted by Rico Rommheim

I'm actually okay with Bonaventure now. Sure, it took me 15 odd years to get "used" to it but now I get it, it's a classic work of mid-20th century modernism. It's one of the largest buildings in the country in terms of floor space, it has a cool rooftop hotel, it plays its role as a secondary Palais des Congres well, and it was built on top of 20 railroad tracks, that's pretty cool. It does need a facade renovation, the concrete is old and worn-out. The best thing to do for Bonaventure I think, is to completely surround it with tall office towers. This will happen in the coming decades as downtown development is finally creeping into this formerly no man's land with the current re-development of Griffintown and the future demolition of the Bonaventure expressway. In 30 years maybe, the Place Bonaventure might just vanish from sight.

What if I told you, I'm now used to our bunch of 70's in Downtown Québec city ? I took me many years too ...

[SkahHigh]

Originally Posted by FrAnKs

I think we have a good overview here :


https://www.flickr.com/photos/w_yvr/498649524/sizes/o/

In terms of height, Montreal is behind Toronto and Calgary. In terms of density, it is far in front of Calgary and even Vancouver (although there is some nice density). This is well shown by the picture.

Plus, the Courtyard (138m), Altitude (124m) and Altoria (120m) are missing in the picture.

[mistercorporate]

Oh damn, that Montreal pic Ashok posted really puts things into perspective, with bones like that who gives a damn about skylines. That being said, there are a number of parking lots and a lack of highrises which means there's no place for complacency as it's starting to look less dense now my eyes and experience have adjusted to the new normal in some of our other cities. The #2 position is still vulnerable should Vancouver really want it.

[Ashok]

I still curse each time I walk pass that vile thing!

[FrAnKs]

Aging a little bit, but still one of my favourites ever :



https://www.flickr.com/photos/caribb/277945660/sizes/o/



https://www.flickr.com/photos/caribb/277945662/sizes/o/

[rousseau]

This is what I'm talking about. Montreal is no. 2 because of the stellar density surrounding the skyline, as per Ashok's photo at the top of this page. Try to imagine lower Manhattan with a Calgary-style bungalow belt north of Canal Street. See what I mean?

Ashok's photo is absolutely gorgeous. No other skyline at this height comes even remotely close to it save for Toronto.

[Beedok]

Things look so small from the air.