University of Winnipeg Commons | 45M | 14F | Completed

[Cyro]

Originally Posted by buzzg

I hope whatever the gaping empty space that was left out in the Commons is planned for happens soon. Looks pretty cavernous right now.

From an older post of mine..

"The large "void" to the North was constructed specifically for the "future and potential", PlugIn Institute for Contemporary Art."

Contingent on future funding I believe.

[EndoftheBeginning]

Some pics of the finished product.

[Urban recluse]

Thanks for those. It doesn't look too bad thanks to the balconies.

[esquire]

I'm not sure about this complex. I certainly appreciate its function... it adds a lot of people and life to a formerly underused site. The buildings (Buhler Centre and the tower) definitely speak to a low budget. Looks like the architects did their best to give it some style, but you can only stretch a dollar so far.

The tower looks a bit like a public housing complex you'd see in the outer reaches of a large European city. It's OK, but perhaps not the greatest for such a prominent site. That said, I'm glad that tower is there and not the parking lot that used to occupy that site.

[buzzg]

I actually really like the way the two buildings look together. The tabs on Buhler and the window treatments on the Commons play off each other well. Hopefully when/if the empty part gets filled it completes it really nicely and brings the look up more.

[BigG]

I like it. But with Colony Square going all grey, that area looks really drab now. Wish there were more colour or glass, right Urban Recluse?

[Urban recluse]

Check! That is something downtown needs more of, and color. In regards to the Exchange, definitely a lot more brick, especially red brick, and glass.

[EndoftheBeginning]

^^ On the topic or red brick and glass, to my eye, this has always been a very handsome building.

[esquire]

^ Fun fact: that building used to be a Ford auto assembly plant. 150 Model Ts a day were produced in there, apparently.

http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/sites/fletcherbuilding.shtml

I agree, it's a nice looking building on the outside. The inside though, is as drab looking an office as you could imagine.

[borkborkbork]

Originally Posted by esquire

The buildings (Buhler Centre and the tower) definitely speak to a low budget. Looks like the architects did their best to give it some style, but you can only stretch a dollar so far.

The budget was $30.8 million.

I actually think it looks decent, particularly in terms of how it interacts with the Buhler Centre, and the scale of the ground floor level. But I do wonder how a $30M+ budget seemed to buy them so little in terms of exterior finishes.

[Urban recluse]

Originally Posted by esquire

^ Fun fact: that building used to be a Ford auto assembly plant. 150 Model Ts a day were produced in there, apparently.

http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/sites/fletcherbuilding.shtml

I agree, it's a nice looking building on the outside. The inside though, is as drab looking an office as you could imagine.

I am assuming the interior was completely decimated?

[buzzg]

Originally Posted by borkborkbork

The budget was $30.8 million.

I actually think it looks decent, particularly in terms of how it interacts with the Buhler Centre, and the scale of the ground floor level. But I do wonder how a $30M+ budget seemed to buy them so little in terms of exterior finishes.

To be fair, that apartment building was clearly built to withstand World Wars 3-12.

[Wolf13]

Originally Posted by borkborkbork

The budget was $30.8 million.

I actually think it looks decent, particularly in terms of how it interacts with the Buhler Centre, and the scale of the ground floor level. But I do wonder how a $30M+ budget seemed to buy them so little in terms of exterior finishes.

I don't know the square footage, but that's a large floor plate, and a large building for $31M... It was clearly built to comply with the prescriptive path of the new energy code (less than 29% of exterior glazed), which saves money on all fronts.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Urban recluse

I am assuming the interior was completely decimated?

More than once by the looks of it. If I had to describe the interior, I'd say the dominant design theme is 1970s stagflation chic. It's pretty drab in there, although that can be said for most provincial office buildings apart from the Ledge.

[Urban recluse]

That is awful. However, at the time it was converted, that was the mindset.

[CoryB]

I think there are still a few trace elements of the former Ford plant at 1181 Portage Ave. There is a weird ramp from the at grade main floor to a side area on the rear. It is definitely not needed for interior office traffic so would seem to have likely been used for movement of nearly finished vehicles.

Also not sure how much there would have been to preserve from a plant making Model T cars. Back then design of a manufacturing space would have focused more on function over other aesthetics.

[Urban recluse]

Probably mushroom cap columns given the support that would have been needed. There may have been some nice office space for management.

[Cyro]

Originally Posted by EndoftheBeginning

Some pics of the finished product.

Almost forgot, thanks for that tour around town with recent pics in multiple threads. Nice job.

If your ever in the mood, pop them/others into the WINNIPEG | Projects and Development. Kinda a dinosaur when it comes to threads but I try to keep it alive occasionally.

[Kris22]

New sign + TNS in the background: