SkyCity Centre Winnipeg | 45F | 575 Ft | 175.26 M | Cancelled

[DowntownBooster]

Originally Posted by esquire

^ It will be such a contrast from the ocean of beige that currently characterizes our skyline.

The recladding of 360 Main will also help reduce the amount of beige in our skyline.

[oftheMoon]

A portion of the SkyCity lot was taped off this morning and some type of drilling equipment was on site.

[optimusREIM]

Originally Posted by oftheMoon

A portion of the SkyCity lot was taped off this morning and some type of drilling equipment was on site.

Geotechnical work perhaps

[bomberjet]

Good timing on my break. Just checked Twitter and this was posted.

This big ol' machine is on the SkyCity site today drillin' some test bore holes this week! Another step on our way to construction (yay!!).

https://twitter.com/SkyCityWinnipeg/status/800803677837623296

[Urban recluse]

Man what a dismal sight, all that unsightly concrete. The only nice part is the cornice on the Sterling Building.

[Biff]

I'm generally not a fan of Brutalist Architecture and I agree that downtown Winnipeg is very bland colour wise, but for some reason I have always kind of liked the North Star Inn (Radisson). I really wish they could find the money and restore the lighting on the building. I was probably too young to remember when it worked but I imagine it would look stunning.

[esquire]

^ Yeah, me too. The Radisson is solid architecturally and it's a great example of an ambitious 1960s mixed use project which has worked out, for the most part.

I love every one of those buildings in that shot, possibly except for the Lee Denture Clinic building which I'm somewhat indifferent to.

[pegcityfan]

Originally Posted by Biff

I'm generally not a fan of Brutalist Architecture and I agree that downtown Winnipeg is very bland colour wise, but for some reason I have always kind of liked the North Star Inn (Radisson). I really wish they could find the money and restore the lighting on the building. I was probably too young to remember when it worked but I imagine it would look stunning.

A few years ago the Radisson said they would look into the lights via message after I inquired. Canad Inns owns the building so it'll probably never happen.

[rkspec]

Originally Posted by Biff

I really wish they could find the money and restore the lighting on the building. I was probably too young to remember when it worked but I imagine it would look stunning.

are they removed or just not working?

i dont see any lights in the pic posted above

[Wolf13]

Originally Posted by Biff

I'm generally not a fan of Brutalist Architecture and I agree that downtown Winnipeg is very bland colour wise, but for some reason I have always kind of liked the North Star Inn (Radisson). I really wish they could find the money and restore the lighting on the building. I was probably too young to remember when it worked but I imagine it would look stunning.

Are you suggesting there are fans of brutalist architecture somewhere... anywhere?

like fans, aesthetically, not fans of the academic concept who obviously will only ever draw and never build..

Originally Posted by esquire

^ Yeah, me too. The Radisson is solid architecturally and it's a great example of an ambitious 1960s mixed use project which has worked out, for the most part.

I love every one of those buildings in that shot, possibly except for the Lee Denture Clinic building which I'm somewhat indifferent to.

Dammit how did we suddenly start complimenting the Radisson again lol!

It makes me want to drop molten iron into my eyes.


However, lights are the only way to redeem that exterior in anyway, so i hope that happens.

[Biff]

Originally Posted by rkspec

are they removed or just not working?

i dont see any lights in the pic posted above

On the vertical concrete (not underneath) between the windows you can see small box-like fixtures. If I remember, light emits vertically up and down from each of these fixtures.

[Urban recluse]

Originally Posted by pegcityfan

A few years ago the Radisson said they would look into the lights via message after I inquired. Canad Inns owns the building so it'll probably never happen.

With all that is happening in the area, God forbid Canad takes some action to make the Radisson look better.

[biguc]

Originally Posted by Wolf13

Are you suggesting there are fans of brutalist architecture somewhere... anywhere?

Right here. While it's not all good, a lot of it is amazing.

Take the Geisel Library at UC San Diego,


http://treehouseblog.com/2014/03/william-pereiras-geisel-library-at-uc-san-diego/

or the Salk Institute, also in San Diego,


or The Barbican, in London,

http://www.uncubemagazine.com/blog/8951705


These are as great as any building in any style. I love the spirit mid-century futurism, which manifests as alien landscapes with a sense of absolute permanence, even as the elements meet and water and sky wash over structures, and life takes hold in and around them. These are buildings meant to outlast civilizations.

But for those reasons, I think it's a poorly suited style for highrises. Brutalism thrives in open spaces and demands strong horizontal lines. Brutalist buildings also look better up close--from afar their surprising details wash out into bland, blank surfaces--which is another point against brutalist highrises. While Brutalist highrises can be interesting, surprising, and even perversely endearing (http://static.thousandwonders.net/Torre.Velasca.original.20222.jpg), they never look as good as their low-rise counterparts can. Some, like Trellick Tower, in England, even end up looking downright stupid.

As for the Radisson, it is a loathsome building. Its enormous parking structure, with its sidewalk-blocking ramp, is particularly egregious. With that said, it looked a hell of a lot better when it was new.


http://umanitoba.ca/libraries/archives/tribune/photographs/display_photo.php?id=3309

Opening the spaces at the top would help its appearance a lot. And removing the trashy post-modern alterations from the ground floor (candy coloured awnings and stranded bits of teal glass and tile) would help its original details shine.

[drew]

^ yes that building needs a refresh. The open panels at the roof definitely help to "lighten" the look.

Also, could the owners not scrape together some money and deal with the worn out, dis-similar, broken and otherwise hideous ceiling lights that are in the parkade ramp visible from the street below? It just looks bad.

[The Jabroni]

Originally Posted by biguc

Right here. While it's not all good, a lot of it is amazing.

Take the Geisel Library at UC San Diego,


http://treehouseblog.com/2014/03/william-pereiras-geisel-library-at-uc-san-diego/

or the Salk Institute, also in San Diego,


or The Barbican, in London,

http://www.uncubemagazine.com/blog/8951705


These are as great as any building in any style. I love the spirit mid-century futurism, which manifests as alien landscapes with a sense of absolute permanence, even as the elements meet and water and sky wash over structures, and life takes hold in and around them. These are buildings meant to outlast civilizations.

But for those reasons, I think it's a poorly suited style for highrises. Brutalism thrives in open spaces and demands strong horizontal lines. Brutalist buildings also look better up close--from afar their surprising details wash out into bland, blank surfaces--which is another point against brutalist highrises. While Brutalist highrises can be interesting, surprising, and even perversely endearing (http://static.thousandwonders.net/Torre.Velasca.original.20222.jpg), they never look as good as their low-rise counterparts can. Some, like Trellick Tower, in England, even end up looking downright stupid.

As for the Radisson, it is a loathsome building. Its enormous parking structure, with its sidewalk-blocking ramp, is particularly egregious. With that said, it looked a hell of a lot better when it was new.


http://umanitoba.ca/libraries/archives/tribune/photographs/display_photo.php?id=3309

Opening the spaces at the top would help its appearance a lot. And removing the trashy post-modern alterations from the ground floor (candy coloured awnings and stranded bits of teal glass and tile) would help its original details shine.

That library could use a good power wash on the concrete surface.

[trueviking]

I actually love the Radisson...my favourite Winnipeg tower....ha ha....it was truly designed and very carefully considered...the way it responds to the neighbouring building...the subtle details...great proportions and rhythms...like it or not, it was a high quality building in its day....today we make towers out of Styrofoam.

the panels in the roof are completely decorative....I've been on that roof....they should remove them....looks so much better engaging the sky.

Canad was going to look into the lights...not sure why they didn't....it looked like dripping wax on the façade....very cool.

definitely hate the canopies.

[esquire]

As with most buildings, the Radisson looked best in its original iteration before the 80s happened to it with the goofy afterthought details added like the po-mo canopies, and those inserts up top for no apparent reason. Back then the facade lights worked and the basement cinema was a going concern.

The parkade lights weren't an issue until recently... panes of glass would occasionally fall down from the ramp during windstors which led them to remove all the glass. Now it looks barren.

The only thing I really don't like about the Radisson is how it encroaches on the Smith St. sidewalk, but even that wouldn't be an issue if the city cracked down on the CanadInns jerks who park on the sidewalk under the building... I mean, the ticket guys are practically hiding in the bushes at HSC waiting for someone to be a little late due to a chemo treatment that ran a little long, meanwhile CanadInns parks their vehicles on the sidewalk every day with impunity. But I digress.

[Wolf13]

I am a fan of the tribal waffle and the Salk Institute, but personally cannot say they would be any better than a modern initiative... seems like "good for brutalist" to me but to each their own... but that London example was painful...

[Wolf13]

Originally Posted by trueviking

I actually love the Radisson...my favourite Winnipeg tower....ha ha....it was truly designed and very carefully considered...the way it responds to the neighbouring building...the subtle details...great proportions and rhythms...like it or not, it was a high quality building in its day....today we make towers out of Styrofoam.

the panels in the roof are completely decorative....I've been on that roof....they should remove them....looks so much better engaging the sky.

Canad was going to look into the lights...not sure why they didn't....it looked like dripping wax on the façade....very cool.

definitely hate the canopies.

Contrary to your avatar we disagree occasionally


But surely you're trolling? We don't need architects at all if we consider the Radisson an accomplishment, even for it's time.

[trueviking]

^ ha ha...I suspect almost every architect in the city would say they like (or even love) the Radisson.