Great Canadian Skyline Thread II

[Martin Mtl]

Originally Posted by kool maudit

It's not that, it's that there is a pretty longstanding trend towards high-translucence glass treatments. Buildings like the National Bank tower in Montreal, the CIBC buildings in Toronto, Salesforce in San Francisco, IFC in Hong Kong, Torre Cristal in Madrid -- you name it -- all have this in common.

It's not just the fact of the glass cladding, either -- older glass towers like the TD Centre, IDS in Minneapolis or Water Tower Place in Chicago are more differentiated, never mind things like First Canadian Place's white marble or Scotiabank's red granite.

I agree. In the case of Montreal there are really just one big office tower in total that is clad with uniformed blue glass, the new National Bank Tower. Not an overwhelming trend, to say the least.

[Coldrsx]

https://twitter.com/kmoorephotos/status/1703072416401158344

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by mleblanc

Très belle! Montreal is a stunner. I find the "competition" between Toronto and it a little cringey. We should be celebrating all of our cities

Two very different cities, each with their own unique feature, signature elements and downsides.

Very few cities can really be directly compared with one another. Calgary-Edmonton-Ottawa (though, clearly out of the league in terms of height and modern architecture, but holds its own in historical layering, density and coverage), Regina-Saskatoon, maybe Halifax-Victoria, mid-sized Ontario cities.

[davidivivid]

https://www.quebecurbain.qc.ca/

[J.OT13]

Shots of Ottawa's new Central Library with skyline views.

First is looking west towards LeBreton Flats, Mechanicsville, Tunney's Pasture and Westboro, similar to a shot I posted on the previous page. Second is the Escarpment District and CBD. Three towers u/c back there, 23, 29 and 35 floors with curvy façades, which should give the traditional skyline a whole new look, biggest impact since Place de Ville Tower C in 1971.

Originally Posted by Harley613

It's great to see some of the jacks come off and see the actual shape taking form!

[Ozy_Flame]

That shot of Edmonton is incredible. When combined with the River Valley, Edmonton has some of the best urban shots in Canada that capture a lush, forest juxtaposition.

[Rico Rommheim]

Originally Posted by Martin Mtl

Photo: https://www.facebook.com/jfsavariaphotographe


Photo: https://www.facebook.com/jfsavariaphotographe

Thanks for posting Martin, but all I see are glass boxes. It's too much.

Also, I can't believe that we can STILL see that green lush hill standing behind the skyline, if we increase the height limit maybe we can build more towers that will finally dwarf and mask it.

[J.OT13]

Montreal's height restrictions are puzzling. I get (though don't necessarily fully agree) Ottawa's restrictions to protect Parliament's dominance. I also understand Vancouver's mountain view protection corridors, but I don't understand the goal of Montreal's. Buildings can't be taller than the mountain, but they can still block it?

[MonctonianSentinel01]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Montreal's height restrictions are puzzling. I get (though don't necessarily fully agree) Ottawa's restrictions to protect Parliament's dominance. I also understand Vancouver's mountain view protection corridors, but I don't understand the goal of Montreal's. Buildings can't be taller than the mountain, but they can still block it?

I thought that what Montreal was trying to protect wasn't the view of the mountain, but the view from the mountain so that the buildings wouldn't block the view from the outlook.

[J.OT13]

Little Italy, Gladstone, Dow's Lake. About a dozen towers in this shot have gone up over the last 10 years, around 24 more have been approved or proposed within this view, all centered around Corso Italia Station (centre of the image, new infill Line 2 station) and Dow's Lake Station (single track station between towers clusters on the right).

Originally Posted by Harley613

[Nouvellecosse]

Originally Posted by MonctonianSentinel01

I thought that what Montreal was trying to protect wasn't the view of the mountain, but the view from the mountain so that the buildings wouldn't block the view from the outlook.

I thought it was also supposed to shape the highrise cluster so that it mirrors the size and shape of the mountain.

[Rico Rommheim]

Originally Posted by Nouvellecosse

I thought it was also supposed to shape the highrise cluster so that it mirrors the size and shape of the mountain.

It's that, and for a variety of reasons. It's one part of a wider and coherent urban plan. The main idea is that the mountain isn't completely overwhelmed by skyscrapers. In a nutshell, the mountain, the view of it and the view from it, is more important than the haphazard placement of random skyscrapers.

[Martin Mtl]

All pics: https://www.facebook.com/jfsavariaphotographe

[Harley613]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Little Italy, Gladstone, Dow's Lake. About a dozen towers in this shot have gone up over the last 10 years, around 24 more have been approved or proposed within this view, all centered around Corso Italia Station (centre of the image, new infill Line 2 station) and Dow's Lake Station (single track station between towers clusters on the right).

The same view with:
Green - Built/Under Construction
Yellow - Approved
Red - Proposed

[Martin Mtl]

Photo : https://x.com/montreal?s=21&t=J4hmZg0rMsqXSo9QgYyL9g

[Maldive]

Canada House towers rising at CityPlace on the left.


tstormers

[harls]

I wish Global National would change their Toronto skyline shot during newscasts. They have an angle where the CN tower is almost totally blocked.

[mousquet]

Originally Posted by harls

I wish Global National would change their Toronto skyline shot during newscasts. They have an angle where the CN tower is almost totally blocked.

That's because the CN thing is kinda weird in their skyline, like the Space Needle in Seattle's.
Only the Eiffel tower can be that weird without making anybody laugh.
You know, it was that insolent experimental thing that everybody has respect for now, cause it's so old.
Just something historic.

I think it's better to do what NYC does in that matter, developing public observation decks on top of regular skyscrapers.
It is quite something generous and elegant in NYC. You pay the fees, then you get access to the top of the real skyscraper.
That's a fair idea after all.

[kool maudit]

Counterpoint: the CN Tower is the best of all the TV towers, an elegant, towering communications-age minaret that makes Seattle's little thing look like something from EPCOT.

[J.OT13]

And... this has become a tower measuring contest...