Canadian Skyline Thread III

[J.OT13]

This past Saturday from Kiweki Point, Ottawa.

[EnvisionSaintJohn]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

I actually think Toronto's skyline has gotten worse over the last 20 years.

Yes, it has huge heft and a lot of height but the view {especially from the lake} has become nothing but a glass menagerie. All the uniquely designed buildings from the 60s/70s/80s are now shielded. You could tell all the buildings apart especially due to the different colours and building materials. Things are still good coming in from the West on the Gardiner but I prefer the Yonge & Bloor area which looks more organic. This is why, no matter how many buildings Toronto puts up, it will NEVER be able to compete with Chicago or New York.

This is why my favorite skyline is Calgary followed closely by Montreal. You can still see the the individual buildings of different colours, designs, and aren't blocked out by glass walls.

I guess it depends on how far you are away... If you're very far away across the lake, like in Etobicoke, the sheer mass of the current skyline must be more impressive than the much less substantial skyline of 30 years ago.

It is too bad high rises across the country often have such similar and uninspired designs. It would be nice if we saw more buildings utilizing stone and high quality concrete. Tall buildings used to be far more elegant.

I think I've posted this video elsewhere on SSP before, but I think more "Neo-Deco" high rises would be a good thing for skylines across Canada.

• Video Link

I love spotting Art Deco buildings in Montreal, as they have some truly great one, but Detroit is probably the city that surprised me the most with just how many amazing Art Deco buildings they have. You expect to see it going to New York and Chicago, but I was pleasantly surprised with prominent Art Deco buildings are in Detroit's skyline. I was also impressed with the sheer amount of Art Deco and even earlier architectural style buildings that are still standing in smaller midwest cities.

I think Canada could have much nicer skylines in the future if more developers and architects aimed to emulate and evoke the iconic styles of the past, that made skyscrapers feel so much more soulful and look so much more elegant.

[WhipperSnapper]

Yonge and Bloor particular from the east just looks like a congealed glass blob in photos (most have a zoom)

I wouldn't necessarily put it on individualized architecture although Charles Street East has a higher share of twin towers. I wouldn't put it on glass either. Glass is predominant in most skylines. Moscow is pretty cool and futuristic. It's colour and spacing in combination with smoggy haze.

Like the brick and limestone high rises hugging Central Park. What keeps it from being a blended high rise wall are the short blocks.

[Nouvellecosse]

I think some of it is just too much cantilevered balcony. They make the exterior of a building messy and give the silhouette fuzzy lines rather then a clean and defined form.

[WhipperSnapper]

Definitely blurs the silhouette which is not good when spacing is at a minimum

[koops65]

I think the Toronto skyline has become better over time. It has far more heft, more presence. It has become more iconic, more world-class. Of course with so many towers, it's inevitable that some are crap. But some are excellent too, and the rest fall somewhere in the middle. I don't see blobs, I see skyscrapers. Lots of them compared to earlier. What's the name of this site again??

[LuluBobo]

Originally Posted by koops65

I think the Toronto skyline has become better over time. It has far more heft, more presence. It has become more iconic, more world-class. Of course with so many towers, it's inevitable that some are crap. But some are excellent too, and the rest fall somewhere in the middle. I don't see blobs, I see skyscrapers. Lots of them compared to earlier. What's the name of this site again??

Iconic is certainly a word I would disagree with. A big part of being iconic is being unique, beautiful, and important. To have a special spot or distinctiveness.

The CN Tower is iconic. Scotia Plaza is iconic. Aura is iconic (and new). One Bloor is iconic. Sky Tower will likely end up iconic.

The issue is most of the bulk is too samey. Too greeney-blue.

It's why I love the Chicago skyline. It has more iconic buildings.

[Martin Mtl]

Photo: Daniel_88 on agoramtl.com

[Rico Rommheim]

Amazing

[Wpg_Guy]

Dan Harper Photo

[MolsonExport]

The foreground looks entirely new in that Winnipeg shot

[Wpg_Guy]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

The foreground looks entirely new in that Winnipeg shot

That area has been in renewal since the Canada Life Centre opened in 2004. The Manitoba Hydro Tower opened in 2009, then True North Square Tower one and two & plaza in 2019, followed by the new Royal Winnipeg Ballet student residence in 2022, Wawanesa Insurance headquarters tower in 2024 and under construction (yet long delayed) is Sutton hotel development and the $650M Portage Place Redevelopment across from the Manitoba Hydro Tower Is just getting underway.

[someone123]

Winnipeg is interesting. It's not getting the same volume of condo and apartment towers as some other Canadian cities and office and public buildings have remained more prominent. They tend to look more varied and are of a higher quality, all else being equal.

Quebec City is a bit like this too.

[J.OT13]

It was weird to me at first seeing residential buildings overshadow the office towers of the 20th Century that so obviously created our Downtown skylines. After Covid though and the decline of office space, having residential towers dominate the skyline has become more normalized, at least in Canada (as opposed to the U.S. where residential towers haven't blown up like Canada and Downtown Office districts have have far more prominence).

[J.OT13]

Dow's Lake skyline with recently added NCC docks and swimming area.

Originally Posted by zzptichka

EDIT, adding another. From Pat on Rail Fans Canada Discord, Zibi and Hull.

[Nouvellecosse]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

It was weird to me at first seeing residential buildings overshadow the office towers of the 20th Century that so obviously created our Downtown skylines. After Covid though and the decline of office space, having residential towers dominate the skyline has become more normalized, at least in Canada (as opposed to the U.S. where residential towers haven't blown up like Canada and Downtown Office districts have have far more prominence).

Yeah same here. I do tend to enjoy residential skyscrapers in skylines and I miss that in cities that have very few such as Houston and LA. But for my taste, the tallest residential towers shouldn't be more than perhaps 3/4 the height of the tallest office towers and they shouldn't make up more than about 60% of the total skyline. Not that a skyline can't be good without meeting these criteria. They just wouldn't be optimal.

I can't say I particularly enjoy having residential towers dominate since, while there are some good ones, they just don't tend to have the grandeur of office towers. Even office towers with very staid designs tend to be higher quality on average and be heftier in terms of their foot print. Although I make exception for residential towers that look very similar to office towers or ones that are extremely high quality. Like the Trump tower Chicago for instance is excellent and would make a great skyline centerpiece.

[Wigs]

Originally Posted by Wpg_Guy

That area has been in renewal since the Canada Life Centre opened in 2024. The Manitoba Hydro Tower opened in 2009, then True North Square Tower one and two & plaza in 2019, followed by the new Royal Winnipeg Ballet student residence in 2022, Wawanesa Insurance headquarters tower in 2024 and under construction (yet long delayed) is Sutton hotel development and the $650M Portage Place Redevelopment across from the Manitoba Hydro Tower Is just getting underway.

I love it. Go Peg City

[craner]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

This past Saturday from Kiweki Point, Ottawa.

Did the Chateau Laurier addition ever get the go-ahead ?

[MonkeyRonin]

Originally Posted by Nouvellecosse

Yeah same here. I do tend to enjoy residential skyscrapers in skylines and I miss that in cities that have very few such as Houston and LA. But for my taste, the tallest residential towers shouldn't be more than perhaps 3/4 the height of the tallest office towers and they shouldn't make up more than about 60% of the total skyline. Not that a skyline can't be good without meeting these criteria. They just wouldn't be optimal.

The best sort of skyline IMO is one where you get the effect of shorter, skinnier residential towers sort of building up to a taller, beefier commercial core.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by craner

Did the Chateau Laurier addition ever get the go-ahead ?

Nope. After nearly 5 years and about 8 different versions, it was approved by the City, but never built. I think Covid and the subsequent drop in business travel and work from home made the project no longer viable (note it was finally approved in Feb 2021, before the long term repercussions of the pandemic were known).

I still hope something is built, but I would prefer a low slung 4 floor building. Right now, a surface parking is on that site, a replacement for a parking garage that was built around the 60s with a similar design and materials as the heritage portion.