Edmonton Construction 9 (2008-08)

[Coldrsx]

^well that is finally some good news... the SW desperately needed new rink capacity... let alone the rest of Edmonton.

[240glt]

Gotta say I am loving the new lights from the airport into the city. Makes a huge difference, especially on mornings like this one.

[0773|=\]

I'm looking forward to seeing those lights for the first time come next week!

[Kevin_foster]

The fellow that's building the MCNZH posted an awesome article today on Solar Water Heat for homes:

http://greenedmonton.ca/mcnzh-solar-hot-water

If you're bored..

[240glt]

One of these days I'll tidy up and post my design for a solar to glycol garage heating system.

[Coldrsx]

Originally Posted by Kevin_foster

The fellow that's building the MCNZH posted an awesome article today on Solar Water Heat for homes:

http://greenedmonton.ca/mcnzh-solar-hot-water

If you're bored..

great article and very impressive system

[Kevin_foster]

^ Yeah.

I wonder how hard it would be to implement for a 250 suite condo.

[Coldrsx]

Rossdale green is using passive and active solar with 43 suites...

www.rossdalegreen.ca

[240glt]

I would imagine you could do something if you had a good south facing wall... I envision a cascading system of PEX tubing with convex reflectors & clad in some sort of plexiglass airtight casing, with a collector and pumping system at the bottom, then run the glycol through a heat exchanger that is in parallel with the boiler system.

I'd bet it could work. I made miniature mock-up of something similar to test some theories last fall & it did create a solid Delta T

[Coldrsx]

even a generous solar wall would be a step in the right direction... i am working on a "warehouse" with this.

[240glt]

What are you using for that.. Is it just low R glass on a strategically located wall or is there some sort of special glass for that application ?

My biggest concern with passive solar is the controllability of the temperature in the interior space

[CMD UW]

Originally Posted by cdnklc

perhaps because his plazas and urban edges are extremely brutal, uninviting, cold and unused spaces with no street or pedestrian interaction or sense of human scale?

From a plaza design perspective I can agree with you. However, I have become more fond of the open plaza design as they seem to offer a relief from the 'congested' feel of the urban edge.

But my comments have more to do with the architectural form and selection of materials.

[Shodan]

Originally Posted by wco

New Rendering From the Urbia Construction Website

.....Eeeeesh.....

Let's all just back away really slowly, and don't make eye contact.....

[mick]

Rather than throwing out the baby with the bathwater, we could always take what Mies, and others of his time, did well and learn from what he did poorly. That is, we could improve on modernism by refusing to dismiss the past and begin anew, as modernists did.

One thing that seems, to me, somewhat consistent across strong architectural buildings, be they art deco, modernist, renissance, baroque etc, is not simple and clean lines but consistency of composition. In these admittedly initial drawings, the buildings don't seem to know what they want to be.

[240glt]

Here's the tenant fitup permit for Cecil Place

58728028-020
04-Dec-2008
10404 - JASPER AVENUE NW
Plan 0721254 Blk 4 Lot 127A
To interior alterations to an
existing Building - Cecil Place
(landlord inprovements on 2nd
and 3rd floors, mechanical,
electrical, demising walls, and
washrooms).
ARNDT TKALCIC ARCHITECTURE Value: $ 420,000 Site Area:
Type: Office Buildings (520)
(03) Interior Alterations

[snarf66]

Originally Posted by 240glt

Gotta say I am loving the new lights from the airport into the city. Makes a huge difference, especially on mornings like this one.

I guess I'll be seeing those lights when I arrive on the 21st. My flight arrives at 11:45pm, though. Tooooo late! But at least I can go to bed as soon as I get in. Hate jetlag.

[GoMod]

Originally Posted by mick

...One thing that seems, to me, somewhat consistent across strong architectural buildings, be they art deco, modernist, renissance, baroque etc, is not simple and clean lines but consistency of composition...

^Absolutely...my favourite reference book - Geometry of Design: Studies in Proportion and Composition by Kimberly Elam, a must-have in your library

[240glt]

Province to spend almost $25 million on affordable housing in Edmonton

By Laura DrakeDecember 10, 2008 12:01 PM

EDMONTON — Premier Ed Stelmach announced plans Wednesday morning to spend $24.9 million to help build 150 affordable housing units in Edmonton.

The money will go toward the YMCA's new Welcome Village affordable housing project, which will be located at 9515 104th Ave. The building will be allocated to low- and moderate-income families and individuals. There will also be 25 units for people with special needs.

"The creation of these affordable housing units will help to reduce homelessness

and increase the availability of affordable housing, while providing economic stability," Stelmach said in a release.

The project is part of the Boyle Renaissance Development, which also receives funding from the City of Edmonton and community partners

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/Homes/Pro...able+housing+Edmonton/1057893/story.html

[GoMod]

^That's great news...now they just need to hire a good designer.

Architects like David Baker + Partners do really good work in this area of affordable housing i.e. Curran House

I especially like the Lobby and Garden by Andrea Cochran Landscape Architect.

[240glt]

^ that would be alright for sure... even more of the village market lofts across from CP would be great.


Just as long as we don't end up with some gawdawful homeless highrise like the Seed in the Beltline down in Cgy...