Edmonton Construction 9 (2008-08)

[Keats82]

Originally Posted by newfangled

A question for Ken though:

has the % of spandrel vs glazing been increased?

In that new rendering the 5 storey box to the back (south) looks like it has the same curtain wall as was shown in the original renderings.

The rest of the building looks different though - less transparent and more like Bell/CWB/ING?

Ugh, I hope not - I personally think we have a glut of buildings in that style, as you've already pointed out...here's hoping that it comes across as super shiny and polished as the image on page 1!

As for the Calgary/Edmonton debate and the poopiness in some of the attitudes from several people, on both sides of the debate, can't we just let it go? I know plenty of people who have travelled the world and still very much enjoy and love Edmonton - I was talking to one such well travelled person this past Tuesday. I also know plenty of people who love Calgary and think it a far better city than Edmonton.

Truth of the matter is, Edmonton is an older city that one could argue fell into obscurity and mismanaged urban planning, whereas Calgary is a younger city with an edge on us in planning its city core (the Olympics also really helped put it on the map and attract attention to it at a critical time in its development). This doesn't mean that Calgary is better than Edmonton, tho it does outshine us in architecture, and that's a simple fact. While Edmonton IS playing catchup, and lacks some of the things it would need to densify such as wider roads to accomadate more traffic (ala Calgary and Vancouver), it still has potential and planners, developers and enthusiasts know this.

I think it would be prudent for people to remember that each city has its own history, with geographical, economical, and political factors that are attributed to its development. If you prefer one over the other, then that's your perogative - just don't — on other people if you disagree with anothers preference or opinion. The internet has a tendancy of turning constructive discussion and debate into snarly info-wars, and that's probably human nature combined with the absence of real life interaction with the person you're talking too.

[Kevin_foster]

^ very well said!

[teddybear]

The Art Gallery, is disappointing, imo. The justice building on the back of it, looks old. I thought the Art Gallery should have put a fresh modern style but the grey wall really makes it a disaster. It will be better if they replace it with shiny metal like Disney Concert in downtown LA. Can Edmonton has something much better please??



However, the glassy building on the very right has gone through glass replacement and it looks better!

[Kevin_foster]

^ I think the metal brings a nice modern tip of the hat to the old brutalist aga...

It also should age well... I like it!!

[Hardhatdan]

Originally Posted by teddybear

The Art Gallery, is disappointing, imo. The justice building on the back of it, looks old. I thought the Art Gallery should have put a fresh modern style but the grey wall really makes it a disaster. It will be better if they replace it with shiny metal like Disney Concert in downtown LA. Can Edmonton has something much better please??



However, the glassy building on the very right has gone through glass replacement and it looks better!

Disagree with your comments about the AGA.

[Jasper and one o nin]

Originally Posted by Kevin_foster

^ I think the metal brings a nice modern tip of the hat to the old brutalist aga...

well said

[bulliver]

Those pictures are yours teddybear? I think not. Some reason you can't credit them?

[itom 987]

Teddybear, give credit where credit is due.

[Keats82]

A part of me does agree that the AGA grey wall seems a bit...typical. But I do concur that it should age well, and it's a nice nod to canadian brutalism.

What I'd really like to see is Edmonton to build a new court building like Calgary did...that thing is fantastic, and Edmonton could do well to get rid of more of its concrete/granite/standstone structures. I find the area around the court buildings to be severely lacking.

As for the tower there, I honestly don't know how I feel about it. I like that it echoes the TD tower but if it's going to remain as it is, for me, it seems like a cheap trick. I'd rather (imo) they just duplicate the TD tower almost exactly so we had twin towers.

Is anyone aware about the final application? I remember seeing something in City Centre mall near the TD entrance, but it was some time ago.

[CMD UW]

Originally Posted by Spring2008

Vancouver's a way different story. The surrounding communities are all directly attached to the city and are very dense. Even places like Burnaby and Richmond are largely more urbanized than Edmonton.

The city of Edmonton is already so spread out as is. I don't see how growth in Redwater, Gibbons and 30+ other hicktowns that are included in Edmonton's CMA really add to the cities urban experience, but hey you guys are always right so.

Perhaps st. Albert and Sherwood park do to a certain extent, but mainly only add more traffic during rush hour.

You're slightly wrong here. Cities such as Surrey, PoCo, Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge, Langley et al are all fast growing (in fact many are the fastest growing in the Vancouver CMA) primarily through lower density suburban development. And Abbotsford and Chiliwack, which are part of the Vancouver CMA, are way out there.

You could throw in Toronto as another good example. Population growth in Toronto proper has been healthy, but when you add in the other suburban areas such as Mississauga, Brampton, Richmond Hill etc, the growth is unreal.

[Coldrsx]

my guess is that the post office site will now become the new law courts site

[Coldrsx]

'No to spending on downtown

October 11, 2009 - 9:34 AM
Flag this as Inappropriate



Stop wasteing money on bringing shoppers downtown when most of us live and work someplace else. Develop other areas of Edmonton. Council and planning are obsessed with downtown Edmonton, not the rest of us. Bringing a costly west LRT downtown instead of where more commuters would ride to the southside university schools and hospitals and West Mall simply demonstrates how ignorant city officials are for the needs and wants of the perople. '


more intelligence can be found here:

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/life/Jasper+grenades+face+wrecking+ball/2082311/story.html

[CMD UW]

^Ha, perhaps one of the most hilarious letters I've read to date.

[oiler-dude]

My parents are in town for the weekend, and despite a chilly wind and some snow, we walked around downtown yesterday afternoon, and since they had moved 14 years ago (my dad used to work downtown, First Edmonton Place I believe it's called (BDC logo on the tower, 108st and Jasper)), and one of the first things he remarked was how much nicer it is downtown since they had moved away.

Of course, he also mentioned how he cannot understand how the BP lot is still sitting vacant, and commented that Edmonton needs to keep more heritage buildings around, so 104st / wharehouse district lofts really spoke to him.

[feepa]

Originally Posted by Spring2008

Vancouver's a way different story. The surrounding communities are all directly attached to the city and are very dense. Even places like Burnaby and Richmond are largely more urbanized than Edmonton.

The city of Edmonton is already so spread out as is. I don't see how growth in Redwater, Gibbons and 30+ other hicktowns that are included in Edmonton's CMA really add to the cities urban experience, but hey you guys are always right so.

Perhaps st. Albert and Sherwood park do to a certain extent, but mainly only add more traffic during rush hour.

redwater/gibbons... whatever...

but what about beaumont, leduc, fort saskatachewan, spruce grove, stony plain... include these with the aforementioned sherwood park and st albert... and your over 250,000 people. These said communities are definitely part of the Edmonton Urban/suburban experience.

that said, I wish Edmonton could take over all its urban neighbours, and have the unicity advantage that Calgary has.

[Inspector77]

Originally Posted by CMD UW

^Ha, perhaps one of the most hilarious letters I've read to date.

This kind of incoherent statement/belief is now fewer and far between.

[Mercucio]

Originally Posted by feepa

redwater/gibbons... whatever...

but what about beaumont, leduc, fort saskatachewan, spruce grove, stony plain... include these with the aforementioned sherwood park and st albert... and your over 250,000 people. These said communities are definitely part of the Edmonton Urban/suburban experience.

that said, I wish Edmonton could take over all its urban neighbours, and have the unicity advantage that Calgary has.

Right from the guys who do the counting. Here are the Statscan estimates for the Calgary and Edmonton CMAs as of July 1, 2008. 2006 and 2007 are included. The July 1, 2009 estimates come out in the spring of 2010:

2006 2007 2008

Calgary 1,123.9 1,155.7 1,182.4
Edmonton 1,073.8 1,100.9 1,124.2

Calgary pop growth 06-08 5.2%
Edmonton pop growth 06-08 4.7%

Pretty close.

[Kevin_foster]

Originally Posted by Inspector77

This kind of incoherent statement/belief is now fewer and far between.

Slowly, we are getting there aren't we. Slowly. Like trying to push a pumpkin through a garden hose.

[Cow-garian]

Originally Posted by feepa

that said, I wish Edmonton could take over all its urban neighbours, and have the unicity advantage that Calgary has.

This might be a dumb question, but out of curiosity, what is the advantage of a 'unicity' or for that matter what is the 'disadvantage' of a multi-city such as Edmonton, Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal lol etc...

EDIT: oh and Edmonton's Art Gallery looks AWESOME! It's nice to have those unique landmark buildings, you always expect them to stir the pot. If they didn't stir the pot then they wouldn't be true landmark buildings IMO, good job E-town!

[Coldrsx]

came across this photo of what Illuminada 1 and 2 (more so 2 by far) would have looked like if done 25% better.



photo from sponge g