Telus Garden | 135m, 88m | 46fl res, 22fl office | 928,000sqft | Completed

[s211]

Originally Posted by Hot Rod

will this be the new world headquarters?

If so, I wonder if they will still use the Burnaby/Vancouver buildings, maybe as administrative/data?

I hear they're bailing on the Boot. All on the sublease market.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by dreambrother808

Perhaps the perspective of the render makes the residential tower look more awkward and ill-proportioned than it actually is.

I think you're right.
In the render the top looks like it widens out and looks ungainly.
That won't be the case as built.

On think that people may be responding to is all of the "busy-ness" introduced into the design by the LEED shading elements. Wrap-around balconies on the west and south sides and recesses and fins on the east side.

[vanman]

Originally Posted by Hed Kandi

I'm at a loss of words.


In Dallas, a new residential building named the Museum Tower is currently under construction. This 42fl design that would have been something which I would have liked to see as a design for this development.

http://www.museumtowerdallas.com/Architecture/RenderingGallery.html

What, really? Museum tower looks like an eliptical Shangrila, with the same glass and fins even. In a Dallas context it will certainly end up being iconic, but in Vancouver it would get lost in the skyline. More of what we already have too much of. I would take the Telus tower over it any day.

[PROSTSHOCKER]

Originally Posted by Pinion

Now that is a riot-worthy offence. Hideous.

Actually, I feel that it may prove to fit with the context of the area it's in. I immediately noticed how it almost provides a similarly coloured counterbalance across the intersection from the Canada Post Office building.

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by Hed Kandi

I'm at a loss of words.


In Dallas, a new residential building named the Museum Tower is currently under construction. This 42fl design that would have been something which I would have liked to see as a design for this development.

http://www.museumtowerdallas.com/Architecture/RenderingGallery.html

I like the Dallas Museum tower. (hehe, in fact, at first glance it reminded me of something from Vancouver regarding the colour, the overall design is sleek.)
I think the current Telus Gardens condo building is just simply ugly, and if people are pining for something "different" and distinguished ... WTF ... there are so many really ELEGANT styles to choose from, worldwide.
*
I also get the feeling that I am SUPPOSED to like the TELUS condo tower, and that if I don't, I have no taste and/or am just an old-fashioned squarehead.
*
Whatever the case, I think it is a travesty to what COULD HAVE (but will never be) the site for something really beautiful and striking.
Yes, I know "There is no dispute in taste," as the dictum goes, but, sorry all you cool ones out there, I don't like it anyway, I think it's "original for the sake of being original," and that the final result is an awkward, boxy, top-heavy thing bordering on grotesque, lacking charm, and a blotch to the skyline.

[hankthetank]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

I like the Dallas Museum tower. (hehe, in fact, at first glance it reminded me of something from Vancouver regarding the colour, the overall design is sleek.)
I think the current Telus Gardens condo building is just simply ugly, and if people are pining for something "different" and distinguished ... WTF ... there are so many really ELEGANT styles to choose from, worldwide.
*
I also get the feeling that I am SUPPOSED to like the TELUS condo tower, and that if I don't, I have no taste and/or am just an old-fashioned squarehead.
*
Whatever the case, I think it is a travesty to what COULD HAVE (but will never be) the site for something really beautiful and striking.
Yes, I know "There is no dispute in taste," as the dictum goes, but, sorry all you cool ones out there, I don't like it anyway, I think it's "original for the sake of being original," and that the final result is an awkward, boxy, top-heavy thing bordering on grotesque, lacking charm, and a blotch to the skyline.

You're talking as if you are the lone rebel who is being persecuted for not liking the design (Talk about trying to be original just for the sake of being original). Have you been reading the posts here? Pretty much everyone hates it. You're in the majority. Personally I like it, but that's just me.


Anyone that is praising the Museum Tower in Dallas should take a walk in Vancouver some time, the thing is pretty much a replica of dozens of our buildings:

[trofirhen]

I realize that the Dallas Museum tower is iconic for Dallas and stereotypical for Vancouver. On that I agree with you 100%.

I just don't like the boxy, awkward, maladroit, singularly ugly thing that (in my opinion) is the TELUS condo building. If Vancouver wanted to really break out of its stereotypical mould, surely there are more elegant designs to be had.

Thanks for reminding me that most of the forum hates the design. It just seemed as if it were a product that one was SUPPOSED to like, as in "everybody's buying one, so get yours now while they last!!!" type of thing. The sheep mentality.

[s211]

Originally Posted by hankthetank

You're talking as if you are the lone rebel who is being persecuted for not liking the design (Talk about trying to be original just for the sake of being original). Have you been reading the posts here? Pretty much everyone hates it. You're in the majority. Personally I like it, but that's just me.


Anyone that is praising the Museum Tower in Dallas should take a walk in Vancouver some time, the thing is pretty much a replica of dozens of our buildings:

Holy moley. I'll take the suite sizes in the Dallas project any day of the week over the shoe box suites we have in Vancouver. Check out the webpage for their floorplans. It is to drool.

[officedweller]

The Museum Tower would have probably blended better with the Telus complex (esp. the stilts at the base) - but I agree that it's quite typical of other condos in Vancouver.

I tend to think that the Telus condo architects are just trying too hard to be different. You can differentiate the building with some basic elements that aren't over the top and still keep the design sleek and simple.

[BCPhil]

For years the Scotia tower has stood out in the skyline from the sea of matching glass buildings, especially when you approach downtown from the East. It will be nice for it to finally have some unique looking company.

[Sprawl]

I'm sure those who are currently complaining about Telus Garden being too boxy and unusual would by the first to call that Dallas tower "another boring sea-foam glass box" if it was proposed for Vancouver.

It's going ahead, learn to love it.

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by Sprawl

I'm sure those who are currently complaining about Telus Garden being too boxy and unusual would by the first to call that Dallas tower "another boring sea-foam glass box" if it was proposed for Vancouver.

It's going ahead, learn to love it.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yessuh! You are right! (well, what you say is absolutely true)!!

[LeftCoaster]

Originally Posted by Hed Kandi

I'm at a loss of words.


In Dallas, a new residential building named the Museum Tower is currently under construction. This 42fl design that would have been something which I would have liked to see as a design for this development.

http://www.museumtowerdallas.com/Architecture/RenderingGallery.html

You are hilarious, all you do is bitch about watered down vancouver design then you post one of the most generic looking vancouver condos as an example of what you would like to see at telus.

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by officedweller

The Museum Tower would have probably blended better with the Telus complex (esp. the stilts at the base) - but I agree that it's quite typical of other condos in Vancouver.

I tend to think that the Telus condo architects are just trying too hard to be different. You can differentiate the building with some basic elements that aren't over the top and still keep the design sleek and simple.

You got it, O.D. Right on. There is a sort of "all or nothing" attitude to design in Vancouver. There are a few buildings that break the mould, and stand out as different, noticeable, yet elegant and stylish, but they're in the minority. // (As to which ones they are, forum members can decide that one for themselves.)

[dreambrother808]

In Kandi's defense, the Museum Tower is not the average Vancouver development. It's more along the lines of One Wall Centre without the glazing issues, which would make it rather distinctive in Vancouver terms.

[Pinion]

There's a happy medium between more of the same and that ugly building. It can be different and still appealing to the eyes.

[Hed Kandi]

..

[CoryHolmes]

Originally Posted by s211

Holy moley. I'll take the suite sizes in the Dallas project any day of the week over the shoe box suites we have in Vancouver. Check out the webpage for their floorplans. It is to drool.

Indeed. Much drooling involved. However, I shudder to think of the prices in Dallas, let alone what they would cost here in Vancouver

[logan5]

The Telus tower looks at least as good as the Dallas tower.

Speaking of the Dallas tower, walkscore.com gives it a score of 91, "a walkers paradise". How could this area possibly get such a high score when there's nothing but parking lots and blank walls. It's a walkers nightmare. I'd rather live in a tiny Telus unit than live in a huge Dallas unit in the middle of nowhere.

[officedweller]

UDP minutes are up:

http://vancouver.ca/commsvcs/planning/udp/2011/Minutes/Jun1.html

Interesting bits:

- They are relying on the condo tower being within the view cone shadow of Scotia Tower to get their height (view cone is to 404 ft, proposed condo height is to 442 ft (Scotia Tower is 452 ft)). That's tall!

- condo tower floorplate size of 9,500 sq ft - compared to Capitol at 8,200 sq ft and Scotia Tower at 10,000 sq ft. That's one wide condo tower for Vancouver (110 ft wide along the Richards frontage) - not sure what that'll mean in terms of suite layouts?

Ms. Molaro stated that Planning was not supportive of the proposed cantilevered extensions over Robson and Richards Streets (as part of the residential building) but were prepared to consider the protruding elements associated with the commercial/office building.

...

... They are proposing LEED™ Gold for the tower which will be part of a site wide geo-exchange utility. This will capture the heat that is generated from the Telus Hub which has all the telephone lines in the province. The amount of cooling to keep the Telus tele-communication systems from overheating is immense, so they will be taking that rejected heat and storing it in the ground to be used for hot water heating in the residential tower. He added that there is a potential for this to be a net producer of heat where surplus heat can then be sold to other sites.

Ian Gillespie, Westbank, noted that one of the commitments made with Telus was to re-skin the existing Telus building as well as the addition of canopies down Richards and Seymour Streets. It also includes moving the White Spot to mid block on Seymour in addition to another retailer.

...

The Panel thought the weakest point in the design was the lower four storeys on the Robson and Richard Streets corner. They thought it seemed fragmented and lacked the simple and bold clarity as the rest of the project. One Panel member suggested the entrance could be moved to Robson Street.