Canadian City Proposals

[SignalHillHiker]

Originally Posted by PoscStudent

Still have yet to see anything that suggest this has anything to do with Groupe Germain.

Us too, officially. It's just that we've heard from a couple of sources (industry/council) that the company that does the ALT hotels is the one interested in this property.

But... the renders say Sonco, so... who knows?

[TallBob]

Germain designs the ugliest stuff I've seen. Just never got with anything of theirs. That thing they built in Calgary is just marginally better.

[Chadillaccc]

I actually like the one they have here in Calgary. It's nothing gorgeous but it's a very cool mixed-use development. One leg is the Le Germain, the other is an office tower, and the bridge over top is condos. The gym in the condos overlooks the northeastern bit of the financial core (The Bow, Suncor Energy Centre, the river), it's badass.



Source: http://www.e-architect.co.uk/images/jpgs/canada/hotel_le_germain_calgary_c160310_2.jpg

[davidivivid]

Their flagship boutique hotel in Quebec City is gorgeous actually (granted it is a re-use of two existing buildings but still)


Hôtel Le Germain-Dominion par davidivivid, sur Flickr

[SignalHillHiker]

It's not getting a lot of love in the St. John's section either.

I wish I could explain why I love it so much (No "Well, because you have bad taste, obviously..." jokes - - I'm usually pretty good!).

I think it's just because I found the parkade so deeply aggravating. I just... hated it, to my very core. I hate that Atlantic Place was EVER built. Especially considering the BEAUTIFUL block and a half of heritage structures (including gorgeous buildings with streetcorner entrances) that was torn down to construct it.

It was all part of this... let's modernize and be like Canada... movement in the 1960s/70s. Luckily, there was such a public backlash that we stopped the process before we ended up doing too much damage.

But I just hate that building so much. I hate what it destroyed. I hate what it looks like. I hate what it represents. Getting rid of the visual impact of that ****ing parkade is like...

The best 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵 of my life. I can't help but fall in love with what did it, no matter how ugly it is.

[O-tacular]

What really sets the Calgary Le Germaine apart for me is the prodema wood paneling on the hotel side.

[Nouvellecosse]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

It's not getting a lot of love in the St. John's section either.

I wish I could explain why I love it so much (No "Well, because you have bad taste, obviously..." jokes - - I'm usually pretty good!).

I think it's just because I found the parkade so deeply aggravating. I just... hated it, to my very core. I hate that Atlantic Place was EVER built. Especially considering the BEAUTIFUL block and a half of heritage structures (including gorgeous buildings with streetcorner entrances) that was torn down to construct it.

It was all part of this... let's modernize and be like Canada... movement in the 1960s/70s. Luckily, there was such a public backlash that we stopped the process before we ended up doing too much damage.

But I just hate that building so much. I hate what it destroyed. I hate what it looks like. I hate what it represents. Getting rid of the visual impact of that ****ing parkade is like...

The best 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵 of my life. I can't help but fall in love with what did it, no matter how ugly it is.

Now if only they'd do something like that for the Purdy's Wharf parkade...

[FrAnKs]

New proposal in Quebec city



Actually, I like it !... It's just a matter of what cladding they're gonna use on it.
Otherwise, nice infill.

http://www.lesvillasinfinima.ca/

[isaidso]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

A couple of new renders for the Group Germain hotel atop the existing Atlantic Place Parking Garage in downtown St. John's:

Keep in mind they have to build on top of the existing parkade. If they tear it down, all existing heritage regulations come into effect (can only be four-floors high, must use traditional building materials, etc.). There is NO option but to build on top of the existing parkade.

There are serious flaws in the regulation then. The regulations are resulting in an even worse outcome. That said, couldn't they keep the exterior walls of the parking garage and gut the rest?

[PoscStudent]

There were regulations brought in last year so that the parking garage would stay as is, in terms of parking spaces.

[isaidso]

Originally Posted by PoscStudent

There were regulations brought in last year so that the parking garage would stay as is, in terms of parking spaces.

Even though its an eye sore and most cities are trying to bury or hide above ground parking in their city cores?

[PoscStudent]

Originally Posted by isaidso

Even though its an eye sore and most cities are trying to bury or hide above ground parking in their city cores?

720 parking spots in a city that doesn't like public transit. That's a lot of parking to take out of the downtown, even if it looks ugly. Underground parking is supposedly very hard to do in St. John's.

[Chadillaccc]

Well then I think it's about time the city starts voting some smart people into council and get some public transit vision up in there. Cause that is crazy.


Awesome QC proposal!

[Chadillaccc]

Revised rezoning application and community openhouse on June 24 for Burrard Gateway in Vancouver.

Originally Posted by Built Form

Here's the updated model.

pix by Built Form

[Architype]

^ That one is shaping up nicely. I like especially like the office building, although sometimes the models look better than the final product. It will have a prominent location when viewed from the Burrard Bridge.

[Chadillaccc]

I think it will be a quality development. High profile projects in Vancouver always tend to turn out well. I have the highest hopes for the office though, as long as they don't 🞵🞵🞵🞵 it up with trump-style spandrel, there's really no way they could ruin it.

[SignalHillHiker]

JCE found us a clearer initial render.

Originally Posted by JCE

Typically here (and I assume in most places?) the final design looks quite different from the initial render. It still has the same physical description as approved by council - same height, same number of floors, etc. But it often looks completely different.

Sometimes this has meant cheaper, but most of the time it's meant a final product that's better than what was initially proposed.

We'll see if that happens with this one.

The wow factor they're going for right now is nightime illumination. They're talking a lot about making that dynamic and spectacular. Hopefully they'll give the design a little boost as well.

Of course... my concerns with it (the sheer bulk, etc.) can't change because it's based on the existing parkade.

[isaidso]

Originally Posted by PoscStudent

720 parking spots in a city that doesn't like public transit. That's a lot of parking to take out of the downtown, even if it looks ugly. Underground parking is supposedly very hard to do in St. John's.

Because it requires blasting?

[SignalHillHiker]

Originally Posted by isaidso

Because it requires blasting?

That's the most oft-cited reasoning elsewhere in the city, yes. However, many areas of downtown (especially along Harbour Drive) are built on top of rubble pushed into the harbour from the Great Fire of 1892. They say the ground isn't suitable for building down in these areas.

But, who knows...

They also say they can't replace the wooden hydro poles for the same reason - yet they have no trouble doing it in new neighbourhoods.

[PoscStudent]

Not sure about Atlantic Place but where 351 is located was once the harbour.