The Great Canadian Skyline Thread! II - Page 309

Nouvellecosse · #**6161** Posted **Aug 22, 2013, 6:39 AM**

Personally I enjoy seeing a dramatic, distinguishing feature like Toronto's "volcano" pinnacle. As nice as they are, somehow "mature" and "well balanced" just don't seem to be very exciting characteristics.

Allan83 · #**6162** Posted **Aug 22, 2013, 6:55 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ssiguy

I really like the Calgary skyline. It has a great variety of designs, colours, architectural highlights, the buildings are well spaced and the there is a nice balance to the skyline........you don't get the Toronto volcano effect or the Vancouver "everything is a 30 story glass tower" effect.

Despite it being a relatively new city Calgary's skyline has a matured look about it like Montreal's.

I agree with you. Vancouver of course has the mountains, and you have to look at its architecture in context with them. If it weren’t for the CN tower Toronto’s skyline would pretty much be just a bunch of boxes, however. Toronto comes by this honestly too, however. Conservative bank building architecture established the trend, and for the most part it seems everyone else has stuck with it. Not my cup of tea, but I guess it has its appeal as well.

The Chemist · #**6163** Posted **Aug 22, 2013, 8:14 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Allan83

I agree with you. Vancouver of course has the mountains, and you have to look at its architecture in context with them. If it weren’t for the CN tower Toronto’s skyline would pretty much be just a bunch of boxes, however. Toronto comes by this honestly too, however. Conservative bank building architecture established the trend, and for the most part it seems everyone else has stuck with it. Not my cup of tea, but I guess it has its appeal as well.

Well, to be fair most of Calgary's skyline is 'just boxes' as well, with only a few exceptions.

Chadillaccc · #**6164** Posted **Aug 22, 2013, 11:28 AM**

And it just so happens that those few exceptions are all of our most notable towers. Nexen, EAP, Bankers Hall, Suncor, Canterra, The Bow.

Edit: Box means square or rectangular floorplate with little to no architectural interest.

travis3000 · #**6165** Posted **Aug 22, 2013, 1:08 PM**

I personally have always been fond of skylines near big bodies of water. There is something majestic about the skyline shots and how the reflection of the lights/colours cast onto the water. That's where TO scores big points with me, with the recent construction over the past 10 years adding Cityplace and Southcore, plus lighting up the CN Tower and Rogers Center, Toronto has become my favorite skyline shot in the country. It has that "WOW" factor", and can be extremely photogenic in many angles.

Vancouver's skyline isn't anything special when it comes to height, but the geographic surrounding scores many points with the water, mountains, etc. Because of this, it makes for an extremely photogenic picture. I've always loved Montreals skyline, there's something about it that looks impressive. Mont Royal helps, as does the large St. Lawrence river with the bridges. I also love how Montreal has a mix of skyscrapers, old buildings, and churches which make up their skyline, it's extremely diverse and is pleasant to the eye. Calgary never impressed me until recently with the addition of The Bow, only now is it starting to look more impressive. With the addition of Telus Sky and both Brookfield buildings, plus a handful of other 400-650ft towers, the city is poised to become one of North America's newest and striking looking skylines, and it's fitting as the city is Canada's energy capital. In my opinion as the future goes on, it will continue to be Toronto and Calgary repping Canada for big buildings.

Chadillaccc · #**6166** Posted **Aug 22, 2013, 1:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by isaidso

In times of boom it's hard to imagine next to no activity, but that's how the real estate cycle typically goes. We could very well see a third to half the proposals on the table never built and a number of years till the industry starts ramping up again.

We hope that it doesn't come to pass, but the signs are everywhere. Usually it happens just when the really big projects get proposed only to find that the industry has now pushed the market beyond what it can support. One Yonge? Mirvish-Ghery? Holt Renfrew? Oxford Place? It's all looking very familiar.

I've lived through a few cycles and no one ever seems to think it's coming. But it does. I just hope we get 1-2 of those glamour projects built before it happens.

Exactly. I'm sure most of us realize that between 1932 and 1966, only one building over 100 meters was built in Toronto. More recently, nothing over 150 meters was built in the 11 years between 1993 and 2003. In fact, the only buildings over 150 to be built during that time nation-wide were 1 in Vancouver and 2 in Calgary. I know that this boom is incredible, and Toronto has been made a completely different city because of it. However, it is foolish to believe it can or will continue in perpetuity. It's just like the oil sands, finite resources for finite demand.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nouvellecosse

Personally I enjoy seeing a dramatic, distinguishing feature like Toronto's "volcano" pinnacle. As nice as they are, somehow "mature" and "well balanced" just don't seem to be very exciting characteristics.

Totally agreed, it's not that any of the major towers are terrible (save for Trump) but having only one magnificent tower (Scotia Plaza) in a skyline that large just never cut it. However, this is changing with the appearance of new "break-the-mold" towers like L Tower. Which, while it is merely glass, it is beautiful, elegant, and expands the primary core a block or two east which is always good.

niwell · #**6167** Posted **Aug 22, 2013, 1:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

Edit: Box means square or rectangular floorplate with little to no architectural interest.

By this standard there are almost no boxes in TO's financial district

travis3000 · #**6168** Posted **Aug 22, 2013, 1:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by niwell

By this standard there are almost no boxes in TO's financial district

Agreed.

Chadillaccc · #**6169** Posted **Aug 22, 2013, 1:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by niwell

By this standard there are almost no boxes in TO's financial district

I suppose this is a "to each their own" situation.

kw5150 · #**6170** Posted **Aug 22, 2013, 3:38 PM**

Here we go again, clutching on to reasons why one skyline is better than another........

Rico Rommheim · #**6171** Posted **Aug 22, 2013, 10:49 PM**

A skyline in transition: Griffintown construction seen from the Peel basin

photo by memphis22

Chadillaccc · #**6172** Posted **Aug 23, 2013, 4:50 PM**

I'm really loving Calgary's diagram lately! thanks Koops and everyone else who has contributed.

The two buildings that aren't in the actual diagram, I just edited in renderings for them (City Centre II, 3 Eau Claire).

http://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?searchID=60662617

Will be amazing if, by 2020, all of our 20 tallest buildings are over 160 meters.

niwell · #**6173** Posted **Aug 23, 2013, 4:53 PM**

Is Kings on 4th a serious proposal? Based on that drawing there looks to be as much clashing stuff going on as Aura (the TO one) has!

It will be an amazing top 3 though.

Chadillaccc · #**6174** Posted **Aug 23, 2013, 4:59 PM**

Yeah, the only redeeming quality of Kings on Fourth is the western facing side of the tower which will be gorgeous. The South face (the side most people will see) is quite the hodge-podge. Even worse than Aura, but could turn out nicer depending on materials (in my opinion), because it will be office, hotel, and residential... so probably a "big-money" project. Yes, it is a serious proposal but has been stagnant for a while now.

The top 5 will be amazing regardless, but if Kings turns out good, it will be a really strong top 6 for (what will be by 2020) a city of only 1.5 million +.

Coldrsx · #**6175** Posted **Aug 23, 2013, 7:53 PM**

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7340/9576246195_05bd34209a_c.jpg)

(http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5497/9579038366_409630faf5_c.jpg)

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7350/9576247259_03b3a7cc55_c.jpg)

Martin Mtl · #**6176** Posted **Aug 23, 2013, 8:22 PM**

IMGP1533 by Orion Hampden-Campued on Flickr

Metro-One · #**6177** Posted **Aug 23, 2013, 9:27 PM**

Some good shots of Edmonton there, it has a clean look.

Surrealplaces · #**6178** Posted **Aug 24, 2013, 5:26 AM**

Unfortunately I can only share the 1024x768 version. Click on image for a larger res version, which really shows Toronto's downtown density.

Orange Moon Rising by Jack Landau, on Flickr

Nouvellecosse · #**6179** Posted **Aug 24, 2013, 6:04 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Surrealplaces

Unfortunately I can only share the 1024x768 version. Click on image for a larger res version, which really shows Toronto's downtown density.

Orange Moon Rising by Jack Landau, on Flickr

Nice!

craner · #**6180** Posted **Aug 24, 2013, 5:11 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by travis3000

I personally have always been fond of skylines near big bodies of water. There is something majestic about the skyline shots and how the reflection of the lights/colours cast onto the water. That's where TO scores big points with me.

Totally agree, I love Chicago and Seattle for this as well.