Regina Construction III

[BrutallyDishonest]

Originally Posted by BrannyMuffin

Hmmm...I count 15. One retail, three office, 11 living.

The retail level is likely double height and was counted twice.

[BrutallyDishonest]

Originally Posted by North_Regina_Boy

I don't know, "affordable" housing in this country can be a lot to do with first time home-owners. Being "means-tested" would mean likely students or new residents, or people under a certain income. It isn't a building such as the lighthouse in Saskatoon, at least I don't believe it is.

Yeah, the meaning can vary, but their current rental application makes it seems like you'd need to be more than just a "first time" home buyer to get a place. I don't think any old young person/student could get a place there.

[North_Regina_Boy]

Originally Posted by BrutallyDishonest

Yeah, the meaning can vary, but their current [rental application](http://www.namerindhousing.ca/images/docs/namerind_housing_application.pdf) makes it seems like you'd need to be more than just a "first time" home buyer to get a place. I don't think any old young person/student could get a place there.

Well at least if this place has a grocery store it will likely spur more development of housing downtown. THAT is one of the most crucial parts.

[Treesplease]

Originally Posted by North_Regina_Boy

Well at least if this place has a grocery store it will likely spur more development of housing downtown. THAT is one of the most crucial parts.

It will be interesting to see if they get a major grocer to buy in. My limited understanding is that each of the major companies has a minimum household count requirement for the market area before they will commit. Not to say that "my brother-in-law bob's grocer" won't be interested, but food prices are unlikely to be competitive - not even with co-op.

[CoR East]

link to the recently unveiled designs for a new Ecole Connaught School.

http://www.rbe.sk.ca/sites/default/files...8_sd_open_house_presentation_-_final.pdf

[BrutallyDishonest]

Originally Posted by CoR East

link to the recently unveiled designs for a new Ecole Connaught School.

http://www.rbe.sk.ca/sites/default/files...8_sd_open_house_presentation_-_final.pdf

The design looks really lackluster compared to Douglas, Arcola and Seven Stones. There is something bland about it. The view from the North, fronting 13th lacks something. It needs texture or something. It's just a blank box. And this is coming from someone who loves modern architecture and supported Connaught's demolition. The position of the gym, while maybe advantageous for events, completely limits the design.

Additionally, putting the parking fronting 13th is just offensive. A proper street frontage should be encouraged to continue west into the future. Having 35 cars parked directly off 13th is absolutely horrific. The rendering of this view is completely disingenuous considering during the day will be a bunch of vehicles and ugly as hell.

The main problem is that the school board keeps on insisting on doing these open concept schools with "commons" which simply a terrible idea. Students learn worse, teachers hate it and it wastes space. It's completely analogous to the office trend where open and collaborate offices are the new thing. But they're terrible for almost everything except businesses being able to create more density and spend less money. As far as I can tell this design has very few actual classroom spaces. Maybe 14 depending how you count. There should be enough classrooms for 2 of each grade. But it's OK the School Board and the Fielding Nair are having fun, and that's all that matters.

We can have modern architecture without having modern, unproven educational models.

[Dan0myte]

Originally Posted by CoR East

link to the recently unveiled designs for a new Ecole Connaught School.

http://www.rbe.sk.ca/sites/default/files...8_sd_open_house_presentation_-_final.pdf

I like it!

I mentioned before that the playground siding 13th ave was a huge problem for the school. They've addressed that by moving all play areas to the south end of the property and creating a sound berm by using the school's structure. Should be a great, beautiful place for the kids to play.

Looking at the interior design of the building I was immediately reminded of Elevation Place in Canmore, AB. I was there this summer and it's a fantastic design - very open and inviting and modern. Elevation Place has a lot more cedar timbers and stone in the design but the general layout looked similar in these Connaught concept plans.

[CoR East]

As far as the 13th Avenue facade goes, I certainly think that the architects should be commended for their ability to combine the functionality and aesthetic of a strip mall with the placelessness of a suburban office park. The guys at Dunder-Mifflin would feel right at home. Not everyone could so completely ignore the abundance architectural precedents presented both by the building that was demolished and by the surrounding neighbourhood.

Is it really so costly / contrary to the modern architect's code to add a simple cornice line and a pediment so that the building does not look as if it were extruded playdough?

Base - middle - top people, Base... Middle... Top.

[StealthGirl]

No bus bay? Really? New school designs should accommodate that into the design plan. It may be a community school, but there will be school buses. Plan for it and keep those separate from where parents are dropping kids off.

[BrannyMuffin]

Originally Posted by StealthGirl

No bus bay? Really? New school designs should accommodate that into the design plan. It may be a community school, but there will be school buses. Plan for it and keep those separate from where parents are dropping kids off.

I don't want to open the link one phone right now but I swear I saw a bus drop off area. As for the parking on 13th I agree that it's unfortunate but it's better than having kids playing along that street. As far as the design, I don't have much of an opinion. It's not terrible. I'm all for history and smart design, yada, yada...but when I see communities losing their schools it's hard to feel bad about a school because the design is a bit boring.

[HomeInMyShoes]

Bus loading appears to be on Argyle which is the correct choice. Parking was going to suck on every single side they put it on. I think where it is on 13th is the least annoying choice for me. 13th Avenue's commercial runs out at that point and it moves to residential so preserving the residential streetscape on Argyle and Elphinstone makes sense. Orienting the play areas more towards Argyle might have been quieter, but I agree with daycare towards Argyle. It's a reasonable tradeoff. The layout seems good, but the exterior is ugh, especially the Elphinstone elevation. I would also have placed the "heritage walk" on Elphinstone instead of along the parking lot.

Final evaluation: it appears that Regina has reached Edmonton's brownish-red and tan phase of the late 90s and early 2000s.

[Treesplease]

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

Bus loading appears to be on Argyle which is the correct choice. Parking was going to suck on every single side they put it on. I think where it is on 13th is the least annoying choice for me. 13th Avenue's commercial runs out at that point and it moves to residential so preserving the residential streetscape on Argyle and Elphinstone makes sense. Orienting the play areas more towards Argyle might have been quieter, but I agree with daycare towards Argyle. It's a reasonable tradeoff. The layout seems good, but the exterior is ugh, especially the Elphinstone elevation. I would also have placed the "heritage walk" on Elphinstone instead of along the parking lot.

Final evaluation: it appears that Regina has reached Edmonton's brownish-red and tan phase of the late 90s and early 2000s.

Are they going to use any of the old brick from the last school at all? Or is that the intent of the "heritage walk"? Seems like a wasted opportunity to not try incorporate some of the old brick - but then brick seems to be the new asbestos these days.

[UPP]

Originally Posted by BrutallyDishonest

The design looks really lackluster compared to Douglas, Arcola and Seven Stones. There is something bland about it. The view from the North, fronting 13th lacks something. It needs texture or something. It's just a blank box. And this is coming from someone who loves modern architecture and supported Connaught's demolition. The position of the gym, while maybe advantageous for events, completely limits the design.

Additionally, putting the parking fronting 13th is just offensive. A proper street frontage should be encouraged to continue west into the future. Having 35 cars parked directly off 13th is absolutely horrific. The rendering of this view is completely disingenuous considering during the day will be a bunch of vehicles and ugly as hell.

The main problem is that the school board keeps on insisting on doing these open concept schools with "commons" which simply a terrible idea. Students learn worse, teachers hate it and it wastes space. It's completely analogous to the office trend where open and collaborate offices are the new thing. But they're terrible for almost everything except businesses being able to create more density and spend less money. As far as I can tell this design has very few actual classroom spaces. Maybe 14 depending how you count. There should be enough classrooms for 2 of each grade. But it's OK the School Board and the Fielding Nair are having fun, and that's all that matters.

We can have modern architecture without having modern, unproven educational models.

I think it was proven in the 70's that the open concept didn't work.

[thefourthtower]

More rumours , Overwaitea grocer may locate in the old Canadien south tire store , also they are putting stakes in the ground where the office tower was proposed on broad and Victoria , could this be true

[HomeInMyShoes]

^That would be insane to me. There's already Safeway, Sobeys, Co-op, and Extra Foods (rumoured to be turning into a Superstore) within five blocks of each other. Not sure why another grocery option is needed.

[Stormer]

Somebody mentioned a few pages back that there was construction going on in front of the former Zellers at Vic Square. Turns out it was just the installation of massive rumble humps.

[1ajs]

Originally Posted by Stormer

Somebody mentioned a few pages back that there was construction going on in front of the former Zellers at Vic Square. Turns out it was just the installation of massive rumble humps.

you mean speed bumps? topes?

[Stormer]

Originally Posted by 1ajs

you mean speed bumps? topes?

Topes. They are huge. I did not know the correct word for huge speed bumps.

[UrbanClimate]

View of future Mosaic stadium, from Pine Island!



Notice in the foreground (near shoreline) the black street lamps poking above the canopy of white trees. I love these classic new lamps -- very European looking, and befitting of a provincial capital. I noticed the other day that the black lamps have been extended to both sides of Hill Blvd (off Albert Street), making for an impressive gateway into Wascana Centre and the Legislative grounds-- especially impressive when the trees are hoar-frosted! Seems the entire south side of Wascana Park (bordering the Lake and Legislature) is now adorned with these classic lamps. Hope they eventually make it all the way around the Lake, to the north side along Wascana Drive.

[Treesplease]

Originally Posted by Stormer

Topes. They are huge. I did not know the correct word for huge speed bumps.

from urban dictionary...tope:
to be tight and dope at the same time (cool, desireable) - also spanish for speed bump.

Urban Climate - thanks for the pics, they are tope!!