The Ugly Canada Thread

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by Echoes

Yeah, if it was a less substantial proposal in a less prominent location, I would likely not question its exclusive focus on communism. But if we're giving up this kind of real estate in our nation's capital, it's disappointing (but not surprising) to see such a narrowly focused memorial pitched to pander to a voter base.

I'm surprised they haven't proposed building a 10 story star of David or something. Although more likely I could see Harper trying to build a monument to himself.

[Arcologist]

I'm glad to see others from across the country also feel this proposal is way out of place.

If this monument is built, it will sit nearly as close to Parliament as the National War Memorial!!

There is a petition on change.org, if anyone is interested in signing it.

Also, there have been a lot of letters to MPs, MPPs, City of Ottawa councillors, etc. If you're up for it, I'd encourage everyone to write to their politicians.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by The_Architect

"Victims of Communism Memorial" is the most propaganda-y name I've ever heard. It sounds like something McCarthy-era USA would put up.

Imagine if Russia made a "National Victims of Capitalism Memorial"?

Yeah, the name really does drip with propaganda... it's basically going to be a Canadian version of the random piece of shit political monuments they have lying around the streets of Pyongyang.

I hate this thing... it is going to be a blight on the capital. I feel badly for the people of the NCR who have to put up with it.

[SkahHigh]

The new McGill University Health Center is pretty fugly:


http://www.campusglen.ca/fr/Archives/2013/09/images/Headers.png

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by SkahHigh

The new McGill University Health Center is pretty fugly:


http://www.campusglen.ca/fr/Archives/2013/09/images/Headers.png

Yeah. I like colour but that's not very nice. I don't mind the solid tower colours but the random pixelation on the podium looks like Christmas or fun house colours or something.

[SkahHigh]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

Yeah. I like colour but that's not very nice. I don't mind the solid tower colours but the random pixelation on the podium looks like Christmas or fun house colours or something.

The design screams tacky. Plus the yellow just doesn't fit in with the orange and blue...

[O-tacular]

At least they didn't go all McDonald's like the Maxbell arena in Calgary though.

[SignalHillHiker]

Originally Posted by SkahHigh

The new McGill University Health Center is pretty fugly:


http://www.campusglen.ca/fr/Archives/2013/09/images/Headers.png

It's not great but there are a few things I really like:

It will almost certainly give the illusion of a cluster of 3-4 towers when viewed from a distance. If it were one solid mass at that height, it'd be brutal.

The layout of the streets around it greatly reduce the feeling of it being set back, meaning it'll probably feel pretty urban to drive/walk up against - but with the benefit of green space around.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by The_Architect

^ Dear Lord.. I haven't seen a more tacked-on facade since One Bedford's use of the John Lyle studio:

What the Hell!?

Developer: "here's our proposal. To build it, we will need to demolish the John Lyle studio".

Toronto City council: "No way! You must at least preserve the façade at all costs!!".

Developer: "sure, what about this?"

Toronto City Council: "ya, that works. Fill your boots!"



Interesting article about it. Here's an excerpt:

Despite being listed in the City of Toronto Inventory of Heritage Properties, the developers obtained all necessary permissions to tear down the studio in 2006. Eleventh-hour protests by local historians and the community brought only one small concession, the preservation of a fragment of the building facade, to be placed on the exterior of the condominium’s inner courtyard.

Lyle Studio fragment pasted on One Bedford
John Lyle Studio facade pasted on the One Bedford courtyard interior

The One Bedford condominium is nearing completion. The fragment of the Lyle Studio facade on the Bruce Kuwabara/Shirley Blumberg and Sol Wasserman/Vlad Losner-designed tower has just recently been unveiled. It demonstrates all of the weaknesses of facadism. Derided by preservationists as vandalism that reduces the original building to a folly, the facade fragment of the once-elegant Lyle Studio appears like a small brown turd under a squatting gray man, diminishing both buildings, the old and the new.

The sad demise of the John Lyle Studio is but another episode in Toronto’s ignominious history of heritage preservation.

https://westannexnews.wordpress.com/2010/12/04/the-john-lyle-studio-230-bloor-street-west/

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

I'm surprised they haven't proposed building a 10 story star of David or something. Although more likely I could see Harper trying to build a monument to himself.

Funny you should mention it!



http://holocaustmonument.ca/

Across from the War Museum, the location is a little less prominent but a little more appropriate, so there hasn't been any opposition to it.

[MolsonExport]

cbc.ca

Calgary has had rules in place against ‘unidriveways’ since 2008

[O-tacular]

That holocaust monument is actually quite nice.

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

cbc.ca

Calgary has had rules in place against ‘unidriveways’ since 2008

I've been meaning to post that one for a while now. No surprise it's from the city's NE. Large East Indian families buy adjacent houses to each other and share vehicles. I think Italians and old people from Brossard have more taste than many from this demographic. This is not meant to be racist it's simply a fact. I lived in the NE for many years and my wife grew up there. The other common sight you will see in this area is satellite dishes festooning every square inch of chimney and roof space for the multiple families inside. I could nominate much of this part of the city for this thread.

[MolsonExport]

I hate developments where the houses are utterly dominated by their garages.

uglyhousephotos


point2agentblog

You get whole streets filled with these fuglies. combined with unidriveways, and you have the most wretched of all suburban fabrics.

Wikipedia calls them snout houses. They do look like dogs.

[MolsonExport]

Half of the GTA looks just like this from the air (source: Wikipedia):

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

Half of the GTA looks just like this from the air (source: Wikipedia):

Why do none of them have fences or trees in their yards?

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

I hate developments where the houses are utterly dominated by their garages.

uglyhousephotos


point2agentblog

You get whole streets filled with these fuglies. combined with unidriveways, and you have the most wretched of all suburban fabrics.

Wikipedia calls them snout houses. They do look like dogs.

The worst are many modern bungalows I've seen that don't have a single window on the front of the house. They've resorted to putting fake windows above the garage in many cases.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

That holocaust monument is actually quite nice.

Oh yeah, it's certainly doesn't belong on the "Ugly Canada" thread. Much more interesting piece than the Communism monument.

Still think it's on the large side. From what I can see, it will be the second largest after Berlin's.

That said, I'm not opposed to it.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

What the Hell!?

Developer: "here's our proposal. To build it, we will need to demolish the John Lyle studio".

Toronto City council: "No way! You must at least preserve the façade at all costs!!".

Developer: "sure, what about this?"

Toronto City Council: "ya, that works. Fill your boots!"



Interesting article about it. Here's an excerpt:


https://westannexnews.wordpress.com/2010/12/04/the-john-lyle-studio-230-bloor-street-west/

That's not so much ugly as it is just really weird. Like the developer went out of his way to thumb his nose at the City.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

To me this is more comparable to Sauron's clocktower in Laval. Vantage Pointe.

Like the Clock Tower, I don't hate this one. Clean, modern, interesting shape, splash of colour.