[Halifax] The Sister Sites | 2X29 m | 2X9 floors | Completed - Page 28

hokus83 · #**541** Posted **Aug 31, 2015, 12:43 PM**

I thiught the red brick was some kind of practical joke that they were going to cover up when I first started seeing it but to have it around the port hole windows that I didn't mind till now is just the worst looking thing. If they don't paint over them or do something this is going to be my most hated looking building downtown

Jstaleness · #**542** Posted **Aug 31, 2015, 10:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonovision

Hey Keith, Check out that sexay building in the right side of this picture. I think Halifax is pretty luck to have something this unique. Can't put a price on that kind of originality right?

Jstaleness · #**543** Posted **Aug 31, 2015, 10:39 PM**

I don't necessarily dislike the portholes. Something different and maintains Halifax's nautical feel. I will wait for final materials to make my judgement on the red brick but for now I will agree with the others. Not looking promising.

Jonovision · #**544** Posted **Aug 31, 2015, 11:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by HaliStreaks

The building is okay starting from groundlevel going up- even forgiving the brick..and terrible round windows.. It loses me at the overhang around the roof. Is that some sort of addition, like the (silly) idea that stripes on a car make it go faster? .. Wing-ed looking overhang on the top of a building makes it...more.. aerodynamic? lol

It would look so much better without that, in my opinion.

Of all the 'features' of this mishmash of design I actually like the overhang at the top. It is something different and will help to hide all the ugly HVAC equipment on the roof from those that will be walking by.

Waye Mason · #**545** Posted **Sep 1, 2015, 10:47 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonovision

Of all the 'features' of this mishmash of design I actually like the overhang at the top. It is something different and will help to hide all the ugly HVAC equipment on the roof from those that will be walking by.

I feel the same way about the 'hat' on the Dillon. Seems to be a thing now. I feel like there are other recent examples... anyone?

kph06 · #**546** Posted **Sep 1, 2015, 11:31 AM**

The new Fares building on Washmill also uses the cornice along the top, appears to be the same product. I find most the Fares buildings of late are trying to pull too many design features and just look busy and inconsistent. The next Sister lot looks promising though - I think it is the same structure as the first one, just rotated 180 degrees.

Source

Keith P. · #**547** Posted **Sep 1, 2015, 1:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jstaleness

Hey Keith, Check out that sexay building in the right side of this picture. I think Halifax is pretty luck to have something this unique. Can't put a price on that kind of originality right?

Sadly, you can. A highly inflated, excessive, wasteful price.

Jonovision · #**548** Posted **Sep 13, 2015, 4:24 PM**

Canopies up along the Birmingham streetscape.

Hali87 · #**549** Posted **Sep 13, 2015, 11:51 PM**

I think the brick will actually pay off in the long run - as long as the next 2 buildings don't use brick, it will provide some variety while also providing a sense of coherence between the mostly wooden buildings to the south and the blocky glass midrises to the north.

eastcoastal · #**550** Posted **Sep 19, 2015, 12:10 PM**

I don't mind the brick. The round windows, however? I didn't like them in the earlier renderings, haven't grown on me in subsequent photos posted here, and after seeing them in person last week, I may dislike them even more. Ew.

someone123 · #**551** Posted **Sep 19, 2015, 5:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hali87

I think the brick will actually pay off in the long run - as long as the next 2 buildings don't use brick, it will provide some variety while also providing a sense of coherence between the mostly wooden buildings to the south and the blocky glass midrises to the north.

When somebody builds the first modern shiny glass tower in a city, it looks great. When somebody builds glass box #50 they've lost their appeal and people start to wish that there was more variety. Parts of Vancouver are like this. Not everybody likes the red brick but I think Halifax still has a good variety of building materials and the new projects underway are more or less keeping this up.

Drybrain · #**552** Posted **Sep 19, 2015, 9:31 PM**

I don't understand the red-brick hate. It's an inoffensive, decent cladding material that look sturdy, stands up well to aging, and works for a variety of architectural styles.

The problem with this building is that it's crummy architecture, not that it's got some red brick on it. It's becoming really apparent when approaching up Queen Street--the library and this building stand across the street from one another, are of a similar size and vintage, but the library is so clearly a better building in every way that I feel embarrassed for this one.

someone123 · #**553** Posted **Sep 19, 2015, 9:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drybrain

I don't understand the red-brick hate. It's an inoffensive, decent cladding material that look sturdy, stands up well to aging, and works for a variety of architectural styles.

Yeah, I think the red brick comments tend to conflate other aspects of the design with building materials.

There was a time when the only new construction was pretty much wood frame, precast concrete cladding, or red brick cladding. Buildings like Armoury Square are good examples of this construction style. Not necessarily bad, but not very exciting, and a lot of the buildings built before 2010 or so are mediocre at best.

The good red brick buildings are kind of interesting in that they fill in the city in the same way that I think pre-war apartments would have had it grown a little bit more. Halifax has relatively few of those early-20th century apartment buildings you find in most North American cities. The one on Morris Street is one exception I can think of. The Waterford is one that sort of looks like these older buildings and fits in pretty well with its surroundings.

Had Halifax grown a bit more in the 1910's and 20's I think there would have been a lot more brick apartment buildings surrounding areas like the Public Gardens. There actually were a couple of small ones on Summer Street that were torn down around 2003 or so for the Garden Crest apartments.

halifaxhistory.ca

counterfactual · #**554** Posted **Sep 20, 2015, 2:22 PM**

I also don't mind the red brick. Looks fine in an overall great development.

someone123 · #**555** Posted **Sep 22, 2015, 6:16 AM**

Some news on the Margaretta. It's going to the Design Review Committee in December and the developers are planning to start construction there as the Mary Ann is finished.

It'll be interesting to see what the neighbourhood is like when these two developments are both complete.

worldlyhaligonian · #**556** Posted **Sep 22, 2015, 2:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by someone123

Some news on the Margaretta. It's going to the Design Review Committee in December and the developers are planning to start construction there as the Mary Ann is finished.

It'll be interesting to see what the neighbourhood is like when these two developments are both complete.

Great news... the final parking lot will be gone!

Dmajackson · #**557** Posted **Sep 22, 2015, 7:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by someone123

Some news on the Margaretta. It's going to the Design Review Committee in December and the developers are planning to start construction there as the Mary Ann is finished.

It'll be interesting to see what the neighbourhood is like when these two developments are both complete.

The public open house for 1447 Dresden Row (The Margaretta) will be held on October 1st at The Central Library.

OldDartmouthMark · #**558** Posted **Sep 23, 2015, 2:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by counterfactual

I also don't mind the red brick. Looks fine in an overall great development.

I agree, it's not the material so much as how it's used. Some of our more attractive buildings (to me) downtown are built of brick, but the reason they look good is that care was taken to give them some style and the craftsmanship in how they were constructed is evident.

One of the ugliest newer buildings in the city (in my opinion) is this one on Robie St., with all that horrific cheap looking grey cladding. On this building the red brick is the most attractive part and surely the finished product would have looked 1000% better if it had been finished entirely in brick.

https://www.google.ca/maps/@44.656427,-6..._QU1IR10VyrvyRdEliFPQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

counterfactual · #**559** Posted **Sep 24, 2015, 4:36 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

I agree, it's not the material so much as how it's used. Some of our more attractive buildings (to me) downtown are built of brick, but the reason they look good is that care was taken to give them some style and the craftsmanship in how they were constructed is evident.

One of the ugliest newer buildings in the city (in my opinion) is this one on Robie St., with all that horrific cheap looking grey cladding. On this building the red brick is the most attractive part and surely the finished product would have looked 1000% better if it had been finished entirely in brick.

https://www.google.ca/maps/@44.656427,-6..._QU1IR10VyrvyRdEliFPQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Agreed! And I know what building too. Awful!

Jonovision · #**560** Posted **Oct 25, 2015, 3:56 PM**