The Great Canadian Skyline Thread!

[Chadillaccc]

http://robmosesphotography.com/tag/calgary/

http://robmosesphotography.com/tag/calgary/page/4/

http://news.buzzbuzzhome.com/2014/10/calgary-future-skyline.html

[Pinion]

Took this tonight

North Vancouver by chrisjohann, on Flickr

[craner]

Originally Posted by TorontoDrew

I wonder how many American's have continuous conversations about which Canadian city theirs look like. LOL.

so true.

[craner]

Originally Posted by WhipperSnapper

Toronto has much more in common with New York than Chicago. The problem is people can seem to get passed the physical size difference or vernacular of the two cities. I really don't find much Toronto has in common with Chicago. Population density may be it. The built form is vastly different. Toronto has more like New York in that regard. Chicago is a regional business centre. Toronto is the financial centre of a country. It's just a different feeling/ attitude as the region has more worldwide significance than probably Canada.

Yeah but that lake . . .


I can see the Montreal - Boston pairing and for sure Calgary's US twin is Denver in so many ways.

[Beedok]

Originally Posted by Pinion

Took this tonight

North Vancouver by chrisjohann, on Flickr

Scrolled past quickly and thought people were posting more Manhattan shots.

If the lighting were better I'd have realised it was Vancouver and not slighted the Van.

[caltrane74]

These threads are always fast to 10,000 posts...

[DZH22]

Originally Posted by lio45

I'm amazed at your sixth sense... I decide to (very unpredictably) post a Boston pic to tease hipster duck, and you show up in the thread shortly afterwards

Yes, I did notice that actually. I had "showed up" long before, but mostly just lurk in the shadows. This is one of my favorite threads between both skyscraperpage and skyscrapercity!

Originally Posted by TorontoDrew

Relax, where did I say there was anything wrong with it. I was just making a comment about how often this happens. Also I agree Montreal does share a few similarities with Boston in terms of scale and history, they both have very different built forms though as you images prove.

I must have misread your tone or who you were referring to. Tough to tell tone on the internet... Although being Boston bred, I tend to default to attack mode faster than the average person. But hey, it's all good, and nice pics of Toronto.

Originally Posted by WhipperSnapper

Toronto has much more in common with New York than Chicago. The problem is people can seem to get passed the physical size difference or vernacular of the two cities. I really don't find much Toronto has in common with Chicago. Population density may be it. The built form is vastly different. Toronto has more like New York in that regard. Chicago is a regional business centre. Toronto is the financial centre of a country. It's just a different feeling/ attitude as the region has more worldwide significance than probably Canada.

I was speaking more of the urban form itself. Toronto and Chicago are both on lakes, with similar skylines and more spread out at street level than the Northeastern cities. They are also both Alpha cities, whereas NYC is Alpha++ (yes 2 pluses) so comparable on the World stage, even though Chicago is just a "regional" business center.

Also, as somebody else noted, if you shrunk NYC down substantially you'd have a Philadelphia, Boston, or Montreal, not a Toronto and not a Chicago. They just aren't built the same, but Toronto and Chicago are probably the closest matches to each other in North America. (both far behind NYC but far ahead of everywhere else)

By the way, of the cities discussed lately.... Boston is Alpha-, Montreal and Philadelphia are Beta+, Vancouver is Beta, Denver and Calgary are Beta-, and that's it for all Canadian cities and the American ones I compared them to.

[Brizzy82]

Originally Posted by DZH22

What do you all think are the most similar cities in terms of skyline and urban form between the US and Canada?

I think Boston and Montreal share a lot of similarities, with Philly being Montreal's secondary comparable city. All 3 cities are currently booming as well, an added bonus since I think the Northeast already has the best "bones".

Couple recent Boston by me, with the newest tall building (Millennium Tower) just eclipsing Montreal's tallest at 209m (fully topped off in the 1st pic only):



These 2 are not my pics but do a good shot illustrating the low/mid-rise density that I think makes Boston and Montreal so similar as cities and not just skylines.

A beautiful fall day in New England by Paul Hammersley, on Flickr

A beautiful fall day in New England by Paul Hammersley, on Flickr


My other picks would be Toronto paired with Chicago (not NYC, at all) and Calgary paired with Denver. (Calgary pulling away in the skyline department)

Any thoughts on this list or on any other good comparable cities/skylines between Canada and the US?

Love these Boston shots! I don't see enough of it. These two in particular make it look bigger than I thought it was.

[Razor]

I like the comparisons.

Having been to Philadelphia, I can compare it to Montreal in only that they both have a signature sandwich going on, are fairly historic to each country, and have similar working class residents who love their teams.

I'm trying to come up with American comparisons to both Quebec City and Ottawa, but I just can't think of any off the top.

I can see the parallels with Chicago and Toronto as well as Denver and Calgary..More so from a geographical standpoint..Mountain cities,(or close to the mountains) and great Lake cities, although I'm sure Chicago and Toronto have more in common then Denver and Calgary.

[Villaggio]

[DZH22]

Originally Posted by Razor

I'm trying to come up with American comparisons to both Quebec City and Ottawa, but I just can't think of any off the top.

Off the top of my head, DC for Ottawa, (national capitals, dense but stumpy downtowns, tallest buildings outside city limits) and for Quebec City..... Maybe Providence? I mean, not REALLY, but we are talking closest approximation. Providence might also work for Winnipeg. To give full disclosure, I am quite familiar with Providence but unfamiliar with Winnipeg and Quebec City outside these forums.

[DZH22]

Not my pics but does Providence maybe seem a little Winnipeg-ish, with a small concentrated skyline and then older buildup extending out from it? By the way, the city is a gem, feels like a Baby Boston.

Also, I will stop posting non-Canadian pictures now.

College Hill, Providence, Rhode Island, from the air by Paul McClure, on Flickr

Providence, RI by ansoncfit, on Flickr

Central Providence, Rhode Island by Bill Cobb, on Flickr

Providence, Rhode Island by Bill Cobb, on Flickr

Above Downtown Providence by Bill Cobb, on Flickr

[esquire]

I can't say I've been to many cities of Winnipeg's approximate size in the US, but out of the ones I have visited none have looked and felt like Winnipeg more than Saint Paul, MN. Unfortunately I can't seem to find a decent skyline shot, that captures the entirety of the city centre so a comparison can be drawn... here's one of the better images I found:



Source: stpaul.gov

[softee]

Originally Posted by DZH22

I was speaking more of the urban form itself. Toronto and Chicago are both on lakes, with similar skylines and more spread out at street level than the Northeastern cities.

I don't find Toronto is more spread out at street level than Northeastern cities, Old Toronto's built form is super packed in and has a higher population density than any Northeastern U.S. city other than NYC.

[Denscity]

Ya I'd say Toronto and Chicago are close matches. Great Lakes cousins, similar populations with similar amount of towers.

[Brizzy82]

Wow, I scrolled past those Providence pics quickly & honestly was reminded of Winnipeg.. Then I get to the top of the post & realize that was the intent.

Good call, not a perfect match obviously but I can see where you're coming from (and I live in Winnipeg)

[Harrij]

Minneapolis, in spite of its lack of mountains, looks similar to Calgary for me.

Edmonton, I'm pretty stumped. There's a lot of mid size cities that might look like Edmonton, but they generally have noticeably less high-rise density and a signature tower or two that anchors their skyline. And in a couple years E-Town won't look much like those cities anyways.

[Chadillaccc]

Originally Posted by Harrij

Minneapolis, in spite of its lack of mountains, looks similar to Calgary for me.

Edmonton, I'm pretty stumped. There's a lot of mid size cities that might look like Edmonton, but they generally have noticeably less high-rise density and a signature tower or two that anchors their skyline. And in a couple years E-Town won't look much like those cities anyways.

I've thought the same about Calgary and Minneapolis. The big difference that I notice between all of the easily comparable Calgary-like cities though, is that our string of major towers (150 meters +) is basically 1.5 kilometers long, while the others are like 1/3 of that.

Edmonton might be a semi-match for Kansas City Missouri? I'd say it's probably the most obvious one for sure. Edmonton has a fair bit more tower density but the primary towers are actually fairly similar and with Edmonton building the big arena, it will sorta match Kansas Cities massive convention centre held up by Suspension Bridge-like struts.

[roccerfeller]

For fun:

Top 11 Tallest in Providence/Winnipeg as per SSP (only completed structures)

Providence:
1) 130.4 m
2) 125 m
3) 115.8 m
4) 100.3 m
5) 94.8 m
6) 86.9 m
7) 72.2 m
8) 71.6 m
9) 65.5 m
10) 64.9 m
11) 62.5 m

Winnipeg:
1) 128 m
2) 124.1 m
3) 117 m
4) 112.5 m
5) 109 m
6) 100 m
7) 96 m
8) 94 m
9) 89 m
10) 85 m
11) 83.2 m


Certainly "similar"

[Harrij]

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

I've thought the same about Calgary and Minneapolis. The big difference that I notice between all of the easily comparable Calgary-like cities though, is that our string of major towers (150 meters +) is basically 1.5 kilometers long, while the others are like 1/3 of that.

Edmonton might be a semi-match for Kansas City Missouri? I'd say it's probably the most obvious one for sure. Edmonton has a fair bit more tower density but the primary towers are actually fairly similar and with Edmonton building the big arena, it will sorta match Kansas Cities massive convention centre held up by Suspension Bridge-like struts.

Yeah it's probably KC. And we even have a warehouse district (albeit much smaller) like them.