[Halifax] Queen's Marque | 30 m | 10 fl | Completed

[worldlyhaligonian]

Originally Posted by counterfactual

Obviously that's the result of the many wind tunnels created by all the new developments downtown that are over 3 stories.

LOL

[q12]

So there is now a website up for this with active social media:

http://www.queensmarque.com/

[someone123]

Funny how they're posting stuff but there's no content relevant to the actual development. Maybe renderings or plans will follow soon?

A good development of this spot could be a pretty big deal for the city. The waterfront has a half-finished appearance right now, but it would only take a few new buildings to change that.

[Jonovision]

The agenda for the Design Review Committee meeting was posted and this is on the list. No attachments yet though.

[IanWatson]

Website with renderings is up: www.queensmarque.com

[eastcoastal]

Originally Posted by IanWatson

Website with renderings is up: www.queensmarque.com

Yes - gallery of renderings: http://queensmarque.com/form-and-place/orientation/

Interesting... I like how they're taking the "local" angle on the architecture/design of the thing. I'm not sure how much I like the "sandstone bar" along Lower Water St - it feels a little like a wall and not so much like what might be traditional form of waterfront development with fingers projecting out into the water. Maybe it would be more porous between the street and the boardwalk in real life... maybe it just needs a couple bigger openings in it: I remember seeing historic photos of waterfront halifax that had big arches between Lower Water St. on the city side, and what would have been industrial/working port space on the water side.

[Jonovision]

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by eastcoastal

Yes - gallery of renderings: http://queensmarque.com/form-and-place/orientation/

Interesting... I like how they're taking the "local" angle on the architecture/design of the thing. I'm not sure how much I like the "sandstone bar" along Lower Water St - it feels a little like a wall and not so much like what might be traditional form of waterfront development with fingers projecting out into the water. Maybe it would be more porous between the street and the boardwalk in real life... maybe it just needs a couple bigger openings in it: I remember seeing historic photos of waterfront halifax that had big arches between Lower Water St. on the city side, and what would have been industrial/working port space on the water side.

Arches would add visual interest along with a vestige to its history as a working waterfront. Might be tricky to incorporate into the design as is, but would be worth a look IMHO.

Here's the Irving arch circa 1942:




https://novascotia.ca/archives/EastCoastPort/archives.asp?ID=384

Interestingly enough, there was some discussion on retaining the Irving Arch in 1980, but obviously it didn't come to fruition (see page 11 of the pdf: http://www.halifax.ca/archives/HalifaxCityMinutes/documents/102-1a-1980-06p262-282.pdf).

Here's how it looked around that time, as shown on the Noticed In Nova Scotia blog from Oct. 6, 2015 http://halifaxbloggers.ca/noticedinnovascotia/2015/10/on-the-waterfront/:



Here's another, which if I am reading this right, was in the same location later occupied by the Irving arch:

The Plant Steam Ship Company was located at the foot of Sackville Street, on the waterside of one of the numerous downtown 'arches' leading from street to wharf, all of them now long gone from the urban landscape. The firm of Thomas J. Egan sold guns, fishing tackle and sporting goods, and it was in that building that the fire began.

https://novascotia.ca/archives/Halifax/archives.asp?ID=146

Another at Black's Wharf:


https://novascotia.ca/archives/Notman/archives.asp?ID=52

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by IanWatson

Website with renderings is up: www.queensmarque.com

Very interesting design. I think it looks good overall, and I applaud the use of higher quality materials.

I am curious as to how they will finish the copper, as it will turn that green colour if not protected by a clearcoat or other means.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copper_in_architecture

[teddifax]

I think it is growing on me, just a few comments. Again another development with a flat top. If they had just stepped up the roof level so as not to be just one flat level, I think that would've worked much better. Also, I like the angled walls on the Lower Water St. side to break up the walls and I wish they would've carried that through to the waterfront side. I find this side facing the water, almost blunt/bleak, it needs another design element to break from the wall of building you see from the water. Another thing I am wondering is there is a lot of open land that could be better utilized. The ramp up to the Light Feature is nice, but other than viewing what will it's purpose be and also the common areas/boardwalk, I feel could have hookups for water, power, etc to be access via underground connections for temporary setups or like Stillwell did last year, have a beer garden there. It seems like a great open area, but wasted space at the same time.

[counterfactual]

Phenomenal proposal and design. Is there a timeline on this? As in, this century?

[Keith P.]

I really do not like the structure facing Water St. The building appears bulky and massive there, and with the Dominion building across a very narrow street it will make that stretch very enclosed-feeling, dark, and canyon-ish. The design of that building looks almost institutional in nature, almost like a 1950s federal govt building. I think that stepping down the heights as they get closer to the harbour is exactly the opposite of what is needed here.

Did they state whether these will be rentals or condos? I assume it is all residential and not commercial space?

Not sure about this at all.

[Drybrain]

I kind of like the massiveness of the facade facing Water Street, but the red protuberances are excessive.

But I think the harbour-facing side is terrible. Ugly colour scheme, doesn't seem to integrate into the boardwalk stroll, blocks the best buildings in town (Dominion, AGNS, et. al.) from view. The inner plaza area looks like it will attract all the vitality of an office-building plaza (though the stairs leading down into the water are very cool).

Really not sure about this.

[portapetey]

Kinda love-hate for me.

I agree with everyone's feedback to date.

I think it's a very cool design. But not sure it fits the waterfront well.

The monolithic "sandstone bar" could be broken up more, with a big arch, or even being split into two separate buildings, and a bit of variation across the roof height would be nice.

The finger protuberances are a bit overwhelming. I gather you can walk through / under them and don't have to trace a route all the way around them, but I feel they break up the boardwalk nonetheless.

I think I like the coloured blocks, angles though.

Again, I kinda love the building. Imagine it on a university campus, surrounded by grass and trees. Just not sure how well it integrates with the waterfront.

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by portapetey

I think it's a very cool design. But not sure it fits the waterfront well.

...

Again, I kinda love the building. Imagine it on a university campus, surrounded by grass and trees. Just not sure how well it integrates with the waterfront.

The waterfront context is the main problem for me. I do really think it's too jumbled and the colour scheme is unpleasant, but overall I agree, it's not a bad building, It just overwhelms the context. I can easily see this turning into a wall that stops pedestrian flow. The shacks that are there now are nothing special, but they also contribute to a lot of activity and make it the liveliest part of the boardwalk, with all the small uses and the public congregating areas, and the vistas you can get of city and ocean.

Here you're just gonna be surrounded by what looks like an interior plaza in a slightly dated office complex. (Love the stairs though.)

[OldDartmouthMark]

In addition to the points mentioned, one thing that will suffer is the ability to have temporary entertainment venues on the site. I recall several instances where tents or stages were set up with live music on site. If this is going to be mostly residential, I expect the noise complaints would start coming in and put an end to such events, even if they could physically fit a venue there.

Regarding the other concerns expressed about the building. I agree that it is too blocky but am not sure that architecture in 2016 is ready to yield something that isn't either glass or rectangular in effect. The fact that they are using cladding that is actual stone and copper (and granite, but it appears that granite will only be used in stairs?) is a step up for my expectations.

Also, I'm assuming that the ground floor will contain some retail that could contain similar businesses as the shacks do now. The renderings make the whole ground floor seem somewhat stark, but I can't imagine the final product being as such.

I was hoping for something better, to be honest, but realize that overall it could be worse. It could have looked like Doyle Block...

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

The shacks that are there now are nothing special, but they also contribute to a lot of activity and make it the liveliest part of the boardwalk, with all the small uses and the public congregating areas, and the vistas you can get of city and ocean.

Here you're just gonna be surrounded by what looks like an interior plaza in a slightly dated office complex. (Love the stairs though.)

I don't mind losing the shacks. They are dated and part of what I do not like about the Disneyfied waterfront. Having said that, though, this now takes away a lot of open space for things for visitors to do when they visit, along with wiping out the existing parking. I know that's a dirty word but that lot is always full, and much of it is used by visitors, not office workers. In any event I wonder what this will do to the waterfront/boardwalk experience for locals and visitors alike. And for 3-4 years that entire area will be off limits.

The other thing this does - not a bad thing - is make the Maritime Museum instantly look mickey mouse (to continue the Disney theme) and dated. It is just so out of place both in size and design next to this. It needs a major re-do. I also wonder if anyone is thinking that perhaps it is time to do some harbor infilling around the Ferry Terminal and the little park behind the Law Courts to expand them both by moving out further into the harbor. They too now look out of place and insignificant.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

I was hoping for something better, to be honest, but realize that overall it could be worse. It could have looked like Doyle Block...

It could well be that Armour just hired better artists to do the renderings. They certainly made the narrow canyon of Water St this will create look like anything but that.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

It could well be that Armour just hired better artists to do the renderings. They certainly made the narrow canyon of Water St this will create look like anything but that.

What? Are you suggesting that developers have renderings done that will alter the view of the surroundings such that it makes the project appear much better than the final product will be?

[eastcoastal]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

Arches would add visual interest along with a vestige to its history as a working waterfront. Might be tricky to incorporate into the design as is, but would be worth a look IMHO....

Yes, the images you showed were what I was remembering.

I agree, I think a recreation of some of those arches would be awkward. Enlarging some of the passages between the water and street sides might be enough, without having to introduce the roundness of an arched top