Ādisōke [Ottawa's New Central Library] | U/C

[Multi-modal]

I went with peaks as well. Seems more playful, I could see something interesting coming from that form, but I couldn't with the others. The shared space "peak" especially seems like it may be a cool spot to hang out in the city. Finally, it seems that peaks will force some interplay between the various segments of the library.... rather than, with layers especially, everything seems rigidly separated.

I wish they'd shown another view looking from Albert though, hard to get a feel for it with only one view.

[Mikeed]

Originally Posted by Harley613

Peaks all the way. It subtly mirrors the gothic architecture of the Parliamentary district and could really tie the library to our city if done properly. I also want to see a ramp that crosses level from Bronson and Albert across Commissioner's street and entering the second or third floor of the library (wherever the height lines up) That would make the walk/wheelchair really easy and accessible coming from the CBD.

At first glance I really liked interlocking, but I really like the idea of it mirroring the Gothic architecture.

The long term plan for the Parliamentary District envisions modifying the old Library and Archives building to more Gothic.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by Mikeed

At first glance I really liked interlocking, but I really like the idea of it mirroring the Gothic architecture.

The long term plan for the Parliamentary District envisions modifying the old Library and Archives building to more Gothic.

I've never heard that before. Is there a render out there, somewhere?

[acottawa]

They really need to add some sort of covered connection to the station. All of these designs are going to be a nightmare to access in the winter.

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

[/B]


I've never heard that before. Is there a render out there, somewhere?

I have never heard of that either. It seems needlessly complicated - if they don’t like the fascist architecture they could just knock it down - the building is not in good condition.

[Mikeed]

Originally Posted by acottawa

I have never heard of that either. It seems needlessly complicated - if they don’t like the fascist architecture they could just knock it down - the building is not in good condition.

I wish I could find that document, but it calls for doing it while refurbishing the existing building or replacing it entirely.

Refurbishing would be way more affordable for an agency that often has budget constraints.

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by Mikeed

I wish I could find that document, but it calls for doing it while refurbishing the existing building or replacing it entirely.

Refurbishing would be way more affordable for an agency that often has budget constraints.

I am not sure refurbishments are cheaper than replacements (look at the cost of recent federal refurbishment projects). They are likely to be even higher if the refurbishment needs to alter the architectural style of the building.

[Jayday23]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

And here are the concepts in situ:

For those who are advocating for option 2 (like myself), let's not sell ourselves short here. The design must be amazing. Here's a concept proposal for a similarly designed institutional building in Toronto.

ROM Welcome Project

[FutureWickedCity]

Concept 2 is definitely the most dynamic. I don't think it would be as difficult to execute as Libeskind's ridiculous ROM fiasco. Scandalous that they wasted so much money on that.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

Has Archives specified what their space is to be used for? Absent that, I'd find it hard to comment meaningfully on a potential building configuration.

I found it hard to comment on how the options interact with the street or take advantage of the views when those little irregular polyhedrons don't display anything vaguely resembling a door or a window.

The worst thing about architecture is architects.

[TransitZilla]

Originally Posted by Jayday23

For those who are advocating for option 2 (like myself), let's not sell ourselves short here. The design must be amazing. Here's a concept proposal for a similarly designed institutional building in Toronto.

ROM Welcome Project

That's not a concept building; it actually exists:

[Uhuniau]

Dear lord that thing is ugly.

[rocketphish]

Ah yes, the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal. You either love it, or you hate it.

https://www.rom.on.ca/en/about-us/rom/michael-lee-chin-crystal

[McC]

It has a poor reputation for not being terribly good at some fairly key functions for museum buildings, like "welcoming the public inside," and "displaying and preserving artifacts."

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/hom...ith-its-welcome-project/article34973539/

https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/vi...-decide-if-it-likes-the-rom-crystal.html

The WaPo called it "The worst" of the decade (the Aughts) in 2009:

The Michael Lee-Chin Crystal. Sure, there were a lot of Wal-Marts thrown up in the Aughts, but Daniel Libeskind's addition to the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto surpasses the ugliness of bland functional buildings by being both ugly and useless. His aluminum-and-glass-clad crystalline forms grow out of the building's original 1914 structure, and from the street it's dramatic. But go inside and you need a map to move around its irrational and baffling dead spaces.

And where do you put art in a room of canted walls? Curators seem as baffled and frustrated by it as casual visitors. And it cost only $250 million.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/24/AR2009122400116.html?noredirect=on

[AuxTown]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

Ah yes, the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal. You either love it, or you hate it.

https://www.rom.on.ca/en/about-us/rom/michael-lee-chin-crystal

Hate it. There are so many examples of awesome libraries, I would be OK if we just copied one of them



Not sure how this one works but super cool (Tianjin)


Calgary did a great job


Halifax is interesting


let's not do a Denver


Helsinki


Philly


JFK in Boston

[Uhuniau]

I hate starchitecture so much.

How does that weird shelf-like thing in China even work? It's like the institutional equivalent of those idiot interior decorators who turn all the books spine-in.

[Harley613]

Originally Posted by Uhuniau

I hate starchitecture so much.

How does that weird shelf-like thing in China even work? It's like the institutional equivalent of those idiot interior decorators who turn all the books spine-in.

Looks to me like the books on the overhangs are just pictures of books.

[jcphoenix]

.

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by Harley613

Peaks all the way. It subtly mirrors the gothic architecture of the Parliamentary district and could really tie the library to our city if done properly. I also want to see a ramp that crosses level from Bronson and Albert across Commissioner's street and entering the second or third floor of the library (wherever the height lines up) That would make the walk/wheelchair really easy and accessible coming from the CBD.

I agree 100%.

[GoTrans]

Originally Posted by roger1818

I agree 100%.

Just remember that we live in Canada not California. We have to deal with snow and ice which adds to snow loads on certain facets, greater possibility of leaking, snow and ice sliding and more danger to pedestrians.