Ugly Canada 2 (Only architecture, planning and design faux pas)

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by vid

A well done modernist design would be preferable to a botched historic revival design. If they expand that building in Chateau style and the details and materials aren't on point, it will stand out even more than the modern addition they're planning. You see this occasionally in historic buildings where it's blatantly obvious that the building was expanded, and the way the details are carved out is totally different than the rest of the building and it's just glaring and terrible.

Agree. But...

(1) This isn't a well done modernist design, IMHO.
(2) Unless Ottawa does not have access to skilled architects and builders, why would we be expecting a botched design?

This building deserves a high-end design and build. Nothing else should be permitted. This isn't an addition to a Hampton Inn or similar budget hotel, it's the Château Laurier!

Just my 2¢...

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

Agree. But...

(1) This isn't a well done modernist design, IMHO.
(2) Unless Ottawa does not have access to skilled architects and builders, why would we be expecting a botched design?

This building deserves a high-end design and build. Nothing else should be permitted. This isn't an addition to a Hampton Inn or similar budget hotel, it's the Château Laurier!

Just my 2¢...

+1.

It is the Chateau friggin Laurier, one of the top 5-6 iconic hotels in the entire Dominion. An architectural travesty such as this must not be allowed to occur. People in Ottawa should be marching in the streets!!!!

[stevanford1]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

+1.

It is the Chateau friggin Laurier, one of the top 5-6 iconic hotels in the entire Dominion. An architectural travesty such as this must not be allowed to occur. People in Ottawa should be marching in the streets!!!!

+1 as well .

I doubt a poorly attempted historic design would happen with the right architects and builders on the job. This is also not a well done modernist design when compared to the chateau. It looks like a giant data centre.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by stevanford1

I agree that poorly attempted historic revival would be quite awful, but does that excuse a shoehorned and ugly modern design? The current design looks like a cancerous growth on the original structure!

I believe you meant "looks like a carbuncle on the face of an old friend" ...

[O-tacular]

Usually I hate faux historicism and don't mind the contrast of old with contemporary architecture but it needs to be done right. The expansion on the Chateaux Laurier looks awful. It doesn't work with the massing of the original building and might as well be a blank wall on the ass end of the building. It looks like Shaw's data centre expansion on their campus in NE Calgary. Nice for a data centre. Not a historic luxury hotel.

Earlier concepts at least attempted to be less hamfisted. Breaking up the massing and allowing a view through the middle like this would have made it a whole lot less imposing and ugly:





This was also an interesting attempt at doing something modern that mimicked the massing of the rest of the building:

https://i0.wp.com/kitchissippi.com/w...00%2C392&ssl=1

But no, they chose to do a data center instead:



The most cost effective (ie CHEAP) box that they could to maximize the number of rooms. Views be damned. What a sad and lazy reno addition this will be.

[J.OT13]

The issue with the original proposal is that it blocked the views of the old Château even more. My biggest fear is that the owners give in to public pressure, or lose a court battle, and end up building a crappy Disney-like addition.

[O-tacular]

A good read:

https://ottawamagazine.com/homes/des...rier-addition/

Hilarious:

https://twitter.com/twitandrewking/s...19956654174208

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

The issue with the original proposal is that it blocked the views of the old Château even more. My biggest fear is that the owners give in to public pressure, or lose a court battle, and end up building a crappy Disney-like addition.

That would also be tragic. I would say doing nothing would be much better than some half assed POS that will be around for decades to come.

[OldDartmouthMark]

It's sad that the developers/architects/builders can't be trusted to be able to build an addition that is respectful to the original building. From the fears expressed here, it seems like the know-how is gone - lost in a couple of generations - 107 years since it opened, to be exact.

The problem I have with the term 'faux heritage' or whatever, is that it implies the attempt to mimic historical architecture using substandard materials and architecture. I've seen them too, and yes they usually end up looking ridiculous and low-quality.

So what we are saying is that a low-quality addition done in the style of 1960s modernism is better than a low-quality addition done in a French Gothic Revival Châteauesque style. Why is low-quality even on the table? Of course the answer is that the owner doesn't want to spend the money to do it properly.

It's too bad that we are left expecting that it is going to be poorly done anyhow, so we may as well accept that we will be left with a style that masks the blunder more than anything else. Thankfully the original builders, Grand Trunk Railway, were not so willing to accept mediocrity for a flagship building such as this, so at least Canadians will have the original building to admire still, and that 'thing' attached to it.

Lastly, a couple of examples of similar architecture from the 1960s that remind me of this addition:



https://halifaxbloggers.ca/noticedin...te-skyscraper/



https://halifaxbloggers.ca/noticedin...-dumb-me-down/

[MonctonRad]

Hey, I resemble that building!

I spent a lot of time there in class, in study cubicles, and dissecting cadavers.

I generally appreciated the building, especially the 15th floor faculty lounge, which was open for socializing by the medical students and residents after the weekly "Friday at 4" lecture series. The views of Halifax harbour from the top floor were stunning.

Sadly the lounge was sacrificed for additional lab space sometime about 12-15 years ago.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Hey, I resemble that building!

I spent a lot of time there in class, in study cubicles, and dissecting cadavers.

I generally appreciated the building, especially the 15th floor faculty lounge, which was open for socializing by the medical students and residents after the weekly "Friday at 4" lecture series. The views of Halifax harbour from the top floor were stunning.

Sadly the lounge was sacrificed for additional lab space sometime about 12-15 years ago.

And a fine building it is. I actually like the modernist styles of the '60s, but am confused as to why we would want to attach it to the Chateau Laurier...

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

And a fine building it is. I actually like the modernist styles of the '60s, but am confused as to why we would want to attach it to the Chateau Laurier...

Indeed, and it would be a squat, truncated and uninspired version of the Tupper Building to boot!!!

Speaking of which, we should give the boot to the Chateau Laurier architect!!

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Indeed, and it would be a squat, truncated and uninspired version of the Tupper Building to boot!!!

Speaking of which, we should give the boot to the Chateau Laurier architect!!

Agree.

[Hali87]

They should build a replica Diefenbunker and expand the hotel into that.

[stevanford1]

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you London Ontario’s Wonderland Power Centre.






Isn’t it such a colourful and inspiring space? You can even buy a condo that’s equally slablike and banal.....er wonderful.


Complete with not at all dated and soul sucking lobby.

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by stevanford1

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you London Ontario’s Wonderland Power Centre.

Utterly Lavalian! I can't think of another example with that much surface parking to individual building ratio.

[O-tacular]

Gotta love mindless algorithms. This ad for Les Residences Soleil is now featured on Clockzilla Destroys:

[stevanford1]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

Gotta love mindless algorithms. This ad for Les Residences Soleil is now featured on Clockzilla Destroys:

Ha, if seeing the clock ain’t enough you can now actually live in the clock.

[stevanford1]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

Utterly Lavalian! I can't think of another example with that much surface parking to individual building ratio.

It’s all the ugliness of power centres rolled into one package. It has all the ugliest big box barf chains.

Michaels


Bed Barf and Beyond


Dollarama


Walmart


And probably many others I have forgotten about

All those coupled with this


Makes for a truly soul sucking environment

[TSteph9]

Originally Posted by stevanford1

It’s all the ugliness of power centres rolled into one package. It has all the ugliest big box barf chains.

Michaels


Bed Barf and Beyond


Dollarama


Walmart


And probably many others I have forgotten about

All those coupled with this


Makes for a truly soul sucking environment

lol the aerial shot makes this, truly a soul sucking sight.