Great Canadian Skyline Thread II - Page 568

giallo · #**11341** Posted **Aug 19, 2019, 4:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrs Sauga

Maybe I'm crazy but in some weird way, the before actually looks better.

It certainly wasn't better at street level back then. Yaletown was gross, and False Creek had more in common with a toxic waste dump than a little saltwater inlet.

TorontoDrew · #**11342** Posted **Aug 19, 2019, 4:50 PM**

Source:https://cdn.skyrisecities.com

logan5 · #**11343** Posted **Aug 19, 2019, 8:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by le calmar

Those residential towers with greenish glass are (almost) the commie blocks of the 2000-2010 era. I didn't mind them much in the beginning, but now that some of our major cities are overrun with them I hate them. The street treatment for those buildings is usually very bleak with large podiums, excessive setbacks, and abundant greenery that instantly kills street animation. Clusters of such buildings are just plain ugly so they still suck even with an adequate street treatment.

Here's an example of a large ugly podium. Ugly and bleak because they have used spandrel glass right down to street level. The trees make things a lot more hospitable though.

https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.2741738,-...ooEg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en&authuser=0

For some reason the City tries a little harder in Chinatown. At least they use brick for the podium sections here, and there are some pedestrian scale street lights that look nice and add to the pedestrian realm. The massing is broken up into sections, which also helps.

https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.2788134,-...Iavg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en&authuser=0

zahav · #**11344** Posted **Aug 19, 2019, 9:15 PM**

The advantage of the 1979 shot is the "core" is much more identifiable, as it goes from downtown tower area right to single story and looks pronounced, whereas 2019 is all highrises so doesn't have a strong "core" contrast as before. But believe me it is way better in 2019, despite the aesthetic of the 2000s seafoam. It is hard to appreciate how built up it is until you see in person, there is just so much more development and sheer number of towers compared to before.

Martin Mtl · #**11345** Posted **Aug 19, 2019, 9:28 PM**

https://www.instagram.com/p/B1T9moXFwdf/

https://www.instagram.com/p/B06Kniuiuxj/

https://www.instagram.com/p/B1UGcLUiltP/

https://www.instagram.com/p/B1TxiHghwEy/

https://www.instagram.com/p/B1GjWIDHJKX/

https://www.instagram.com/p/B06BKlLolHB/

Wpg_Guy · #**11346** Posted **Aug 19, 2019, 10:01 PM**

Love Montreal !

milomilo · #**11347** Posted **Aug 19, 2019, 10:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by logan5

And condos are super expensive relative to the size of living space you get, plus maintenance fees, especially in a city like Calgary where there are sanely priced houses.

I don't know what OCP's Calgary has but I think the best approach for Calgary outside DT/Beltline area is what I see happening in the neighbourhood just south of Shaganappi Station. It looks like those 50 foot wide lots are being subdivided into 2 lots or there are duplexes being built - as you said. If there are secondary suites in these then you will eventually get densities around 20 000/sq mile, which is high enough to support a good walk-able neighbourhood. I would zone 17th Ave for mid-rise mixed use. As of right now, there is not much of retail street for that neighbourhood to build around.

That's happening, to an extent, although much of the time an old bungalow on a large lot is simply replaced by a much larger, more expensive SFH meaning the densities aren't increasing as quickly as they might. But there are little townhome infills popping up all over the place, so it's getting there.

Calgarian · #**11348** Posted **Aug 19, 2019, 11:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by milomilo

That's happening, to an extent, although much of the time an old bungalow on a large lot is simply replaced by a much larger, more expensive SFH meaning the densities aren't increasing as quickly as they might. But there are little townhome infills popping up all over the place, so it's getting there.

Most inner city streets have duplexes going on former SFH lots, though there are a ton of massive houses going in, infills seem the be much more common (you can make more money doing an infill). Lots of apartment and townhouses too, densities are going up pretty quick considering how much growth is concentrated on the periphery of the city.

LeftCoaster · #**11349** Posted **Aug 20, 2019, 12:12 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by rousseau

Interesting how the "before" pic looks conventionally American, while the "after" pic is uniquely of Vancouver. I can't think of any other city like it with respect to the highrise typology, though Toronto has patches that are reminiscent of it.

I'd imagine that back in the 70s most Canadian cities looked a lot like their US counterparts, I know Toronto did. I think it's only in the last few decades that Canadian cities have really differentiated themselves from the typology seen down south.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrs Sauga

Maybe I'm crazy but in some weird way, the before actually looks better.

Ya that's definitely crazy!

Quote:

Originally Posted by le calmar

Those residential towers with greenish glass are (almost) the commie blocks of the 2000-2010 era. I didn't mind them much in the beginning, but now that some of our major cities are overrun with them I hate them. The street treatment for those buildings is usually very bleak with large podiums, exessive setbacks, and abudant greenry that instantly kills street animation. Clusters of such buildings are just plain ugly so they still suck even with an adequate street treatment.

Maybe in Ottawa, as I can't speak too much for their ground level interaction, but the street level of most Vancouver streets with 90 and on development is pretty strong. Just take a street view tour up and down Richards or through yaletown and the streetscape is quite good compared to most post war development cycles.

This, for instance, is right in the middle of that aerial and was all crummy warehouses with no sidewalk a few years ago.

craner · #**11350** Posted **Aug 20, 2019, 4:28 AM**

Nice Montreal set.

GeneralLea · #**11351** Posted **Aug 20, 2019, 5:08 AM**

Lovely photographs of Montreal, the city is really densifying with these new towers. It's a very photogenic city for many reasons.

Rico Rommheim · #**11352** Posted **Aug 20, 2019, 5:18 AM**

Downtown Montreal is only a few years away (5 years, 10 max) from completely running out of surface parking lots. Already the bulk of the new towers downtown are replacing older, shorter mostly obsolete structures. In 5 years, we`re going to start seeing highrises replaces other highrises.