1728 Alberni St | 117.3m | 44fl & 41fl | Proposed

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by cov

are you thinking of the Chicago corn cobb?

I was thinking of something with the heavy vertical columns/walls which the Chicago one doesn't have. But they are a bit similar.

[jollyburger]

Geisel Library



Torres Blancas



https://www.formidablemag.com/torresblancas/

St Petersburg



https://www.reddit.com/r/brutalism/c...ussia_nicolas/

[zahav]

I think all of those towers are still something. Even as they "age" they retain a uniqueness that isn't diminshed, it's just perceived different as time goes on

[MIPS]

Originally Posted by zahav

I think all of those towers are still something. Even as they "age" they retain a uniqueness that isn't diminshed, it's just perceived different as time goes on

That's the same thing they said about the Landmark, but at great expense they still tore that down.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by MIPS

That's the same thing they said about the Landmark, but at great expense they still tore that down.

I mean if the most flattering thing you can say about architecture is that it's "something" then I guess it's also something as a giant rubble pile.

[jollyburger]

The comments on Heatherwick's instagram post are great:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CJ9IduLMKWY/

[s211]

Originally Posted by officedweller

The design looks familiar, but I Googled and couldn't find anything like it.

ARTE had a series on abandoned brutalism projects in former soviet bloc regions and this seems to remind me of one of the projects, which unfortunately has now escaped my memory.

[scryer]

I quite like it myself as well. It's unusual but feels really warm with the colour scheme it currently uses.

[Tysonbrown]

I know right!?
Hahahaha

[SpongeG]

it;s not bad, I like it, hopefully the bottom is retail or restaurants.

Did they also do the recently shut down Vessel in NYC?

[vanman]

Originally Posted by zahav

I think all of those towers are still something. Even as they "age" they retain a uniqueness that isn't diminshed, it's just perceived different as time goes on

Agreed. All those buildings are far more interesting than the bland square glass boxes we're used to. Even if they're not the most beautiful buildings around.

[LeftCoaster]

Thanks FF, always with the good scoops!

Just an FYI to everyone, these towers are actually 124.7m and 109.5m tall, not 117 and 105.

The official height is not counting the "decorative roof" as per the notation on pg 232 of rezoning submission:

NOTE: All elements above the slab of ceiling of Penthouse level are excluded from calculation of Height based on Section 10.18.6 of the Zoning Bylaw (Decorative Roof Provision)

https://rezoning.vancouver.ca/applic...on-booklet.pdf

[officedweller]

It occurred to me that the UDP might conclude that these towers are "unVancouver" and too brutalist and not "west coast".

[bb1510]

oh wow, what a shame that it's been value engineered so significantly.

the original version, while similar massing wise, was so much nicer and more typical 'heatherwick'. The detailing on the versions prior basically focused more on the tower's clusters and verticality aspect

Window bays were much more regular and had more verticality. Each window bay also had curved radii sawtooth glazing. Terrazzo and bronze exterior

Basically, take a look at the pixellated massing model and imagine that with a small (1 foot?) radii on the corner of each cube/cluster for the glazing. The podium and bottom of the tower were still curved and much more traditional heatherwick with a lattice like structure similar to their Tokyo project


I looks like a knockoff heatherwick inspired project but a random local architect firm rather than an actual heatherwick project now

too bad

[s211]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

The dual upside-down Stanley cup retro modern towers!

Ooooo! Subverting expectations! Provocative!

The woke left will love that disruption as much as they loved The Last Jedi.

[djh]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

it;s not bad, I like it, hopefully the bottom is retail or restaurants.

The atrium area looks perfectly-designed for retail or restaurants. It reminds me of the layout of the atrium at the central library - open yet covered. It would be an excellent place for patio restaurants, or general plaza activities, without worrying about the elements.

@bb1510 - it sounds as if you saw this project pre-Value Engineering. Any chance you can get a photo or link to the earlier version?

[Vin]

Awesome. The retail podium is what this city needs, especially in that part of town.

Originally Posted by djh

The atrium area looks perfectly-designed for retail or restaurants. It reminds me of the layout of the atrium at the central library - open yet covered. It would be an excellent place for patio restaurants, or general plaza activities, without worrying about the elements.

@bb1510 - it sounds as if you saw this project pre-Value Engineering. Any chance you can get a photo or link to the earlier version?

Agreed. Hence I don't get why so many are against city centre malls in the first place.

[officedweller]

If you look at the plans posted at the link above, there are 4 retail units at grade in the atrium, and only one wrap-around retail/restaurant unit on the 2nd level of the atrium.
Not a lot of retail space inside.
The upper levels of the atrium are condo amenity and even a few condos looking down into it.
There's a daycare at grade fronting Alberni on the west end of the podium and some other streetfront retail as well.

It'll be dark in there even with that skylight. It'll rely a lot on interior lighting.

[s211]

Originally Posted by officedweller

If you look at the plans posted at the link above, there are 4 retail units at grade in the atrium, and only one wrap-around retail/restaurant unit on the 2nd level of the atrium.
Not a lot of retail space inside.

Any retail in the 1700 block of Alberni is too much.

[officedweller]

I suspect it'll end up like the Yaletown Galleria or the Chinatown Parkade in scale and level of use, but with a cool design.