The Georgia | 157m | 48 fl | Completed

[officedweller]

Thanks.
I guess with the Capitol rising so quickly we expect this one to shoot up - but I suppose erecting the columns for the next floor during the Christmas week is reasonable progress(?)

[raggedy13]

Thanks for all the recent updates Locked In!

Can't wait to see this tower get some real height on it.

[Locked In]

One more floor added since my last photo:



(my photo, taken today)

[officedweller]

There's a big truck-mounted crane on Georgia in front of the hotel
- I think the crane above the heritage building is coming down this weekend.

[Marcat]

Originally Posted by officedweller

There's a big truck-mounted crane on Georgia in front of the hotel
- I think the crane above the heritage building is coming down this weekend.

That would make sense, I was out for dinner this evening downtown, Georgia is blocked off for several blocks and Gwil Crane Service has what looks like to be at minimum there 550T Liehberr Mobile Crane as well as a smaller mobile to set up the 550T. It certainly looks like that fixed boom tower crane is coming down over the weekend.

[Delirium]

that photo from Locked In looks like it was taken in the summer!
we should see some cladding soon.

[Spork]

Here is a photo of the crane getting assembled (should have shot it sideways - I blame beer for that mistake.)

[trofirhen]

Early on in this thread, a number of people complained that it was lacklustre, mediocre in design, ordinary, and so forth.

That may be true. (We'll really know for sure when it's completed and operational).

But what I cannot understand is that, at least IMHO, and seemingly that of many others, many of the buildings going up right now are equally lacklustre,
more stereotyped, and less original, not to mention some of the buildings put up in recent years in the downtown area.

I'd be really curious to know what members think are truly striking, original buildings, be they in Vancouver or elsewhere.

The Georgia is not a potential award-winner that I can see, but it seems no worse than many, many others either.

[vansky]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

Early on in this thread, a number of people complained that it was lacklustre, mediocre in design, ordinary, and so forth.

That may be true. (We'll really know for sure when it's completed and operational).

But what I cannot understand is that, at least IMHO, and seemingly that of many others, many of the buildings going up right now are equally lacklustre,
more stereotyped, and less original, not to mention some of the buildings put up in recent years in the downtown area.

I'd be really curious to know what members think are truly striking, original buildings, be they in Vancouver or elsewhere.

The Georgia is not a potential award-winner that I can see, but it seems no worse than many, many others either.

I think in terms of concept, it's actually creative, but not as creative as erickson's last piece of work, or the jameson house...but i personally feel it's much more daring than the square stick like shangri-la.

[geoff's two cents]

The Economist had a piece some months ago (can't remember which issue) on the recent vogue for cities to outdo each other in architectural originality, and the eventual pointlessness of having so many buildings that go to extreme lengths to catch the eye (ie. if every new and large building is "original," none of them are, as there is no "conventional" type to which "original" types might be compared).

Buildings criticized by the article included, among others, MIT's Stata Center (seen here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wfm_stata_center.jpg) and Toronto's ROM (seen here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Royal_Ontario_Museum.jpg) - incidentally, two buildings of which I'm quite fond.

With this in mind, I actually admire the sleek, unadorned, unpretentiousness of the Shangri-la, and appreciate how it appears very differently from different parts of the city. My hunch is that, much like the Fairmont hotel, it is an honest product of its day and will age very well. (Though, I must admit, a lighting feature would be nice!).

[red-paladin]

I hate bizzare cacophonous buildings like those two.

Now talking about buildings which are original AND pleasing to the eye:

The Bank Of China building in Hong Kong
From Wikipedia's Author WiNG


Tokyo City Hall
From Wikipedia's Author Okajun

[Yume-sama]

Just in case your eye can't process a photo that big...


My photo http://www.flickr.com/photos/syume/3909658323/

[trofirhen]

Er, yes, I think Red-Paladin may have got Toronto City Hall confused with the Metroplitan Building in Shinjuku, Tokyo.

My favourite building in Shinjuku is the Opera Tower. It has a certain elegant classiness about it. At any rate, it stands out from its neighbours in the Shinjuku skyscraper complex for its sleek design and squared top.

I can't distinguish it in this particular photo, though.

[ckkelley]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

Early on in this thread, a number of people complained that it was lacklustre, mediocre in design, ordinary, and so forth.

That may be true. (We'll really know for sure when it's completed and operational).

But what I cannot understand is that, at least IMHO, and seemingly that of many others, many of the buildings going up right now are equally lacklustre,
more stereotyped, and less original, not to mention some of the buildings put up in recent years in the downtown area.

I'd be really curious to know what members think are truly striking, original buildings, be they in Vancouver or elsewhere.

The Georgia is not a potential award-winner that I can see, but it seems no worse than many, many others either.

Early on I wasn't sure about this building but now I've come to be quite excited about it, especially given the latest rendering. I think it looks quite slick.

I think it'll definitely command the attention of Canada Line passengers as they exit Vancouver City Center. The building is most dramatic from that angle and will be a terrific entry point into downtown.

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

Er, yes, I think Red-Paladin may have got Toronto City Hall confused with the Metroplitan Building in Shinjuku, Tokyo.

My favourite building in Shinjuku is the Opera Tower. It has a certain elegant classiness about it. At any rate, it stands out from its neighbours in the Shinjuku skyscraper complex for its sleek design and squared top.

I can't distinguish it in this particular photo, though.

Red, I thought you had written "Toronto" City Hall. Itas late at night, and I was half asleep. Please excuse me!! Of course it's the Tokyo City Hall in Shinjuku. (the view from the top is striking as you know)

Once again, my apologies for doing this half-asleep.

[red-paladin]

Don't worry.
I'm sorry the picture is gigantic.
I just like to post wikipedia images as they are well documented, and they have no copyright restrictions.

Incidentally, I like Toronto City Hall too, but as that shape goes, the Bow is even nicer. I saw a list of the top 10 mentions of Canada on American TV in the last 25 years, and the Toronto City Hall showing as an alien city in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Contagion" was on it.

[jlousa]

Guys back on topic "The Georgia"

[Locked In]

My photos, taken today:









Crane being taken away:

[Hed Kandi]

..

[Locked In]

^ Only one of the cranes was removed - the boom crane on the heritage building.