WINNIPEG| The Exchange District |Market Lands Redevelopment

[EspionNoir]

Originally Posted by esquire

It's been a while since we've had a good public design competition downtown...

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/lo...502038821.html

It's hard to form a solid impression based on the couple of pictures of each proposal in the article, but on that somewhat superficial level I like the Dialog one best. The Saucier + Perotte is interesting but the renderings only reveal a small perspective of the proposal.

Have plans for the northern part of the block been nailed down? The proposals all show more or less the same thing on that parcel.

What was the last prominent downtown design competition? I don’t know about the 60s and 70s, but the one I can definitely remember was for the Manitoba Legislative, and the winner was awarded $100,000 if I remember it right (according to inflation that’s around 1 million today)

[esquire]

Originally Posted by EspionNoir

What was the last prominent downtown design competition? I don’t know about the 60s and 70s, but the one I can definitely remember was for the Manitoba Legislative, and the winner was awarded $100,000 if I remember it right (according to inflation that’s around 1 million today)

The biggest one in the Skyscraperpage era was the one for CMHR. Fun fact: Saucier + Perotte was a finalist (or was it just shortlist? I can't remember) in that one too.

There was a P&M design competition around 2003 or so. I guess Manitoba Hydro put out a call for proposals although I suppose it was a bunch of pitches for different sites and not really a design competition to see different takes on the same site. Same with MTS.

I'm sure there have been others that I'm forgetting.

[Bdog]

Originally Posted by EspionNoir

What was the last prominent downtown design competition? I don’t know about the 60s and 70s, but the one I can definitely remember was for the Manitoba Legislative, and the winner was awarded $100,000 if I remember it right (according to inflation that’s around 1 million today)

Ladies and gentlemen, we've found the oldest forumer among us

[EspionNoir]

Originally Posted by Bdog

Ladies and gentlemen, we've found the oldest forumer among us

Lol

Oh actually not really I got that from some source. It’d be a miracle if I lived that long...

[Biff]

Here is a compilation shot from CentreVenture Twitter

[pspeid]

I love the lower-left hand side proposal the best, but it's difficult to see how it aligns with RRCC and other buildings in the area. The "market" portion of the proposal looks very attractive, and expandable during summer months. I can see a vision like this being inspiring a lot of people who may not have been too interested in the project before.

The "Adobe Spark" image next to it is okay, but a rather bland version of the one to the left of it, IMO. Easier to see how it aligns with RRCC..

Upper right is a pretty uninspiring image, so difficult to comment. Upper middle is like lower right to me...okay, but a bit "meh".

The upper left image looks like an aztec temple. Wonder who gets their heart ripped out first??

[optimusREIM]

I rank it similarly 1. BL 2. BR 3. TC 4. TL 5. TR

The two in the top corners are especially uninspiring although it could have to do with the render quality. The bes market option should win out, which is clearly bottom left. Bottom right has potential, it kind of reminds me of parts of Berlin, but isn't as integrated as it should be.

[Urban recluse]

Bottom right looks like ghetto housing (slabs).

[BigG]

The more I look at the top left, the more I like it. Just need to get past the choice of colours in the render. Second choice would be bottom left, third - bottom right, fourth - top centre and top right.

[peg]

In the article one of the plans labels the council chambers as "Winnipeg water and waste department"

https://flic.kr/p/2aCvAP9

[Wpg_Guy]

It's down to the final five
Special jury to decide among proposals for development of former PSB site
By: Kevin Rollason | Posted: 12/6/2018 3:00 AM

The former headquarters for the Winnipeg Police Service and an adjacent parkade will soon have in its place affordable housing, a market hall and public art.

The 2.4-acre downtown site, now known as Market Lands, will be one step closer from vision to reality, when proposals from five shortlisted architectural and design teams are presented to a special jury at an event Friday evening at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.

City of Winnipeg arm’s-length agency CentreVenture Development Corp. will unveil the five shortlisted designs for the site, which include affordable housing and a creative hub that features space for arts organizations, galleries, outdoor public art and a public market to incubate new, creative businesses.

The public will have a chance — albeit a quick one — to put forward thoughts on the proposals, by taking part in an online survey at marketlands.ca that will go live Friday around 5 a.m.

Angela Mathieson, president and chief executive officer of CentreVenture, said Wednesday the jury will make its selection on or before Dec. 14.

"(The proposals) are all based on the principles which came to us during the (earlier) public consultation," Mathieson said. "The visions we’ve adopted conform to the public use."

Of the designs, only one is by a Winnipeg firm (1x1 Architecture Inc.). The firm, which was the architect behind the St. Vital Park Pavilion, has teamed up with dRMM and LDA Design of London, England.

One of the highlighted proposals comes from Dialog — which has studios in several cities, including San Francisco, Vancouver and Toronto — teamed with Jenifer Papararo, a public art consultant who is also the executive director of Winnipeg’s Plug In Institute of Contemporary Art.

Other firms vying for the contract are Montreal-based Daoust Lestage, Toronto-based Dtah, and Montreal-based Saucier and Perrotte, in partnership with Gustafson Guthrie Nichol of Seattle.

Mathieson said except for 1x1, none of the firms have previously developed projects in Winnipeg.

The jury includes Mathieson, John Kiernan (City of Winnipeg director of planning, property and development), Annitta Stenning (president and CEO of the CancerCare Manitoba Foundation) and Alan Tate (head of the department of landscape architecture at the University of Manitoba).

Mathieson said they hope once a design is chosen, they can take it to city council for approval and begin moving towards construction. She said the former Public Safety Building and the long-closed Civic Centre Parkade will be demolished by the end of 2019, and construction could start in 2020.

There has been almost two years of public consultation and planning to get to this stage of the project, she said.

"This is a critical step, picking the design and the team that will bring the project to reality," Mathieson said.

"There has been tremendous interest in the project, and many groups are getting on board to be part of this exciting opportunity to redefine an important part of the Exchange District. We expect the Market Lands to become another go-to destination in Winnipeg."
https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/lo...502038821.html

The Finalists
DESIGN COMPETITION PROPOSALS: http://www.centreventure.com/market-...gn-competition

1. 1x1 Architecture Inc.
Concept Statement: https://storage.googleapis.com/wzuku...0Statement.pdf
Design board: https://storage.googleapis.com/wzuku...bxj1nt/1X1.pdf







2. Dialog
Concept Statement: https://storage.googleapis.com/wzuku...0Statement.pdf
Design board: https://storage.googleapis.com/wzuku...IqB/Dialog.pdf












3. Daoust Lestage
Concept Statement: https://storage.googleapis.com/wzuku...0Statement.pdf
Design board: https://storage.googleapis.com/wzuku...%20Lestage.pdf






4. Dtah
Concept Statement: https://storage.googleapis.com/wzuku...0Statement.pdf
Design board:https://storage.googleapis.com/wzuku...compressed.pdf








5. Saucier and Perrotte
Concept Statement: https://storage.googleapis.com/wzuku...0Statement.pdf
Design board: https://storage.googleapis.com/wzuku...20Perrotte.pdf

[Kris22]

Originally Posted by Wpg_Guy

[B][SIZE="5"]

3. Daoust Lestage
Concept Statement: https://storage.googleapis.com/wzuku...0Statement.pdf
Design board: https://storage.googleapis.com/wzuku...%20Lestage.pdf

Can't say I'm thrilled they went with the one that is three identical boxes plunked down in a row. It's very commie block. Still a great development....just not interesting architecturally.

[Wpg_Guy]

Originally Posted by Kris22

Can't say I'm thrilled they went with the one that is three identical boxes plunked down in a row. It's very commie block. Still a great development....just not interesting architecturally.

The structures behind the residential building are not part of this development they are purely conceptual. That site will be developed later on when sold to private developers.

Obviously with CV acting as the developer budget retrains played a huge factor in this decision, I would like to see a more inspiring market building, its so small i question its viability are a true year round market, there doesn't appear to be enough space for many vendors in order to draw a critical mass of people from all over the city, i hope it doesn't end up just a glorified greenhouse like Vike implied.

[Kris22]

Originally Posted by Wpg_Guy

The structures behind the residential building are not part of this development they are purely conceptual. That site will be developed later on when sold to private developers.

Obviously with CV acting as the developer budget retrains played a huge factor in this decision, I would like to see a more inspiring market building, its so small i question its viability are a true year round market, there doesn't appear to be enough space for many vendors in order to draw a critical mass of people from all over the city, i hope it doesn't end up just a glorified greenhouse like Vike implied.

Okay so there's still a chance for more variety at the site then. Hopefully the design standards are held a little higher for the back portion. I am still having trouble hiding my disappointment. There is just NO visual interest. It is about as bland as can be. Not really the type of design you want at the heart of the exchange.

[drew]

Bottom left or top right would be my choices, in that order.

Middle top immediately reminded me of the Quest Inn on Ellice.

1x1 really needs to invest in a higher quality rendering software. It's a case of "one of these things just doesn't belong" when surrounded by the other proposals.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by drew

1x1 really needs to invest in a higher quality rendering software. It's a case of "one of these things just doesn't belong" when surrounded by the other proposals.

Very true. Their design is actually pretty intriguing when you look at it closely, but the rendering does a bad job of helping the viewer envision how it will look.

1x1 clearly needs to call up Ray Wan for a rendering studio hookup.

[EspionNoir]

All these designs are cutting edge imo. No long until the final choice selection!

I think some of the designs probably should put some more consideration into Winnipeg’s winter, but they are nice anyways. I can’t imagine how much such development is gonna transform the place..

It’s interesting that back in 1966 PSB was considered as the design of future. The fact that we are gonna overturn this “design of the future” just makes the project a even more milestone one. In this sense the chosen design should also be “the design of future”.

[Wpg_Guy]

I update page one with all the proposals. I really wouldn't be disappointed with any of them! In order i would go:

1. Dialog
2. Saucier+Perrotte
3. DTAH
4. DAOUST LESTAGE
5. 1x1

[drew]

Even though it isn't my favorite - I hope 1x1 is given some bonus points for local content.

It will ensure all the design is kept "in-house" so to speak, and most if not all of the tax payer money stays at home.

EDIT: that paint by numbers 1x1 render just doesn't do it justice. The more in depth details make it much more appealing.

[rrskylar]

It'll be interesting to see how many businesses survive the hacked in bike lanes in the exchange and market areas, huge detriment to the businesses for no good reason!

and more:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manit...qGo7OfeJyamDNs