Canadian Library Thread - Page 7

kwoldtimer · #**121** Posted **Jan 22, 2022, 3:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhipperSnapper

Funny you guys brought up Calgary. I find this one looks like a cheap version of Calgarys. I don't find cheap. It's just unfortunate how it looks inspired from Calgary's design.

Why "unfortunate"? Calgary's library is pretty impressive.

Nouvellecosse · #**122** Posted **Jan 22, 2022, 4:41 PM**

The Saskatoon library looks really good. Although that white brick worries me because I've seen too many examples of it not aging or weathering well in Canada's climate, particularly in Montreal's outer urban and inner suburban zones.

davidivivid · #**123** Posted **Jan 22, 2022, 5:05 PM**

Quebec City's central Library in St-Roch is currently closed because it is undergoing a much needed 40M$ renovation/expansion:

https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle...-gabrielle-roy

https://monsaintroch.com/2022/chanti...ns-saint-roch/

http://saucierperrotte.com/projets/b...gabrielle-roy/

J.OT13 · #**124** Posted **Jan 24, 2022, 4:17 PM**

Quite the transformation. Almost a complete rebuild.

JustForTheHalibut · #**125** Posted **Jan 26, 2022, 5:01 PM**

^ amazing Quebec city renovation!

I kind of like the renovation of the award winning design new Milner Central Library in Edmonton,
The Library is the same size as the Calgary Central Library, at a quarter the cost and it has immediate access to LRT like the Calgary one, and the new one being built in Ottawa.

https://www.fastepp.com/news/2020/09...rom-the-ncsea/

https://www.commarch.com/news/2021/a...-community-fo/

https://nicelocal.ca/edmonton/entert...ilner_library/

J.OT13 · #**126** Posted **Jan 26, 2022, 6:28 PM**

Milner is usually presented as an example of utter failure in execution and design, but from the angle you posted, it doesn't look half bad. The interior seems decent as well.

Here's another more flattering shot of the structure from one of the links you posted.

Those types of awards often seem bogus. Claridge Icon won two awards from The Greater Ottawa Home Builder's Association design awards even though the layouts are terrible, the balconies are badly executed and incomplete and the overall design is a ultra budget version of the original design. Occupancy was supposed to be August 2017 but that only happened partially so far for the first 20 floors in November 2021, and those condo owners don't have access to their balconies due to the cheap incomplete railings.

esquire · #**127** Posted **Jan 26, 2022, 6:29 PM**

^ Ha, I was just thinking that was probably the most flattering picture of the Milner's exterior that I've ever seen.

The Milner was never much of a looker. Even in its original iteration it wasn't especially awesome. At least it didn't look like a tin shed in those days, though. Even by the 90s it was getting worse when the City of Edmonton slapped a mismatched little retail arcade on the front of it.

O-tacular · #**128** Posted **Jan 26, 2022, 9:49 PM**

Never thought I’d see anyone brag about the Milner but there’s a first time for everything I guess. Also wanted to correct the claim that Calgary’s library doesn’t connect to the lrt. The trains run directly under the building and the station is right outside across the street.

MolsonExport · #**129** Posted **Jan 26, 2022, 10:35 PM**

another angle of Edmonton's library:

and here is another:

JHikka · #**130** Posted **Jan 26, 2022, 11:14 PM**

I ventured out to North York Central Library a week or so ago. Originally opened in 1986 and designed by Moriyama and Teshima, it features a seven story atrium. It received a renovation between 2016-2018.

Before

After

I think I still prefer Reference Library but NYCL is a nice place to get some work done.

jamincan · #**131** Posted **Jan 27, 2022, 12:29 AM**

I definitely prefer the after, but are all the plain white/grey colour-schemes that are all the rage right now going to look like the teal and pink colour schemes of the late 80s/early 90s?

esquire · #**132** Posted **Jan 27, 2022, 1:51 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JHikka

I ventured out to North York Central Library a week or so ago. Originally opened in 1986 and designed by Moriyama and Teshima, it features a seven story atrium. It received a renovation between 2016-2018.

Never seen this one before. Both the before and after look amazing.

Peggerino · #**133** Posted **Jan 27, 2022, 5:11 AM**

Wow that's quite the upgrade. It went from looking like shitty suburban shopping mall to a European university library.

WhipperSnapper · #**134** Posted **Jan 27, 2022, 2:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

Why "unfortunate"? Calgary's library is pretty impressive.

For the reasons I wrote. It's a competent design on its own. However, it looks like a cheap version of Calgarys by comparsion (and, I'm fairly confident it will be compared)

WhipperSnapper · #**135** Posted **Jan 27, 2022, 2:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamincan

I definitely prefer the after, but are all the plain white/grey colour-schemes that are all the rage right now going to look like the teal and pink colour schemes of the late 80s/early 90s?

The white on white colour scheme is already seeing some backlash with bold coloured kitchen cabinets. I do think it has more staying power than the rose and teal. Greenery was a huge thing in 1980s/1990s trends. This new minimalistic white trend doesn't like it. It's unfortunate.

I guess the budget didn't allow the replacement of the main floor tile.

WhipperSnapper · #**136** Posted **Jan 27, 2022, 2:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

another angle of Edmonton's library:

and here is another:

USS Iowa is awesome

MonkeyRonin · #**137** Posted **Jan 27, 2022, 3:22 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JHikka

I ventured out to North York Central Library a week or so ago. Originally opened in 1986 and designed by Moriyama and Teshima, it features a seven story atrium. It received a renovation between 2016-2018.

Before

After

I think I still prefer Reference Library but NYCL is a nice place to get some work done.

This hit me right in the nostalgia. Spent a lot of time there as a kid, though I haven't been back in years or really even given it much thought - but the first photo is exactly how I remember it. Somewhat sad to see the renovations - it's been stripped of some of its essential PoMo character.

WhipperSnapper · #**138** Posted **Jan 27, 2022, 4:11 PM**

Yeah, the spaces I spent so much time in as I kid were in a late 1970s addition beside the original Library that has now been demolished for a vastly superior addition. It's still sad.

niwell · #**139** Posted **Jan 27, 2022, 4:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhipperSnapper

USS Iowa is awesome

Yes, the Iowa class battleships are gorgeous - an insult to the designers to compare them to the Edmonton library!

Got to visit the Missouri when we were in Hawaii right before COVID whichwas fantastic. Ended up paying extra for the guided tour to places normally off-limits which is definitely worth it. Would be cooler if they were still in the WWII configuration but still quite the experience (obviously lots of stuff is still largely 1940s vintage).

JHikka · #**140** Posted **Jan 27, 2022, 5:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonkeyRonin

This hit me right in the nostalgia. Spent a lot of time there as a kid, though I haven't been back in years or really even given it much thought - but the first photo is exactly how I remember it. Somewhat sad to see the renovations - it's been stripped of some of its essential PoMo character.

This might just be how it works for me but I find it much easier to work, read, or study in a space with muted colours compared to...whatever they had going on in the 80s. I'm sure there's some psychology behind everything being blank and white and glass.