Why does Ottawa lack quality Architecture Firms?

[goodcitywhenfinished]

It seems that the best buildings being put up as of late in Ottawa are from Montreal based firms like Neuf or large corporate firms like Perkins and HOK. My question is where is Ottawa's local design talent?

It just doesnt make sense considering Carleton is a relatively good school where grads regularly get placement at "starchitecture" offices all over the world.

As far as award winning practices Winnipeg has 546 and Public City, the Halifax area has Omar Gandhi and Mackay Lyons Sweetapple + many other talented firms that have come out of Dalhousie, in Calgary there is MODA, Hindle, and Marc Boutin

It seems to me that this is not a question of having a hot real estate market or being a large city. Rather, there is something else at play here.

[rocketphish]

Originally Posted by goodcitywhenfinished

It seems that the best buildings being put up as of late in Ottawa are from Montreal based firms like Neuf or large corporate firms like Perkins and HOK. My question is where is Ottawa's local design talent?

It just doesnt make sense considering Carleton is a relatively good school where grads regularly get placement at "starchitecture" offices all over the world.

As far as award winning practices Winnipeg has 546 and Public City, the Halifax area has Omar Gandhi and Mackay Lyons Sweetapple + many other talented firms that have come out of Dalhousie, in Calgary there is MODA, Hindle, and Marc Boutin

It seems to me that this is not a question of having a hot real estate market or being a large city. Rather, there is something else at play here.

I think we've had this discussion before. Very few Ottawa developers are willing to pay for implementing great architecture because the demand isn't usually there to support it. We aren't a city of deep-pocketed condo buyers looking for a premium address. The constant value engineering we see here attests to this, I think.

[Harley613]

RLA recycling the same design with subtle variations over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again must be too much of a value proposition for lazy careless Ottawa developers.

[goodcitywhenfinished]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

I think we've had this discussion before. Very few Ottawa developers are willing to pay for implementing great architecture because the demand isn't usually there to support it. We aren't a city of deep-pocketed condo buyers looking for a premium address. The constant value engineering we see here attests to this, I think.

Halifax and Winnipeg are not cities of particularly deep-pocketed buyers either, yet there has been a resurgance of thoughtfully designed mixed use residential projects by local architects in both cities.

There is definitely opportunity here with huge amounts of federal land set to be redeveloped in the next 20 years. Its just a shame most of it is being designed by Toronto and Montreal firms while Ottawa's design scene remains relatively stunted.

Though I am happy to see KPMB and Diamond Schmitt designing these large scale projects rather than RLA thats for sure.

[bartlebooth]

It's a great question and something I've tried to understand for a while. I don't think there's an easy answer (e.g. bad developers, no talent). There are a combination of factors - young and talented architects won't stay here, city has endless layers of bureaucracy, developers are bad, citizens are risk averse and cheap, city's over-reliance on feds to take lead on supplying cultural infrastructure, etc.... There's a culture of bad design that is a consequence of all of these things. And it's not limited to just architecture. Ottawa is a black hole of design talent in pretty much all fields. That's not to say there aren't any good architects or designers in the city. There are good people here doing good work but the examples are few and far between. Not sure how to fix it. I guess that's the million dollar question.

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by bartlebooth

It's a great question and something I've tried to understand for a while. I don't think there's an easy answer (e.g. bad developers, no talent). There are a combination of factors - young and talented architects won't stay here, city has endless layers of bureaucracy, developers are bad, citizens are risk averse and cheap, city's over-reliance on feds to take lead on supplying cultural infrastructure, etc.... There's a culture of bad design that is a consequence of all of these things. And it's not limited to just architecture. Ottawa is a black hole of design talent in pretty much all fields. That's not to say there aren't any good architects or designers in the city. There are good people here doing good work but the examples are few and far between. Not sure how to fix it. I guess that's the million dollar question.

Your comment extends far beyond architecture and architects. It is comment about a civic malaise in an environment dominated by bureaucracy and bureaucrats. Ottawa has a high quality of life despite this, but its urban form and amenities have suffered greatly. There are many examples of those who have used the bureaucracy to prevent Ottawa from moving to the next level. Lansdowne was one that thankfully visionaries won. The Botanical Gardens was one lost to people who refused to look beyond their own narrow interests.

[TransitZilla]

I’m not an expert on the architecture industry, but:

Linebox?
Hobin?
Simmonds?
GRC?


Why not take a look and appreciate what’s out there instead of just hand wringing?

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by goodcitywhenfinished

Halifax and Winnipeg are not cities of particularly deep-pocketed buyers either, yet there has been a resurgance of thoughtfully designed mixed use residential projects by local architects in both cities.

There is definitely opportunity here with huge amounts of federal land set to be redeveloped in the next 20 years. Its just a shame most of it is being designed by Toronto and Montreal firms while Ottawa's design scene remains relatively stunted.

Though I am happy to see KPMB and Diamond Schmitt designing these large scale projects rather than RLA thats for sure.

The buyers are the same or broker but those cities have much more hometown pride. I think buyers outside of prestige projects in the true world class cities don't really pay the cost of great architecture it's more about developer pride. In Halifax you know you'll get comments at parties for years about an ugly project. The leading developers in Ottawa seem to have absolutely no pride. I mean it's easy to criticize but does Claridge for example even argue they are doing anything but value engineering projects?

[J.OT13]

Definitely the developers. We've seen good designs from even RLA, so it's not the architects' fault. It's not like developers are making less money in Ottawa. We have one of the most expensive market in Canada both in terms of condos and rentals.

Interesting goodcitywhenfinished that you mention Neuf, who have done quite a bit of mediocre to terrible work for Claridge in Ottawa. That's another proof that it's the developers, not the architects.

[YukonLlama]

I think in general, there is a lack of interest from the public in Ottawa as well. After living here for a few years and meeting a bunch of locals, I find a lot of people who were born here or choose to live here long-term like that, it has a "small-town" feel and is fairly safe in its architecture. Likewise, people moving from other parts are most interested in the "affordable" detached homes and secure jobs Ottawa likes to offer. So I think in many ways, developers are still catering to this tone; the apartments/condos are really only seen as temporary housing for students/interns/young professionals and not as proper long-term assets that could diversify its populace or add to the city's feel and community. People who move from big cities will eventually move back and those who want to truly fit into "Ottawa culture" will eventually buy a nice detached home or townhome in the suburbs to live out their existence. There seems to be no in-between and minimal interest in creating one.

[J.OT13]

What frustrates me the most is that we don't get discount prices for the discount designs. Montreal developers generally offer far better architecture, yet rents and condo prices are lower.