Arts Commons | 18m | 4s | City of Calgary | KPMB

trtcttc said:
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outoftheice said:
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I like it. I think it's the right balance of being big, but not overpowering. Something about the tapered look with round edges, but still simple shapes, seems appealing. It's trying to go for something "timeless" and leans into wood and glass which are safe, competent bets. That high, glass main floor is a big upgrade and will blend the lower floor of the building into the plaza space more visually.

Depending on how Olympic Plaza's design comes together, it could be a really cool space with good framing, something the current design totally sucks at by relying on concrete structures, slopes and steps instead of buildings to frame a major public square. I hope it comes together in the final design - do we know when Olympic Plaza designs are likely to be finalized and released?

My main concern is this seemingly back-of-house area at MacLeod and 7th Ave. It's concerning that they didn't show a rendering from that angle, makes me thing there will be no entrances and yet another truck access point, particularly concerning if they maintain the tiny parks depot.

I get it - trucks need to get places too, MacLeod already "sucks" so why bother - but it's across the street from the LRT station at that corner and in the pedestrian core of the city centre. Buildings need all 4 sides to be considered in this context, not 3. This is hardly an unsolvable problem - museums, cultural facilities and venues across the planet have figured out back-of-house issues like this before, if there's ever a place to figure it out in our context it's here.

I am sure they will do a good job with screens or visual blending to make the back-of-house less trashy, but it really should be the 2nd main entrance (with Olympic Plaza being the main) not a forgotten corner. When someone goes by on the train it should be super obvious this is a major public facility and be really welcomed from that direction to come in.

That said, my concern is just speculation - I won't know if this is a real issue until we get more details. Overall it's a great looking project in many ways.
 
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CBBarnett said:
My main concern is this seemingly back-of-house area at MacLeod and 7th Ave. It's concerning that they didn't show a rendering from that angle, makes me thing there will be no entrances and yet another truck access point, particularly concerning if they maintain the tiny parks depot.

I get it - trucks need to get places too, MacLeod already "sucks" so why bother - but it's across the street from the LRT station at that corner and in the pedestrian core of the city centre. Buildings need all 4 sides to be considered in this context, not 3. This is hardly an unsolvable problem - museums, cultural facilities and venues across the planet have figured out back-of-house issues like this before, if there's ever a place to figure it out in our context it's here.
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My guess is they chose Macleod, the least relevant programmable side of the 4, to serve as a "back of house" area. Unfortunately, compared to libraries, museums, ect... performing arts centres are more like arenas with the need for large scale loading/unloading frequently. There is no place to do a ramp, so you're stuck with at-grade
 
The building looks great! Although unfortunate to lose all those trees.
Now we await the redesign of Olympic Plaza which brings lots of questions. Assuming that space in the NW corner is loading space then the Parks work area is lost. Much of that will be underground in the new Plaza with only a small above ground footprint (Like at Central Memorial Park)... or the Parks folks will be all off site which means a lot of driving and parking of trucks on Stephen Ave south of the Plaza. Already it's not uncommon to see 6-10 City trucks/vans parked in the Plaza.
 
In short, I don’t like it.
If the placeholders shown for the plaza and rejuvenation of the existing building are any indication of what will be done, I say leave it as it is (at least on the outside).
The new building is meh for me - the massing is unpleasant to my eye and, as someone else said, it gives me Platform vibes.
 
It won't be dimensional lumber purchased at the Home Depot.

the whole thing from the building to the landscaping looks like a corporate head office in Northern Europe. I can't say if that's good enough.
 
The requisite Indigenous firm required to win any Municipal, Provincial, Federal design competition in our Reconciliation boom is harmless and provide jobs. This is a KPMB design. Alternatively, The Reconciliation naming and renaming boom creates nothing and wholly occupies the public sphere building resentment
 
Uhhhh, what? Reading a bit of National Civic Art Society advocacy? Perhaps down an algorithmic news consuming spiral?
 
That's a bold assertion. I wonder what it is based on? Actual travel and talking to people in all circles? (part 2)Following design competitions across Canada? (Part 1) Or, a presumptive self aggrandizing social justice ideology ignoring that people in an economic based society will act as people in an economic based society

Those are opinions based on my personal experiences and any offense conjuring up it as alt right propaganda is on you
 
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