Nari | 24m | 6s | FAAS Architecture

[manshakesfistatcloud]

Strangely, this doesn’t seem to bother me. Maybe I got desensitized by driving by “the hub” for years. Or maybe I was dropped on my head too often as a child.

 

[UrbanWarrior]

The purple rectangles was a joke. The original renders are what’s actually proposed, just in case people don’t realize

 

[Silence&Motion]

Haha serious question here, but is the random rectangles a uniquely Calgary trend? Or are other cities plagued with this too?

You see some of this in Toronto, but it's more subtle and limited mostly to the early 2010s. (Example 1, Example 2)

I think in Calgary, the random rectangles are an attempt to use ostentatious design to distract from the crappy materials builders tend to use (aluminum siding, hardie board, etc.).

I would guess random rectangles are probably pretty common in any city that has a lot of cheap 5-over-1 development.

 

[Surrealplaces]

I think in Calgary, the random rectangles are an attempt to use ostentatious design to distract from the crappy materials builders tend to use (aluminum siding, hardie board, etc.).

When buildings have cheap paneling materials it doesn't look good all one color. Although the random rectangles don't really look better. The only real solution is better materials.

I've noticed in Toronto they generally use better materials, is it because they are for purchase rather than rental?

 

[adamyyc]

More stringent building design standards/guidelines?

 

[haltcatchfire]

More ego.

 

[Silence&Motion]

When buildings have cheap paneling materials it doesn't look good all one color. Although the random rectangles don't really look better. The only real solution is better materials.

I've noticed in Toronto they generally use better materials, is it because they are for purchase rather than rental?

I've also wondered this too. I have two guesses. One is historical. It's an older city with a history of using stone and brick. Even the sketchiest suburban apartment complexes are usually clad in brick. I think that creates a precedent for developers. How are you going to sell units in a building that looks like the cheapest, crappiest thing in the neighbourhood?

The other is just the economics of development in Toronto. Land costs more. Properties sell for more. Using higher quality materials will be cheaper relative to the overall cost of development.

Again, these are just guesses.

 

[Surrealplaces]

I've also wondered this too. I have two guesses. One is historical. It's an older city with a history of using stone and brick. Even the sketchiest suburban apartment complexes are usually clad in brick. I think that creates a precedent for developers. How are you going to sell units in a building that looks like the cheapest, crappiest thing in the neighbourhood?

The other is just the economics of development in Toronto. Land costs more. Properties sell for more. Using higher quality materials will be cheaper relative to the overall cost of development.

Again, these are just guesses.

That makes sense to me, and is what I've always kind of suspected. You go to places like London, NYC. Vancouver, Toronto. etc.. where housing costs are high and it's really only a minor cost change (relative to the overall sales prices) to go with good materials. I like the Urban Toronto thread for Multiplexes. Every design seems to be different and almost all are working with nice materials. It's a good thread to check out to get an idea of what's out there.

Part of it could be rental vs purchase, as some of the earlier for purchase condos in Calgary had better materials than the more recent rental towers.