Calgary's facades

[building babel]

I have merely pointed out the cheap trick populist appeal of rounded buildings, within the context of the condo world: they're an easy sell, as the moths on the Met thread prove*. The Met is the Pam Anderson ( or updated equivalent ) of the condo world - give off a few strong visual messages and the boys are craning their necks to see.

I'm not badmouthing curves per se, or people who are drawn to them, or setting up a heirarchy with straight lines ahead of the curve. They appear in buildings great and humble.

*as per:

CrazyCanuck07: "I'm envious of the people who own a round balcony"

Mike in TO: "I agree that the round balconies are very cool"

tudararms: "pretty!! and not a boring box either. more like this please."

astroboy100: "ah yeah cassiusa I didn't notice the sample balconies before. They do look great!"

DaninToronto2: "Wow that glass enclosed balcony looks fantastic."

Sir Novelty Fashion: "It could just be the colourful construction balconies that I love so much, but this could be that rare project that actively looks better than its rendering."

ganjavih: "It's really lookin' good. Whodathunk that nice condos don't have to be boxes?"

Ed007: "Round looks good from the outside but unless you have a really large unit the inside will be hard to furnish I would think."

tudararms: "Very pretty, and I love the flourish of the corner balconies."

Irishmunk: "Could we please have more of these curvy eye-catchers and fewer of the Clewes boxes?"

ganjavih: "I'm with you Irishmunk, sexy curves are long overdue."

Canuck36: "Curvy, glassy, urban ... nouveau Toronto-style?"

 

[Bogtrotter]

I don't see how a rounded approach to balconies and corners on a few buildings can be considered negative (a 'cheap trick'), which implies it's a gimmick to be used to sell to the uninformed public. Curves work aesthetically on some buildings and not so much for others, just as buildings with only straight lines and sharp angles can be horrible. P&G have incorporated curved lines on their MET building is a very pleasing way. Some other condos have not been as successful with the curvilinear- such as the waterclub towers on the waterfront.

However I definitely agree that there is a greater risk of disasterous designs with curviliear- you open the doors to all kinds of sculpted forms. But that doesn't mean it's a backward step to some of the historicist or post modern atrocities of the eighties. For example some of Foster's curvey, oblong, spherical forms are terrific. Hamzah and Yeang and Jean Nouvel are doing some marvelously fresh designs with all manner of curves and organic shapes. In my opinion these guys are among those leading the way in 21st century highrise designs. In this context, for me anyway, the successful incorporation of a few curves on the MET is a refreshing step forward for Toronto condos.

 

[interchange42]

jayomatic: thanks for posting all those pictures of cool-curvy-mystery-building, but could you tell us where that is, what it's called, and whodunit please?

curve-curious 42

 

[Archivistower]

I guess it's fair enough, and I will take you at your word that you aren't meaning to be disparaging (though I wonder about that). I'm been oddly aggressive lately, so I apologise for going overboard in responses. Of course, you would be aware that there are many gorgeous buildings that use curves to advantage.

I'd also love to know where jayo's building is. It's so pretty. Me likum dose curves.

 

[building babel]

You're beautiful when you're angry.

Jayo's building was in a glossy magazine a few months ago, but I forget which one. alklay seems to read them a lot so maybe he knows.

 

[jayomatic]

Its a mixed use building in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria. Its called the Woermann Tower and its done by the spanish firm of Abalos Herreros.

 

[alklay]

One can never get enough glossy architectural mags. Unfortunately, I get none. And yes, the use of curves by the leading European architects, like Foster etc, proves that present day modernism does not equal just straight lines.

 

[adma]

Of course, if you want an earlier phase of curve-bashing, think of Uno Prii's erstwhile rep as Toronto's Lapidus, as our own exponent of "Miami Beach" kitsch, etc. And modernist-purists might still claim that those who've Prii-habilitated his reputation are themselves suckers for cheap architectural tricks. etc. etc.

 

[mark simpson]

as the moths on the Met thread prove

and yet, barely a flutter for the Page + Steele standard curve