General Construction Updates

[Always_Biking]

View attachment 102421 So MacKimmie Tower and Block redevelopment was funded in the provincial budget last week. $250 million+

The image comes from the 2010 Concept Design Report, and has probably changed greatly as there has been another year of planning with major funding, planned uses have changed a fair bit, and that the outside never had a real render. Report Link Info on the buildings

So they are planning to re-clad the buildings. not a bad idea IMO.

 

[UrbanWarrior]

MacKimmie certainly needs it. Work is already underway on the other tower that looks sorta like MacKimmie at U of C.

 

[Mountain Man]

As long s they don't use very cheap, industrial looking curtain wall it should be an improvement.

 

[BKha]

The rendering makes it look like nice big panels of transparent glass. I wonder if that's what we'll get in the end.

 

[maestro]

I doubt it. I don't care too much for it even if it was accurate. The current design has character. Swapping out the curtainwall glass for a modern high quality look while keeping the precast or the look of the precast would be much more interesting than just glass.

 

[darwink]

I doubt it. I don't care too much for it even if it was accurate. The current design has character. Swapping out the curtainwall glass for a modern high quality look while keeping the precast or the look of the precast would be much more interesting than just glass.

The precast is falling off both the MacKimmie building and Social Sciences. MacKimmie has to taken back to the bones as it never even met the 1960s building code, even though the phases were completed in 62, 64, 72. In 1975 the block was re-skinned as the original more international modernist outside was failing.

http://www.ucalgary.ca/news/utoday/june17-2013/mackimmie-tower-construction-update

http://www.ucalgarycelebrates.ca/storylines/changing-face-campus

http://contentdm.ucalgary.ca/cdm/singleitem/collection/uc50/id/2083/rec/7

The original interior of the link was a looker:

http://contentdm.ucalgary.ca/cdm/singleitem/collection/uc50/id/2012/rec/1

 

[Beltline_B]

Totally agree with you, that lobby was a beaut and would still fit in today. If done today it might actually look ahead of its time.

 

[Silence&Motion]

Thanks for the historical images.

In general I loathe the current trend of erasing mid-century architecture through re-cladding (see 401 Bay and Sutton Place in Toronto for a couple egregious examples). When it comes to MacKimmie, though, I won't be too sad. In fact, the renderings make it look more like the building's original international style facade.

 

[UrbanWarrior]

I'll just be happy for one of the tallest buildings at my school to finally look modern. The closest thing we have is the ICT Building, but it's only like 6 storeys.

 

[darwink]

I'll just be happy for one of the tallest buildings at my school to finally look modern. The closest thing we have is the ICT Building, but it's only like 6 storeys.

The building can support more floors as well. No final design, so who knows. Likely only the tower footprint stays fixed.

 

[Surrealplaces]

Love those old pics of the building. That lobby was really quite cool back in its time!

 

[BKha]

Interesting to click on that link and look back at those photos look back at those photos. You can see the huge different at least in the greenery. That part of Calgary was bald ass prairie back then.

The precast is falling off both the MacKimmie building and Social Sciences. MacKimmie has to taken back to the bones as it never even met the 1960s building code, even though the phases were completed in 62, 64, 72. In 1975 the block was re-skinned as the original more international modernist outside was failing.

http://www.ucalgary.ca/news/utoday/june17-2013/mackimmie-tower-construction-update

 

[maestro]

The precast is falling off both the MacKimmie building and Social Sciences. MacKimmie has to taken back to the bones as it never even met the 1960s building code, even though the phases were completed in 62, 64, 72. In 1975 the block was re-skinned as the original more international modernist outside was failing.

http://www.ucalgary.ca/news/utoday/june17-2013/mackimmie-tower-construction-update

http://www.ucalgarycelebrates.ca/storylines/changing-face-campus

View attachment 102588
http://contentdm.ucalgary.ca/cdm/singleitem/collection/uc50/id/2083/rec/7

The original interior of the link was a looker:
View attachment 102589
http://contentdm.ucalgary.ca/cdm/singleitem/collection/uc50/id/2012/rec/1

Thanks. I thought that might be the case. No one goes through an expensive reclad as a vanity project. That is why I left it to recreating the current look. It's not great by any means but, this reclad as proposed is a complete bore.

 

[darwink]

The rendering is also a 7 yearold sketchup drawing. I wouldn't draw much from it. The university has to target at least LEED Silver I believe.

 

[Beltline_B]

If the reclad turned out exactly like the rendering, I would be happy. I don't find it a bore at all, those nice big glass windows look great.

Like Darwink said though, its an older conceptual drawing.

Thanks. I thought that might be the case. No one goes through an expensive reclad as a vanity project. That is why I left it to recreating the current look. It's not great by any means but, this reclad as proposed is a complete bore.