Urban Development and Proposals Discussion

[Silence&Motion]

It's interesting how these neighbourhood distinctions change over time. The area around MacLeod was originally planned as Calgary's civic centre. That's why you have all the brutalist/pseudo-brutalist institutional buildings along this stretch, including Harry Hays in the North, the CBE, old central library, US consulate, etc. Obviously it never really cohered into an actual district, probably because it's centred on a one-way car sewer and the unfortunate architectural trends at the time. And now many of the government functions have fled to other areas. Edmonton was much more successful in creating a coherent civic centre around Churchill Square.

 

[Roaring Flames]

I'm Interested in knowing what will happen to the old brutalist CBE headquarters and the Family of Man statues. It might be cool to have the building renovated and reopened as an art gallery like the Centennial Planetarium was along with a new entrance with the statues at the centre.

 

[darwink]

I'm Interested in knowing what will happen to the old brutalist CBE headquarters and the Family of Man statues. It might be cool to have the building renovated and reopened as an art gallery like the Centennial Planetarium was along with a new entrance with the statues at the centre.

I remember seeing drawings done up for a conversion to a museum of some kind - I don't think it was a student project or spec work.

 

[Mountain Man]

The former CBE is going to get demolished one day soon.

 

[O-tac]

The former CBE is going to get demolished one day soon.

Too bad. One of the more interesting brutalist buildings we have.

 

[UrbanWarrior]

I'd say it's the most interesting/nice brutalist structure we have, by a considerable margin.

 

[O-tac]

The Planetarium is cool too. But for classic examples of the style done well CBE is definitely top tier.

 

[CT (Chinese_T)]

It really is a beautiful building.
just needs some trees

Edit:
Came across this while looking for those pics
Does anyone know what it is/was for? Looks to me like a case study

 

[O-tac]

Interesting find with that concept. That would be amazing. I'm sure we'll get something unimaginative like a twin point tower block though. Maybe quadruplets. They even did a second concept:

SPECTACLE / Educational Oversight

Calgary Canada Architect Spectacle Bureau for Architecture and Urbanism

www.spectacle-bureau.com

Also from that website was this concept for the Badlands motorsport resort. I thought that died on the vine years ago. Here's hoping it stays dead. That area is beautiful and bucolic and would be ruined by such a development.

SPECTACLE / Badlands Motorsports Resort

Calgary Canada Architect Spectacle Bureau for Architecture and Urbanism

www.spectacle-bureau.com

 

[retrofiturbanism]

I hate brutalism. Hate, hate, hate it. But we should preserve the CBE building. It is a unique building and should be preserved. Density bonus the crap out of it and build a massive tower next to it.

 

[Surrealplaces]

I don't care for brutalism either, except in a few cases. If it's a small unique use type building like the Planetarium, I'm fine with it but I don't generally like it for larger buildings. Generally beton brut buildings are quite hostile to the public realm, cold and uninviting.

 

[Social Justice]

The former CBE is going to get demolished one day soon.

I hope not! I wish the province or someone else would convert it into a post-secondary institution.

 

[UrbanWarrior]

With the original fountain it had, and the way the grounds were beautifully kept at first, this thing could be restored to a really beautiful public space on the exterior, and a cool institutional space inside.

 

[haltcatchfire]

Seems like the perfect Quarantine District.

 

[Rollerstud98]

Seems like the perfect Quarantine District.

Fence is already up!