[Jonovision]

Last night the Waterfront Development Corp. unveiled 3 different design concepts for 5080 George Street, where the Nova Scotia Crystal building now stands. Three separate firms were commissioned to come up with concepts for a new building and surrounding public space. The aim of the exercise was to generate ideas that will then be used to influence the final design for the site.

Breakhouse/TEAL

https://my-waterfront.ca/concepts/images/01_BREAKTEAL.jpg

https://my-waterfront.ca/concepts/images/02_BREAKTEAL.jpg

https://my-waterfront.ca/concepts/images/03_BREAKTEAL.jpg

Ekistics

https://my-waterfront.ca/concepts/images/01_EKISTICS.jpg

https://my-waterfront.ca/concepts/images/02_EKISTICS.jpg

https://my-waterfront.ca/concepts/images/03_EKISTICS.jpg

WHW

https://my-waterfront.ca/concepts/images/01_WHW.jpg

https://my-waterfront.ca/concepts/images/02_WHW.jpg

https://my-waterfront.ca/concepts/images/03_WHW.jpg

You can give your feedback to WDCL at http://www.my-waterfront.ca/concepts/

[DigitalNinja]

I like the Ekistics one the best. I think it's a very unique design.

[beyeas]

I like the Ekistics one the best. I think it's a very unique design.

Yeah I agree.

Very hard to evaluate the WHW one because it was the least detailed. Regardless, on gut reaction alone I liked the Ekistics one.

[halifaxboyns]

1 and 3 were my favs.

[halifaxboyns]

Development ideas take shape
Corporation unveils three waterfront designs
By PAT LEE Staff Reporter
Fri, Jun 10 - 4:54 AM

The Waterfront Development Corp. wants to hear from you.

The provincial Crown agency has commissioned three visions for redevelopment of Halifax waterfront land at the foot of George Street and at the Cable Wharf and Chebucto Landing, and it wants public input on the proposals.

The submissions, unveiled Thursday night in a public meeting at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, are not intended to be the final designs but were commissioned to glean ideas, which a subsequent winning bidder will then incorporate into the project.

Colin MacLean, president of the corporation, says the development means a lot to downtown Halifax and his agency wants to get it right.

"We think this is a very, very significant piece of the waterfront," he said after the design concepts were unveiled.

"It’s important to get it right because it’s where people from all over the world visit every year."

The area is also in the heart of the traditional financial district and the seat of government, MacLean said.

The corporation sought three designs — submitted by Halifax firms Breakhouse/TEAL, Ekistics Planning & Design and WHW Architects — in order to explore the sites’ potential for commercial, residential or other uses.

"We engaged these three people to turn their attention to what are the possibilities on the site, so we could have the right kind of development," MacLean said. "We want to ask the public, both tonight and on our website, how to get the elements right."

The firms came up with everything from giant light projections, to a rooftop bar in a blueberry patch, to an urban estuary.

"Tonight is about ideas," MacLean said.

The public is asked to check out the designs and add their comments until July 7 at www.my-waterfront.ca.

[someone123]

I really hope this signifies that the WDC will start to pick up the pace downtown. They should be pursuing the development of this lot, the Cunard lot, and the Salter lot simultaneously.

If they try to find developers to build modest buildings like this they should be able to fill the holes in a very short period.

It's ridiculous how this prime land has sat underdeveloped for so many decades. What a waste!

[beyeas]

I really hope this signifies that the WDC will start to pick up the pace downtown. They should be pursuing the development of this lot, the Cunard lot, and the Salter lot simultaneously.

It's ridiculous how this prime land has sat underdeveloped for so many decades.

Yeah my hope is that with them having appointed a new head of WDC not that long ago, that he is responsible for pushing things like this. I remember him saying when he got the position that he himself thought that lots had sat there undeveloped for too long.

I think it is great if they go through public consultation etc like this, and then help a future developer of a project have a hopefully smoother go of it down the road.

EDIT: Actually I a wrong... it wasn't a new head. Might just have been when they appointment one of the new board members that I remember them making comments along those lines.

[Phalanx]

I think I like the Breakhouse/TEAL concept the best, with the WHW concept a close second.

The Ekistics concept just looked good, but a little to monolithic for the site from one side (Perspective 7), and way too piecemeal and bunker-ish on the other (perspective 5).

[someone123]

Not sure which design I prefer.

The landscaping is extremely important in this area. It would be great to bring the water in a little bit and have interesting little bridges, steps down, etc. It would also be great to see a decent public square/plaza centred on the clock. Right now it's a (very slightly) glorified parking lot.

The clock itself could stand to be redone almost completely. I think the actual timepiece is from the 1700s but most of the rest is very 1990s Mickey Mouse looking. It looks like a joke next to buildings like the old Post Office or Dominion building.

[halifaxboyns]

I think I like the Breakhouse/TEAL concept the best, with the WHW concept a close second.

The Ekistics concept just looked good, but a little to monolithic for the site from one side (Perspective 7), and way too piecemeal and bunker-ish on the other (perspective 5).

It looked like something out of the Stalen era of Soviet Russia lol.

[fenwick16]

I like the Ekistics model. There is quite a bit of concrete but that is what the HRM_by_Design manual seems to prefer over glass (it stores the heat from the day and releases it at night when cooler, it won't kill as many birds by reflecting the sky, and it is probably more energy efficient than glass also.

I wouldn't consider it to be a brutalistic design - but I haven't studied architecture (so I don't really know how to categorize it).

[Keith P.]

The Ekistics concept just looked good, but a little to monolithic for the site from one side (Perspective 7), and way too piecemeal and bunker-ish on the other (perspective 5).

I agree. My first thought was that of a naval vessel that had been beached.

I am fairly unimpressed with any of them. If I had to pick one I guess it would be Breakhouse but that would be under duress.

Why is this being done - to develop the parking lot?

All well and good, but the single greatest thing one could do to improve that part of town would be to demolish the LAw Courts and fix that terrible development.

[fenwick16]

I have always liked the Law Courts Building, especially the pedestrian bridge. The building itself looks quite impressive even though it isn't overly tall.

PS: Here is the Bing Map link (http://www.bing.com/maps/explore/#/kfkwrgbkq307h8fk) to the Law Courts Building.

[eastcoastal]

The TEAL/Breakhouse one is my favourite - easily. I really like the site plan, with retail on both sides of the open space.

The Ekistiks one seems a little 70's retro and not really reflective of the development's time and place... actually it is pretty nautical (per Keith's comments comparing it to a beached naval vessel), but doesn't seem of this era. I feel it's pretty oppressive looking.

I can't tell enough about the WHW proposal. My guess is that the massing is decent, but finishes could kill it.

[WestEndHali]

I think I like the Breakhouse/TEAL concept the best, with the WHW concept a close second.

The Ekistics concept just looked good, but a little to monolithic for the site from one side (Perspective 7), and way too piecemeal and bunker-ish on the other (perspective 5).

I have to agree with Phalanx, the Ekistics renderings are a little cold or drab. I find the Breakhouse/Teal concept the most appealing, but still more could be done with it; especially from the George st side. The pedestrian walkway over George St is an interesting idea and may add some symmetry and foot traffic to the existing one over Lower Water.

[halifaxboyns]

Found this and damn near put my hand through the monitor...

Bargain with the devil

Why do I feel that the Waterfront Development Corporation is attempting to control public opinion by inviting comments on proposed new buildings on the Halifax waterfront (June 17)?

We are being invited to voice our opinion on proposed, unimaginative box-like structures that obviously have the objective of utilizing our waterfront as a money-making machine.

It is a bargain with the devil.

The natural beauty of the harbour, with its history and majesty, in return for industrial cubes designed to produce revenue for a bureaucratic organization with a vague agenda.

More spin from our unelected bureaucrats with mindless plans for our future.

Will the tourist industry survive these blights?

Peter McCurdy, Halifax

[someone123]

Money-making machine? He means like the hugely popular Bishop's Landing, NS Crystal, the Farmers' Market? The things that cruise ship tourists spend 75% of their time looking at?

I don't know why so many in Halifax (a minority but a bigger one than I've seen anywhere else in Canada) think that anything that generates wealth for somebody is corrupt and hurts the public. It's very infrequent that they offer up feasible alternatives.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Ugh, this sort of commentary implies that the public doesn't want anything on this land. I mean, Point Pleasant is completely open to the water for free, etc etc.

Why do these people get to speak on behalf of the supposed deprived public?

They really like how unprotected lower water is from the wind eh?

[Jstaleness]

Anyone have anything new to add to this? I see that the bell tower thing has been removed.

[DigitalNinja]

This is from the website:

"The designers WDCL chose were Ekistics Planning and Design, WHW Architects and a team from Breakhouse and TEAL Architects."

Should see some newer renderings soon, I wish we still had the old ones, they were taken down.

[someone123]

They still have this overhead view:

http://my-waterfront.ca/cms/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/George-ST-Cable-Wharf.jpeg
Source (http://my-waterfront.ca/halifax/development-halifax)

Looks like a nice balance of buildings and public open space. I hope we see some higher quality materials like granite blocks and a continuation of the wooden boardwalk theme. The gravel/concrete semi-parking area that is there now is low quality, unattractive, and unsuitable for what could be a prime waterfront public space right by the heart of the city.

The pool (5) is a cool feature and could be great. It is a lot more interesting when there's more of an interaction between the boardwalk and water, with some little inlets and bridges, than when you just have a long, straight path with water on one side.

[ScovaNotian]

The presentation from Teal Architects is here (http://www.tealarchitects.com/sites/default/files/cablewharf.pdf).

[teddifax]

Went in on the site and it looks amazing, here is a part of it...
Waterfront: Halifax
Project Start Date: Spring 2013

On June 14, 2012, Waterfront Development briefed the HRM Design Review Committee on the proposed Cunard Block on the Southern Waterfront District.

Please see presentation for more information: Presentation