Kitchener's Civic District is an urban planning disaster: acres of parking, windswept plazas, hideous modern architectural failures - true the revamped library is nice but it's gotta go when the city is amalgamated with Waterloo and Cambridge forming the City of Grand River. And while the acoustics are great at Centre in the Square it's very dated.. The block is bounded by Queen St North/Ellen St/Frederick/Weber Street.
Last weekend the University of Waterloo school of architecture and KW art gallery ran a design charrette envisioning a revitalized civic district. Inspired by the challenge I'm working on my vision: Berlin Square c.2050. The red buildings are mixed use office/retail; white - residential/retail; blue/transparent - 3 heritage buildings in Berlin Square proper including the Registry building. Heights between 4 and 16 storeys, up to 3000 residential units - 30% affordable housing.
facades facing Berlin Square
Phase 2: the Frederick/Lancaster/Weber triangle.