Drake 17

[WhipperSnapper]

It's decent from an urban design standpoint however, the architecture is pretty crap even for average infill. The tower like something built in North York Centre or Mississauga five years ago not that design has taken off in either of these centres. Liberty's masterplanned Thornhill City Centre comes to mind as well.

[DizzyEdge]

Yeah but when much of the views calgary look like this

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sour...19.97,,0,-4.21

Drake looks pretty damned good.

[elconsulto]

Originally Posted by WhipperSnapper

It's decent from an urban design standpoint however, the architecture is pretty crap even for average infill. The tower like something built in North York Centre or Mississauga five years ago not that design has taken off in either of these centres. Liberty's masterplanned Thornhill City Centre comes to mind as well.

As a prospective architecture student, I'm curious as to what you would change about it?

I personally would change the podium, make it 4-5 stories, make it more open to the street, i.e. take away the fence and foliage, the tower does lack an any distinctive or indelible characteristics, but I don't think that's an issue given the area and budget.

[fusili]

Originally Posted by elconsulto

As a prospective architecture student, I'm curious as to what you would change about it?

I personally would change the podium, make it 4-5 stories, make it more open to the street, i.e. take away the fence and foliage, the tower does lack an any distinctive or indelible characteristics, but I don't think that's an issue given the area and budget.

Ah, architecture students, making completely uneconomic decisions since 1940. No offence, but tearing down a 3 storey apartment and replacing it with a 4-5 storey building will never be economical. The land value in the Beltline pretty much dictates that any infill will have to be a fairly substantial size.

[Reesonov]

^ I presume he was referring specifically to the podium.

[elconsulto]

Originally Posted by fusili

Ah, architecture students, making completely uneconomic decisions since 1940. No offence, but tearing down a 3 storey apartment and replacing it with a 4-5 storey building will never be economical. The land value in the Beltline pretty much dictates that any infill will have to be a fairly substantial size.

By "Make it 4-5 stories" I actually meant "change the number of floors of the podium", not the height of the tower itself.



The tower on the left is roughly the same height as this project, but has more floors devoted to the podium (i'm sure you've read about this). I think this is a better look for 17th Ave.

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally Posted by elconsulto

As a prospective architecture student, I'm curious as to what you would change about it?

I personally would change the podium, make it 4-5 stories, make it more open to the street, i.e. take away the fence and foliage, the tower does lack an any distinctive or indelible characteristics, but I don't think that's an issue given the area and budget.

It's not a long podium and perhaps the townhouse make more sense here than a four to five storey street wall. My biggest beef is the massing which takes on the shape of a pitched roof. It just comes across as suburban whether this style with a centre point is or isn't. The tower body is pretty boring as well. Lotsa precast with some glass window-wall gestures on the corners.

I'm also amused by the sentiment, " It's pretty good infill" as I would say the best stylistically and by built form in Toronto over this boom has being from "infill" rather than these 400 unit, defining towers sprouting up throughout the city.

[fusili]

Originally Posted by elconsulto

By "Make it 4-5 stories" I actually meant "change the number of floors of the podium", not the height of the tower itself.

I see. Apologies.

[Bigtime]

I have a radical new urban design idea, buildings that are just podium. Imagine coming home to 4-5 floors of podium...awesome.

Your friends come over:

"Hey Bigtime, what's on top of the podium?"

"Nothing."

"My mind is blown!"

I'm patenting this idea, nobody steal it.

[Reesonov]

^ You and Baron Haussman will have to fight it out in the French courts I'm afraid.

[Bigtime]

Damn!

Ok, everyone send me $5000 bucks to help with the legal fight.

[fusili]

Originally Posted by Reesonov

^ You and Baron Haussman will have to fight it out in the French courts I'm afraid.

But Haussman still has monopoly on demolishing entire neighbourhoods to build block upon block of perimeter block buildings. All so the army could move easily through the city.

At least Cerda (Barcelona) didn't demolish the existing city- he just built the perimeter block grid around it.

[187 Feet Tall]

Originally Posted by elconsulto

As a prospective architecture student, I'm curious as to what you would change about it?

I personally would change the podium, make it 4-5 stories, make it more open to the street, i.e. take away the fence and foliage, the tower does lack an any distinctive or indelible characteristics, but I don't think that's an issue given the area and budget.

Drake is on a fairly small space of land. It's not like the other picture you've posted with a huge frontage where the podium can run across between 2 towers.

The podium here is 2 level townhomes, so the fence and foliage is for their benefit in privacy/security.
Keep in mind,this is on 15th Ave, not 17th. The podium needs to have a more residential feeling, that a 4-5 story podium would overdue for that street.
It would feel like a giant condo wall beside you as you walked along 7th St, or visited the heritage homes across the street.

[elconsulto]

Originally Posted by 187 Feet Tall

Drake is on a fairly small space of land. It's not like the other picture you've posted with a huge frontage where the podium can run across between 2 towers.

The podium here is 2 level townhomes, so the fence and foliage is for their benefit in privacy/security.
Keep in mind,this is on 15th Ave, not 17th. The podium needs to have a more residential feeling, that a 4-5 story podium would overdue for that street.
It would feel like a giant condo wall beside you as you walked along 7th St, or visited the heritage homes across the street.

This makes sense. It would probably be wise of you to ignore my posts - if you're looking for an educated opinion for your work, I'm possibly the least knowledgeable individual here

I just come here for all of the pretty pictures.

[fusili]

Went into the sales centre yesterday. They have some pretty creative layouts. They found some miraculous way to make 517 sqaure feet not seem cramped. The sales guy said they are at 25% sold already, not bad for 2 months on the market.

[187 Feet Tall]

We're starting a new $1000 referral program.
I know some members from here have come by, so thought I should mention it here.
If you refer someone who buys a home at Drake, they'll get a $1000 credit on their price and you'll get $1000 cash.

You don't need to be a buyer to get the referral fee, just need to tell your friends. Easy $1000 if you have friends looking for a condo and think Drake is a good option for them.