The Great Canadian Skyline Thread! II

[caltrane74]

Your Calgary Pictures are not too bad as well...

[davidivivid]

http://affaires.lapresse.ca/opinions...3_accueil_POS3

[RyeJay]

Originally Posted by Hybrid247

It's really a shame Ottawa imposes ridiculous height restrictions. I'm sure if it weren't for that, the skyline would be quite different and not so stubby. Ottawa does have great density though and it shows at street level with the canyon effect.

Your subjective preference for height is noted. I rather enjoy Ottawa's signature skyline, as the cityscape physically yields to parliament.

[Lenin]

My pal Scott de Groot gave me his permission to use this shot he took about a week ago @ Wellesley and Jarvis. Thought y'all would enjoy.

[Coldrsx]

James Hinchcliffe driving by the skyline this afternoon


(http://images.tsn.ca/images/stories/...08-430x298.jpg)

[Darkoshvilli]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mmenal/...57630646669002


http://www.flickr.com/photos/mmenal/...7630646669002/

[Hybrid247]

Originally Posted by RyeJay

Your subjective preference for height is noted. I rather enjoy Ottawa's signature skyline, as the cityscape physically yields to parliament.

It's not so much height that I want. It's that the height restriction makes most of the buildings in the core stand at the same height which hinders the ability for buildings to stand out. There's really no skyscraper(s) in Ottawa that can be seen as a signature building for the city because nothing stands out. I also find that the "flat top" nature of the skyline lacks character.

That's just my opinion.

[RyeJay]

Originally Posted by Hybrid247

It's not so much height that I want. It's that the height restriction makes most of the buildings in the core stand at the same height which hinders the ability for buildings to stand out. There's really no skyscraper(s) in Ottawa that can be seen as a signature building for the city because nothing stands out. I also find that the "flat top" nature of the skyline lacks character.

That's just my opinion.

So it is height that you want...

I understand what you're saying -- but from all the cities around the world, from all the 'skyscrapers' that stand out height-wise, I like Ottawa's skyline because it isn't typical like this. You dislike how the buildings form a "flat top"; I like how this plateau skyline is physically unified.

It brings a sense of strict ogranisation that I find sophisticated, and quite appropriate considering this is the nation's capital.

And if you want skylines with height, Montreal and Toronto aren't that far away!

[niwell]

Although I'm sure I've decried it in the past before, I actually really appreciate Ottawa's height restrictions. It's lead to a level of built density downtown that few (if any) North American cities of similar size can match. I'll take that over a couple signature towers and twice the number of surface parking lots.

Now if we start talking about the design of many of Ottawa's office buildings that's another story completely...

[Hybrid247]

Originally Posted by RyeJay

So it is height that you want...

I understand what you're saying -- but from all the cities around the world, from all the 'skyscrapers' that stand out height-wise, I like Ottawa's skyline because it isn't typical like this. You dislike how the buildings form a "flat top"; I like how this plateau skyline is physically unified.

It brings a sense of strict ogranisation that I find sophisticated, and quite appropriate considering this is the nation's capital.

And if you want skylines with height, Montreal and Toronto aren't that far away!

Your right, MTL and Toronto aren't very far, but Ottawa is my home town and it brings a sense of pride to see my city grow and stand out.

The "flat top" skyline wouldn't be so bad if it weren't so stubby. It really reflex the small town mentality of many people in this city. I feel like the height restriction is a way of holding back this city from growing and 1 day, when the downtown starts to spread and swallow surrounding neighbourhoods, people are going to realize that building taller is inevitable.

[Hybrid247]

Originally Posted by niwell

Although I'm sure I've decried it in the past before, I actually really appreciate Ottawa's height restrictions. It's lead to a level of built density downtown that few (if any) North American cities of similar size can match. I'll take that over a couple signature towers and twice the number of surface parking lots.

Now if we start talking about the design of many of Ottawa's office buildings that's another story completely...

The density in Ottawa is not matched by many, that is true, but like you said yourself, there's no buildings with good designs and I believe that's because developers know they won't stand out either way...

[The_Architect]

Originally Posted by Lenin

My pal Scott de Groot gave me his permission to use this shot he took about a week ago @ Wellesley and Jarvis. Thought y'all would enjoy.

Wow, incredible Toronto shot Lenin! It would look even better if the CBD started to creep north east into some of the empty lots north of Adelaide.

[Chadillaccc]

Source: me


... Beautiful city

[MonkeyRonin]

Originally Posted by niwell

Although I'm sure I've decried it in the past before, I actually really appreciate Ottawa's height restrictions. It's lead to a level of built density downtown that few (if any) North American cities of similar size can match. I'll take that over a couple signature towers and twice the number of surface parking lots.

Now if we start talking about the design of many of Ottawa's office buildings that's another story completely...

I kind of wish Ottawa just took the DC-route and went all the way with the height limits though, opting for an even lower one - which would accentuate the Parliament by allowing it tower over everything (instead of just being...the same), and add a sense classical grandeur through the symmetrical, continuous streetwalls. It would also spread the core out even further.

As is it is, it basically just looks like a stumpy skyline.

[Robertpuant]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/vieuxpo...al/7598900378/

[RyeJay]

Originally Posted by Hybrid247

Your right, MTL and Toronto aren't very far, but Ottawa is my home town and it brings a sense of pride to see my city grow and stand out.

The "flat top" skyline wouldn't be so bad if it weren't so stubby. It really reflex the small town mentality of many people in this city. I feel like the height restriction is a way of holding back this city from growing and 1 day, when the downtown starts to spread and swallow surrounding neighbourhoods, people are going to realize that building taller is inevitable.

Although Ottawa is not my hometown, and this could as you may be implying, be bringing a bias to my agreeance of Ottawa's height restrictions -- my native Halifax, though to a less developed extent, shares in Ottawa's conservative skyline.

I wish the same for Halifax as I do for Ottawa.

Surely there's a point at which Ottawa's downtown extends far enough from 'the hill' to allow for more height, just as urban construction on Halifax's peninsula can build higher when further away from 'the hill'.

[RyeJay]

Originally Posted by Hybrid247

The density in Ottawa is not matched by many, that is true, but like you said yourself, there's no buildings with good designs and I believe that's because developers know they won't stand out either way...

Height is not usually relevant to what a building should be bringing to the street, which is the building's connectivity to pedestrian life and whether or not the building is both useful at ground-level, as well as beautiful: Mixed-use developments with sidewalk shops, patios, special lighting, green space, bike racks, etc...

If this is lacking in Ottawa, I'm not sure if height can be blamed.

[someone123]

I don't think it matters that much whether Ottawa has tall buildings. However, the building heights are set at a strange level that doesn't really ensure that the parliament buildings dominate the city (in the past there was a ~45 m limit and the Peace Tower probably would have really been highly viisble). I guess from the river side/Gatineau the shorter office buildings are less prominent so the parliament buildings stick out more, but they are not particularly visible or prominent in downtown Ottawa. It's the same story in Montreal and Halifax. Mount Royal and the Citadel are about the same height as the buildings nearby, so you don't get panoramic views from either location and neither feature stands out all that much more than it would if there were taller buildings. In practice, a lot of these height limits are more feel-good measures than anything else.

I think one big improvement that could have been made in Ottawa would have been a realignment of the streets. The Peace Tower is not even aligned with Metcalfe Street, let alone the sort of grand boulevards you find in Washington. Ottawa has some very nice buildings but they feel like a complex grafted on to a small city.

Another problem is the architecture of the office buildings, as others have pointed out. Just about every Canadian city has its boring "low bid" federal government office blocks. In Ottawa those make up a huge percentage of the downtown.

[Wooster]

Calgary a couple weeks ago - by me

[Darkoshvilli]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/comiqua...7629855788452/


http://www.flickr.com/photos/comiqua...7629855788452/