The Great Canadian Architecture Thread

[p_xavier]

Fogo Island Inn for a more recent Landmark.

[Drybrain]

I guess we'd need to define if we're talking about specific buildings, or types of buildings/vernacular typologies. If the latter, then saltbox houses or prairie grain elevators all belong on the list, having sufficient recognition nationally. Also maybe things like Montreal greystones or even Vancouver's forest of green/blue condos.

If we're only looking at specific buildings, I think the list would be bigger than the five or so someone mentioned above, but definitely a lot smaller:

Cabot Tower
Province House, Charlottetown (maybe not super well known, but regarded as the birthplace of confederation)
Peggy's Cove lighthouse
Maybe the Halifax town clock
Maybe Angus MacDonald bridge, Halifax
Chateau Frontenac
Big O
Habitat 67
Parliament Buildings
Chateau Laurier/Lord Elgin
National Gallery and maybe Museum of Civilization
Maybe Queen's Park, definitely Toronto's new City Hall
Royal York/Union Station
Maybe Manitoba Legislature
Museum of Human Rights
Fairmont MacDonald
Fairmont Palliser
Calgary Tower
Lions Gate Bridge

Having a hard time with Vancouver. Besides the bridge, maybe the Marine Building and Harbour Centre and Science World, etc, but those seem very regionally famous.

The BC legislature in Victoria is amazing, but is it very well known out of province?

I'm sure there are more that could be added to the above list.

[GlassCity]

Originally Posted by Acajack

The list of Canadian structures that would truly qualify as iconic is less than 10. Probably even just 5 maybe.

I would place the CN Tower and the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa at the top of the list. After that maybe the Château Frontenac, the Big O, and the Banff Springs Hotel?

I think I am repeating myself, and that we've gone over this before.

Well we're not necessarily talking about internationally iconic though. What's iconic within Canada is obviously a greater collection than what's iconic outside of it. Or to dilute it further, they may not even necessarily be universally known within Canada, but the kind of buildings that you would know if you knew anything about those places. For example, I think the following all count:

Not our prettiest tower, but probably the most readily identifiable as "Vancouver" as of now, Harbour Centre:

https://vancouverlookout.wordpress.com/harbour-centre/

Science World:

https://www.scienceworld.ca/astc-tra...ssport-program

Canada Place:

https://miss604.com/2015/06/free-out...lace-2015.html

Lions Gate Bridge:

http://www.americanbridge.net/featur...ehabilitation/

Saddledome:

http://calgaryherald.com/news/local-...s-fate-unknown

CN Tower:

http://www.torontobusco.com/product/cn-tower/

Toronto City Hall:

http://urbantoronto.ca/news/2015/09/...-new-city-hall

I'd include Winnipeg landmarks like the Canadian Museum for Human Rights and the Esplanade Riel, but I think they're too recent to really be "iconic." Iconic buildings in Winnipeg tend to be collections (Portage & Main, the Exchange District) rather than individual buildings it seems to me.

And of course, there's a regional element here. The Big O is often brought up as an example in these types of conversations, but it's entirely absent from my image of Montreal. People see their own and other cities differently. That's why it's hard to argue for or against a lot of these; for some people they're iconic, for others they're not. For instance, of the above examples, I'd only expect the CN Tower and Saddledome to be known across the country.

[MolsonExport]

For Montreal, you have to add these two:

jacquescartierchamplain.ca

wikipedia

[MolsonExport]

for Laval:

francely57

[someone123]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

I guess we'd need to define if we're talking about specific buildings, or types of buildings/vernacular typologies. If the latter, then saltbox houses or prairie grain elevators all belong on the list, having sufficient recognition nationally. Also maybe things like Montreal greystones or even Vancouver's forest of green/blue condos.

I think it's way more interesting to let people come up with things they find locally or regionally iconic than it is to point out the obvious fact that Canada doesn't have much in the way of Eiffel Tower equivalents.

[CanadianCentaur]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

^love those examples.

The Fairmont Hotel Macdonald... (snip, snip)

You forgot a couple more for Edmonton:

Telus World of Science

http://www.edmontonmapsheritage.ca/location/telus-world-of-science-edmonton/

Shaw Conference Centre

https://photos.smugmug.com/Canada/Alberta/Edmonton-City/i-WMSDL9j/1/5be3e5f8/S/_MG_8156-S.jpg

[kwoldtimer]

In Kitchener (seriously, that's it)

[Echoes]

^ What about the office building with the breasts?

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by Echoes

^ What about the office building with the breasts?

More "passing interest/mildly amusing" than "iconic", imho.

Fun fact - the "Dolly Parton Tower" is now home to Igloo Software, so there's now a big "IGLOO" sign right below one of the domes.

[lio45]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

Sometimes I think we forget that on this forum we all share a common interest (my friend even refers to this site as my autistic forum)

My gf knows this site as my "real estate forum" (kinda true though), the time I waste spend here sounds much more excusable that way, than if I refer to this place as the forum where I argue with strangers about the difference +/- one degree Celsius makes on climate, defend Donald Trump regularly, have to insist we wouldn't all be living like cavemen if it weren't for the tarsands operations, and keep pointing out my province is midpack for the equalization it gets per capita.

[lio45]

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

We have and I think you hit most of what people think of when they think of Canada. I think you may have missed Peggy's Cove Lighthouse and Victoria's legislative building and I'd disagree on the Banff Springs Hotel.


Waterton_950_20091001-_EDF6167- by John A Hadley, on Flickr

Honestly, that building wouldn't be anything to write home about without its setting, ergo, from an architectural point of view, it can be dismissed...

Still a fine building though, just not outstanding (in and of itself).

[lio45]

Originally Posted by someone123

I think it's way more interesting to let people come up with things they find locally or regionally iconic than it is to point out the obvious fact that Canada doesn't have much in the way of Eiffel Tower equivalents.

I'd agree; thanks to this thread I discovered a couple really interesting (to me) Edmonton buildings that are of course nowhere near iconic (especially in a Canadawide context) but it's still interesting to have people from various locales sharing what they think is of architectural interest in their necks of the woods.

"Buildings of architectural interest in your city" would be a more apt thread name, obviously. In other words, Martin's and Acajack's objection (on the level of semantics) is perfectly valid.

[lio45]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

Maybe Angus MacDonald bridge, Halifax

That's a perfect example to highlight how these lists are nearly always home-biased in spite of the good will and attempted honesty of the list-maker.

I have never ever heard of that bridge, and at the same time I'm noticing you aren't listing any of the bridges spanning the mighty St. Lawrence. Old Qc Bridge, Laviolette, Jacques-Cartier would all be candidates for noteworthy Canadian bridges IMO....... moreso than a bridge I've never heard of, if you ask me

[SignalHillHiker]

In terms of local significance, I think the various businesses that sell prints for the local market are a good indication.



On the right, there is the Roman Catholic Basilica of St. John the Baptist, The Rooms, Cabot Tower, Murray Premises, Scotia Plaza, Atlantic Place.

In the middle is, starting at the top left and going in rows...

NLTA Building (?), Fluvarium, Confederation Building, Logy Bay Mosque, Aquaarena, MUN Education Building, MUN Clocktower, MUN something, Central Fire Station, Churchill Square, Beth El Synagogue, Mary Queen of the World Regional High School/Holy Heart Theatre (same building), Memorial Dominion, Royal St. John's Regatta Boathouse, The Rooms, Basilica, Bannerman Park Gazebo, Colonial Building, Her Majesty's Penitentiary, Southcott Hall, Delta, Anglican Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Republic of Doyle house, LSPU Hall, I have no fucking clue (City Hall?), Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador, Fred's Records, Devon House, Battery Hotel, Murray Premises, Scotia Plaza, Ziggy Peelgoods Chip Wagon, Raymond's Restaurant, Johnson Geo Centre, Cabot Tower.

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by lio45

That's a perfect example to highlight how these lists are nearly always home-biased in spite of the good will and attempted honesty of the list-maker.

I have never ever heard of that bridge, and at the same time I'm noticing you aren't listing any of the bridges spanning the mighty St. Lawrence. Old Qc Bridge, Laviolette, Jacques-Cartier would all be candidates for noteworthy Canadian bridges IMO....... moreso than a bridge I've never heard of, if you ask me

I guess that's an example of regional differences. The MacDonald Bridge is absolutely a symbol of the city and one of the most iconic parts of Halifax's skyline, and definitely known to just about everyone in the Atlantic region...but if you've never been here or visited, it's probably not very recognizable. (Though it may be recognized by sight and not by name.)

The Jacques Cartier bridge is modestly well known, but again, some random person in Kitchener or Fredericton or Edmonton who's never been to Montreal is unlikely to conjure up a mental image from the name alone. I've never heard of old Quebec Bridge or Laviolette at all, but looking them up, I can definitely see how they'd be well known locally.

I'm sure Lions Gate is pretty well known nationally, though, right? And probably Confederation Bridge, given its extreme length?

[mcminsen]

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

We have and I think you hit most of what people think of when they think of Canada. I think you may have missed Peggy's Cove Lighthouse and Victoria's legislative building and I'd disagree on the Banff Springs Hotel.


Waterton_950_20091001-_EDF6167- by John A Hadley, on Flickr

Originally Posted by lio45

Honestly, that building wouldn't be anything to write home about without its setting, ergo, from an architectural point of view, it can be dismissed...

Still a fine building though, just not outstanding (in and of itself).

I guess the Banff Springs Hotel doesn't qualify as iconic then if people can't identify it. The hotel in the image above is the Prince of Wales Hotel in Waterton Lakes National Park in the southwest corner of Alberta. The hotel in the image below is the Banff Springs Hotel in Banff National Park, which is also in Alberta.

BTW, I highly recommend Waterton and the Prince of Wales Hotel as a place to visit. Off the beaten path and not nearly as overrun with tourists as Banff. The Prince of Wales Hotel oozes charm and character, kind of like a "Fawlty Towers" in the mountains. The view from the dining room will knock your socks off.


Banff Springs Hotel:

Source: http://www.fairmont.com/banff-springs/media/photos/

[Proof Sheet]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

For Montreal, you have to add these two:

What about these beauties.

https://goo.gl/maps/7GZezrbzjJw

https://goo.gl/maps/m4MyXMM6xRv

https://goo.gl/maps/jUWVBmosbsw

[SignalHillHiker]

First thing that comes to mind for me by province thinking of iconic architecture...

Newfoundland and Labrador

Jellybean row houses by Jeannine St-Amour, on Flickr

Nova Scotia

Peggy's Cove Lighthouse by Tyler Ingram, on Flickr

Prince Edward Island

Confederation Bridge by Hans Wobbe, on Flickr

New Brunswick (covered bridges)

Boat n Bridge by Ivon1oh1, on Flickr

Quebec (steep roofs, light stone)

Old Town by Peter Kelly, on Flickr

Ontario

CN Tower by Greg B, on Flickr

Manitoba

2014 365 arlophotochallenge 260-365 - castle by Arlo Bates, on Flickr

Saskatchewan

2017 - Road Trip - Moosomin - Grain Elevator by Ted McGrath, on Flickr

Alberta

Bow Tower by Stephanie MJ, on Flickr

British Columbia

Vancouver Condos by JohnnyJayEh, on Flickr

[GlassCity]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

For Montreal, you have to add these two:

jacquescartierchamplain.ca

wikipedia

Just after I finished my post, I realised I should've added the Jacques Cartier for sure, and maybe also the Calgary Tower. I'll admit I didn't recognize your second photo though before I saw the name, and I've been to Montreal. When I think of "famous Montreal church" I think of Notre Dame.

**********

I can't really think of any iconic architecture from Atlantic Canada. I don't know of that bridge in Halifax. Colourful rowhouses are obviously Newfoundland, but that's more of an iconic architectural style than specific building. Same way that when I think of Toronto I think of brick suburbia. Just an example of the cognitive east-west disconnect though I guess. It comes up in quite a few threads and I think it's pretty fascinating honestly. Another example is that the Chateau Frontenac is much lower in my consciousness of Quebec than it seems to be locally. I can't even picture it.