The Skyscraper Dividing Quebec City

[M II A II R II K]

The Skyscraper Dividing Quebec City


By TRACEY LINDEMAN

Read More: https://www.citylab.com/design/2018/...te-foy/576214/

Since its founding in 1608, Quebec City has gained a reputation as one of the most beautiful cities on the continent. Its gothic-style Château Frontenac stands on the edge of a cliff, looming over the chilly St. Lawrence river. The imposing building, together with the city’s cobblestone streets and a centuries-old hilltop fortress, are the closest North Americans can get to Europe without crossing an ocean.

- But soon, Quebec City might have a new calling card: A 65-story skyscraper in the nearby suburb of Sainte-Foy and not everybody’s happy about it. “I hate it. It’s an ugly design. It’s a way of seeing the city that is totally outdated,” says city councillor Jean Rousseau. — The $755-million (CDN) building project is named Le Phare, the French word for “lighthouse” or “beacon.” The name, and the project’s placement, are intentional: It’s meant to be the first thing people see as they approach Quebec City from the west and over the main bridge. By the time it’s built in 2030, it will be the tallest Canadian building east of Toronto.

- Current plans for Le Phare describe a “one-of-a-kind vertical neighborhood” featuring four towers of varying heights (17, 30, 51, and 65 stories) that will include condos, apartments, hotel rooms, seniors’ residences, offices, commercial space, restaurants, a daycare, and a performing arts center. Its tallest tower will be a glittering glass column inspired by the skyscrapers of Chicago and Dubai. “It’s presented as vertical life: Live, work, and play. That’s the old utopia of Le Corbusier that we’re rehashing here, in a part of town that is in dire need of being better organized,” says Rousseau.

- During the long winters it’s also also a very cold, windy city. The wind tunnels produced by Le Phare would make Ste-Foy even more inhospitable, says local resident and retired astrophysics professor Serge Pineault. ”I don’t envy the people who are going to live near it.” — The skyscraper would be an anomaly in Ste-Foy, where new buildings are currently limited to 17 stories. The Quebec City administration, led by longtime mayor Régis Labeaume, wants to change the zoning bylaws to accommodate Le Phare’s height. The move would be an about-face for Labeaume, who 10 years ago argued against raising building heights in Ste-Foy.

- Architect and Université Laval professor François Dufaux says Le Phare doesn’t make geographic or economic sense. Quebec City may be the provincial capital, but Montreal is by far the bigger economic center. The sibling rivalry between the two cities is a tender point for older generations, and Dufaux says that Dallaire “is playing to the emotions of the people of Quebec City and their pride, their ambition.” Even the size of the tower is a dig at Montreal, he says. “They want to be bigger and better than Montreal.” — He questions whether the demand for Le Phare’s living, office, and commercial spaces will meet projections. He suspects the government will gradually decommission buildings in other parts of the city.

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[isaidso]

The Chateau Frontenac isn't Gothic-Style as described in the article. It's built in Canadian Chateau Style which is a cross between French Chateau and Scottish Baronial. Not a surprise considering French and Scottish were 2 of the dominant 'ethnicities' in 1890s Canada.

Chateau Frontenac

Courtesy of technoprofil

[The North One]

2030? Why so damn long

Suburban towers are shit, so, meh.

[LMich]

- But soon, Quebec City might have a new calling card: A 65-story skyscraper in the nearby suburb of Sainte-Foy and not everybody’s happy about it. “I hate it. It’s an ugly design. It’s a way of seeing the city that is totally outdated,” says city councillor Jean Rousseau.

Went and looked up this councillor's ward. It covers the city center of Quebec. If it would have been proposed in the downtown he'd be saying the same thing. He should be happy it's being proposed so far out from the hsitoric city center. Weird thing is that it seems Saint-Foy is one of the few areas outside the core where tall buildings are allowed to begin with. While it'd be taller than anything else, it'd stick out less than just about anywhere outside the city center.

[C.]

Originally Posted by LMich

Went and looked up this councillor's ward. It covers the city center of Quebec. If it would have been proposed in the downtown he'd be saying the same thing. He should be happy it's being proposed so far out from the hsitoric city center. Weird thing is that it seems Saint-Foy is one of the few areas outside the core where tall buildings are allowed to begin with. While it'd be taller than anything else, it'd stick out less than just about anywhere outside the city center.

That makes sense to me. Preserve the historic old city and allow the skyscraper where there are already skyscrapers to begin with. The height surprises me, but height isn't inherently a bad thing.

Plus the historic center has been overrun by tourists. It's not where most people live and play.

[Doady]

Quebec City probably has the ugliest suburbs on Earth. I don't think any new tower, no matter how tall, can make them any more "inhospitable".

[SkahHigh]

Originally Posted by Doady

Quebec City probably has the ugliest suburbs on Earth. I don't think any new tower, no matter how tall, can make them any more "inhospitable".

Does it really? Worse than Toronto?

[xzmattzx]

You would think they were building this right in the middle of Vieux Quebec or something. So what if it's a couple miles out from the historic area?

[memph]

Originally Posted by xzmattzx

You would think they were building this right in the middle of Vieux Quebec or something. So what if it's a couple miles out from the historic area?

Yeah, it's about 6 miles from Old Quebec, I think it might even be closer to the rural outskirts than to the city walls. It's in Quebec's biggest suburban node, with a hospital, major university, 2 major shopping malls, several office buildings, hotels... If you're going to build something like this anywhere in Quebec, this is the place to do it.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by SkahHigh

Does it really? Worse than Toronto?

It doesn't. Just in Canada a fair number of cities have suburbs that stand out as uglier overall than Quebec City's. (For the record I don't find Toronto's are the worst either.)

I think (some) Canadians have an eagerness to bring Quebec City down a notch due to the unaparalled prettiness - in this country anyway - of the old town.

This is the suburban boulevard where Le Phare will be built. It's not beautiful by any stretch but it's not exceptionally hideous by Canadian or global standards:

https://www.google.ca/maps/@46.77177...7i13312!8i6656

Here is a typical newish suburban street in Quebec City. Again, zero charm but not especially hideous when you compare to what you can see most anywhere.

https://www.google.ca/maps/@46.85084...7i13312!8i6656

[llamaorama]

I like it. Of course it would never be built even with full local support, too pie-in-the-sky.