The Great Canadian Skyscraper Thread

[caltrane74]

thank God I started this thread.

The top 10 thread has dried up and I've found a nouvelle raison d'etre.

Museum House - 206 Bloor Street

[FrAnKs]

Yes Caltrane, thanks again for this thread.

I love that green building.

[craner]

Originally Posted by Rico Rommheim

Place Ville-marie base and CIBC tower in the background.


photo by rmoinlne on flickr
[url]http://www.flickr.c]

Dorchester Street?
Love it!

[MTLskyline]

Originally Posted by craner

Dorchester Street?
Love it!

Yes, although it's been called René-Lévesque Blvd. since 1987 (except for Westmount and Montreal East).

I would like to see a tramway down René-Lévesque (Greene Ave. in Westmount to the Jacques-Cartier Bridge perhaps). The street is definitely wide enough for it.

[craner]

Originally Posted by MTLskyline

Yes, although it's been called René-Lévesque Blvd. since 1987 (except for Westmount and Montreal East).

I would like to see a tramway down René-Lévesque (Greene Ave. in Westmount to the Jacques-Cartier Bridge perhaps). The street is definitely wide enough for it.

Oh, thanks for the info.
I haven't been to Montreal in a a long time - too long obviously. Must get back for a visit.

[caltrane74]

1 King West and Bay Wellington Tower

[caltrane74]

Market Wharf - St. Lawrence Market

[Rico Rommheim]

Here's a building you don't see or hear of often: the Bell Annex, sitting next to the Bell HQ, this building was built in successive phases starting in the 30's. The top 7 floors were actually added in 1959. I must be the only person in this city who actually cares about this monster

1965

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8455/8...cf7ec01e_c.jpg


Note the masonry sky bridges connecting the annex to the old buildin (hidden on the right), that's neat detail I've never noticed before. I believe they're gone today.

[Martin Mtl]

Hey, I love it too!

[caltrane74]

Don Mills Concorde Gate at Wynford Drive

[Rico Rommheim]

Here's a little guy you never hear about: this was the ICAO HQ, built in 1949 as part of CN's office complex surrounding the new Central train station, also a forgotten 1940's Canadian icon.

Lately I've become interested in the blurry cross-over aesthetics of 1940's highrise architecture which is rare and under appreciated, especially in this country.

I like them because of the mixture of international style while still using more classical materials and textures. They may not be 'beautiful' in the same vain as an ornate beaux-art or neo-gothic structure or as refined as an aluminum cladding but they achieve a sense of functionality while allowing some interesting visuals.

In this case, I appreciate the horizontality of the building and the almost industrial look and feel of it.



http://legacy.icao.int/icao/en/hist/...s/image008.jpg

Inauguration of the building, raising the UN flag.

http://legacy.icao.int/icao/en/hist/...s/image010.jpg


http://legacy.icao.int/icao/en/hist/...s/image002.jpg


http://legacy.icao.int/icao/photos/00014_web.jpg


http://legacy.icao.int/icao/photos/00008_web.jpg

[caltrane74]

Nestle Building at Yonge and Sheppard (North York Centre)

[The_Architect]

The incredibly beautiful, gold-plated Royal Bank Plaza at Front and Bay (1976-1979):


.

That atrium used to be incredible and open to the sky, but they cut it in half and made the to half a trading floor. Pity.

EDIT: Found another great picture from ground level on UT:


.

[dleung]

Originally Posted by Nouvellecosse

Guys, Caltrane knows very well that you were talking about the building's aesthetics. But you've got to remember that he's a sales person. On this forum, the main product he's selling is Toronto. He wants people to view Toronto as being successful, and he knows if he can convince people that Toronto's major projects are successful, they'll see the city in a more positive light as well.

But in order for a sales person to sell, he's got to overcome objections. And in order to overcome objections, the main tactics are to either to persuade the customer his objection is invalid, or to direct focus away from the objection by either distracting the customer or persuading him the objection isn't important.

For instance, if a salesman is trying to sell a vacuum cleaner:

Customer: "It seems like the handle is a bit low. I'm afraid that having to vacuum bent over like that would be a bit tiring"

Salesman: "But how much time do you really spend vacuuming anyway? Besides, the great thing about the Sassy Suck 2000 is that it has such powerful and efficient cleaning action, you'll get your cleaning done much faster than with a normal vacuum, so you may actually find your chores less tiring"

The salesman knows very well that the customer's objection was about the handle position rather than with how powerful the machine is. But he can't deny the handle is lower and less than ideal, so he's suggesting that it isn't very important and distracting the customer by drawing focus to other features.

And that's exactly what Caltrane was doing. He knows Trumps aesthetics can't really be defended, so if he wants to sell Trump as being successful, he needs to minimize the importance of its looks and focus on how successful it is in other ways.

But I can assure you, his sometimes bizarre behaviour has nothing to do with him "not understanding the obvious". It's really all about "selling, selling, selling!"

Spoken for truth.

I never saw this quote until I searched a certain forumer's post pattern out of curiousity

[ToxiK]

Originally Posted by The_Architect

The incredibly beautiful, gold-plated Royal Bank Plaza at Front and Bay (1976-1979):


.

That atrium used to be incredible and open to the sky, but they cut it in half and made the to half a trading floor. Pity.

EDIT: Found another great picture from ground level on UT:


.

That building looks great. It doesnt compete in height with the other banks (BMO, Scottia and TD), but it definitely flashes more in the skyline.

[RammerDino]

Unfortunately, Only from some angles, Royal Bank Plaza can be seen in the skyline. But for most shots, Brookfield completely covers the golden beauties.

[MTLskyline]

Westmount Square by Mies van der Rohe (my photos). 2 apartment buildings (21 floors, 69m) and one office tower (22 floors, 83m). If I was in the market for a luxury apartment in Montreal, this would be the place I would look at first.

[Darkoshvilli]

Not sure what the appeal is with Westmount square mtlskyline. The place seems..ordinary to me.

[MTLskyline]

I'm a huge fan of Mies. He's my favourite mid-20th century architect. That said, I find it hard to believe that he leaves so many people indifferent.

Apparently, Westmount Square was supposed to have been based on his Lake Shore Drive Apartments in Chicago.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:86...hore_Drive.jpg

[viajero]

Anything by Mies is timeless and classy as hell in my eyes. Westmount Square is very nice, and TD Centre in Toronto is my favourite office complex in the country.