The Great Canadian Skyline thread for CMAs 1 million and under

[SignalHillHiker]

Oh, Corner Brook is smaller than Mount Pearl. No need to look.

[Chadillaccc]

Originally Posted by Beedok

The Prairie ones just look too American to me.

Yep, absolutely gorgeous. Wish they were as big (tall) as some of the American ones though!

[Beedok]

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

Yep, absolutely gorgeous. Wish they were as big (tall) as some of the American ones though!

I wasn't attacking the Prairies or anything, I was just saying that I wished they'd gone with a Canadian style for the provincial parliaments is all.

[1overcosc]

Hey, American-style is better than Queens Park-style. I'm well aware that architecturally Queen's Park makes sense but I still don't like it. Its setting, encircled by a grand boulevard, is amazing, though.

[Chadillaccc]

Agreed.

Originally Posted by Beedok

I wasn't attacking the Prairies or anything, I was just saying that I wished they'd gone with a Canadian style for the provincial parliaments is all.

I know you weren't. I wasn't responding with an attack. I thought you meant they were nice, as all the Western American ones are very nice... except maybe the tower monolith that is the ND capitol. In most cases, they're nicer than ours. Except BC's of course, that's just top notch.

I like New York's though, it may be my favorite on the continent. It's so... palatial.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

Yep, absolutely gorgeous. Wish they were as big (tall) as some of the American ones though!

The prairie legislatures are pretty respectable when it comes to size/height, especially considering how few people were living in those provinces when they were built.

Manitoba's (258 ft.) would rank 16th if it were a state capitol, and that's not a bad ranking considering that some of the tallest capitols are full-on skyscraper office towers (Louisiana, Nebraska, Florida). The only traditional dome-topped capitols that have more than 50 feet on the Manitoba Legislature are Illinois, Kansas and Texas.

Saskatchewan (174 ft.) would rank 32nd. Alberta (180 ft.) would be tied for 31st.

Maybe it's time for Calgary to take the title of provincial capital and build a soaring new legislature befitting of Alberta's status?

[Beedok]

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

I know you weren't. I wasn't responding with an attack. I thought you meant they were nice, as all the Western American ones are very nice... except maybe the tower monolith that is the ND capitol. In most cases, they're nicer than ours. Except BC's of course, that's just top notch.

I thought the frown-y face showed that I wasn't happy with them looking American. So when I saw the come back with the exclamation mark I was worried I'd offended you and thought you were countering an attack. So I wanted to clear things up by saying that I just wished they'd done a less American style.

Sometimes text based communications can be very annoying.

[ciudad_del_norte]

Originally Posted by Beedok

I wasn't attacking the Prairies or anything, I was just saying that I wished they'd gone with a Canadian style for the provincial parliaments is all.

I mean this not in offense, but out of more curiousity as to what would qualify as 'Canadian' style.

[Chadillaccc]

I don't really think there is a Canadian Style of government buildings. Maybe Brutalist? But that existed all over. Our one distinct style is the Chateau, I believe. Though that isn't government.


Yes Beedok, it can be annoying. However, why is them being 'american-looking' a bad thing? They're all unique and beautiful in both their own and similar ways. Though I do think each of the 3 have their own... Canadian-ness to them. If you look at a bunch of the traditional dome-style American ones, then look back at the Prairie ones, you may see what I mean.

Thanks Esquire, I had no idea that Manitoba's was that tall. I guess the American ones just look taller because they are the tallest things in their respective areas of their city cores(though, so is the Capitol in Winnipeg... I guess one just doesn't see that view very often). Such as the Capitols in Missouri, Wisconsin, Idaho, Washington (state), California, etc.

[Beedok]

Originally Posted by ciudad_del_norte

I mean this not in offense, but out of more curiousity as to what would qualify as 'Canadian' style.

Well I suppose Chateau style came into it's own a little late, but Gothic Revival like Parliament or the still somewhat British looking BC Parliament are good.

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

Yes Beedok, it can be annoying. However, why is them being 'american-looking' a bad thing? They're all unique and beautiful in both their own and similar ways.

We're not American is all. We went and copied their city building after the 40s pretty badly, so it would be nice to at least have historic buildings like the provincial parliaments be clearly not American.

[ciudad_del_norte]

Fair enough. To me, the prairie buildings don't scream "american" so much as more domestic north american as opposed to euro-colonial. This always kind of made sense to me and seemed kind of indicative of their role/history - but I see what you are getting at.

[Chadillaccc]

Originally Posted by Beedok

We're not American is all. We went and copied their city building after the 40s pretty badly, so it would be nice to at least have historic buildings like the provincial parliaments be clearly not American.

I see what you mean. However, many of these American capitols were built over a decade after the Alberta and Sask legislatures were completed. Also, refer to my previous post, I edited it after you responded, the section about "canadian-ness" in our legislatures.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

Thanks Esquire, I had no idea that Manitoba's was that tall. I guess the American ones just look taller because they are the tallest things in their respective areas of their city cores(though, so is the Capitol in Winnipeg... I guess one just doesn't see that view very often). Such as the Capitols in Missouri, Wisconsin, Idaho, Washington (state), California, etc.

I think the American ones do tend to stand out because not many of the capitols are located in large cities where they would be dwarfed by large skyscrapers...361 feet in Springfield is going to look a hell of a lot grander and more imposing than 361 feet in downtown Chicago. Contrast that to Edmonton and Winnipeg where the legislatures have taller buildings a block or two away from them.

Setting also plays a big role... the legislatures in places like Edmonton, Austin, St. Paul, MN and Richmond, VA are on hillsides that give them a very grand look, and makes them look bigger than they really are... whereas in Regina and Winnipeg the buildings are situated on flat-as-a-pancake land that doesn't really add any sort of imposing feeling.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by ciudad_del_norte

Fair enough. To me, the prairie buildings don't scream "american" so much as more domestic north american as opposed to euro-colonial. This always kind of made sense to me and seemed kind of indicative of their role/history - but I see what you are getting at.

I agree. The neoclassical look gives off a strong European vibe.

For instance, the Panthéon in Paris looks like it could pass for the capitol building of some random western state or province.

[jasonzed]

Mississauga

[jrm857]

A few of Saskatoon I have snapped

[Hali87]

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

I see what you mean. However, many of these American capitols were built over a decade after the Alberta and Sask legislatures were completed. Also, refer to my previous post, I edited it after you responded, the section about "canadian-ness" in our legislatures.

It's just the style of architecture that was in vogue around the time that a lot of provinces/states were building their civic buildings. I think this trend sort of kicked off with the Chicago World Fair around the turn of the 20th century.

There's an argument to be made that the prairie legislatures look "American", but they're also the only three legislatures that really have very much in common. Excluding those, there isn't really any consistent style among the other provinces. PEI and NS kind of look similar, NB and Quebec kind of look similar (but not like PEI or NS), and then Ontario, NL, and BC each look very different. There's no Canadian legislature style. Saying that the Parliament Buildings exemplify it is incorrect because none of the provincial legislatures look anything like that.

[headhorse]

Winnipeg


by beatlesque

[Brizzy82]

Some downtown/Osborne Village pics (Winnipeg)



















all taken by me.

[advance62]

The core part of Kitchener's skyline:

Summer Night Skyline by Matt M S, on Flickr