KPMB (or, rather West 8) said they picked the jack pine for a reason: the branches are up high so they won't block the view when the square is used for movies, concerts, and other events. Never mind it would take years for jack pines to grow that high (and they're not good city trees being...

I've read a number of comments about this or that design being boring or conservative. But this was not a blue-sky beauty contest, the competition brief had a budget limit (and each team had to submit a costing report to back up their design) and one key condition on form: the building should...

k123 asked about my comment that the KPMB design was a "generic civic centre" what makes the DS one any so. That’s a good question, especially because these two out of the four teams share the same basic parti and both are curtainwall towers on a podium. Neither has a look that says you’re in...

Thank you - great job distilling the four projects.

Check out Diamond Schmitt's Southbrook winery, where the cap-less curtain wall reflects the vineyards much like what is shown in this scheme. KPMB's scheme is very well resolved but feels too rational and rigid to me, and looks like a generic "civic centre" that could be anywhere (like Vaughan...

While KPMB's has a podium with the dark underbelly you mentioned, the Diamond Schmitt scheme has its roof terrace built over the rec centre pool and gym and adjacent to the fitness centre and running track. It's accessible by stair/ramp/amphitheatre combinations at the northwest and southeast...

First, full-disclosure, I'm on one of the design teams so I'm not going to pretend to be objective. I was at the public meeting, and Allen and Phillips spoke very eloquently about creating a healing landscape that promoted health and mental well-being. It's a laudable goal for sure, I'd want...