[RLT]

Completely agree that the renders look cool, but skeptical about how realistic they are. Unpopular opinion maybe but seems like renders are getting more conceptual and fluffy to a point where they’re just art instead of representing something that could be a reality. Not sure it’s doing the architects or the public any favours in the end.

 

[CalgaryTiger]

Unfortunately for us, CMLC is not moving ahead with our design proposal. Another scheme/developer team has been chosen. We're very proud of the work we produced on this one and felt it would be a shame not to share it on social media! It's great that someone picked it up and started a thread here and I'm curious to see what the successful proponent's design looks like. We can't divulge who our developer partner is, but they are very motivated to find another site to build something of this scale and quality. Stay tuned...

May I introduce you to any number of parking lots or underutilized lots in the beltline, East Victoria Park (around the "Events Centre") or Inglewood?

 

[MissingMiddle]

Completely agree that the renders look cool, but skeptical about how realistic they are. Unpopular opinion maybe but seems like renders are getting more conceptual and fluffy to a point where they’re just art instead of representing something that could be a reality. Not sure it’s doing the architects or the public any favours in the end.

You've alluded to an (unmentioned) criticism of architecture that I often hear from my engineering friends.

The common perception of the AEC industry is that the architect is this all-knowing, Vitruvian entity, that crumples up paper in a Ghery-like manner and brings it to life. Those with industry experience know that architects heavily rely on engineering disciplines to ensure buildings stand up, are comfortable, sustainable, and function as intended (hence the source of engineer's god-complex). While those are important things, there's one distinctive role that architects fill which no one else can: architects lead.

There are many different ways to accomplish this. Some act as quarterbacks leading large teams, others as master builders of entire projects. Sometimes they focus on intricate details like window assemblies or connections, and sometimes they focus on creating ethereal expressions of art on the scale of the built environment. I guarantee that any building you respect in this city was made by a team that included each of those people. I don't need to articulate the importance of the first few roles mentioned, but the last one deserves more respect than it gets.

Even if they're not built, projects like these serve to inspire. They remind us of our creativity and reflect our humanity. They pour optimism into the coffee cups of people who care about shaping the world. But most importantly, they articulate a common vision that our built environment can and should be better than it is. Don't underestimate that value, it's the inspiration of anything cool we've ever seen built.

Just because something is constructed doesn't mean it's good, and just because something isn't constructed doesn't mean that it's bad.

 

[MoDA]

Completely agree that the renders look cool, but skeptical about how realistic they are. Unpopular opinion maybe but seems like renders are getting more conceptual and fluffy to a point where they’re just art instead of representing something that could be a reality. Not sure it’s doing the architects or the public any favours in the end.

We couldn't agree more and it frustrates us to no end when the public (or the city, or community associations, etc.) is sold a beautiful and flashy design, only to have the real thing turn out nothing like the renders. There are more than a handful of projects in our city that we could cite, but you know them. We tend to not release renderings until the designs have developed in great detail detail and cost analyses have been done so that we know what we show is what's going to get built, or at least very very close (see our Livery project, for example). What you haven't seen in our proposal for CMLC are the accompanying highly developed floor plans, building sections, site plans, details, etc. that prove out the concept and build-ability of the project. Renderings can be misleading and if the projects are not executed the right way, it can certainly erode the public's trust in the architects and developers!

 

[Urb]

@MoDA Was your proposal for office or residential use?

 

[MoDA]

@MoDA Was your proposal for office or residential use?

It was for restaurant and retail on the ground floor, office condo on the second floor, then luxury condo above.

 

[RLT]

We couldn't agree more and it frustrates us to no end when the public (or the city, or community associations, etc.) is sold a beautiful and flashy design, only to have the real thing turn out nothing like the renders. There are more than a handful of projects in our city that we could cite, but you know them. We tend to not release renderings until the designs have developed in great detail detail and cost analyses have been done so that we know what we show is what's going to get built, or at least very very close (see our Livery project, for example). What you haven't seen in our proposal for CMLC are the accompanying highly developed floor plans, building sections, site plans, details, etc. that prove out the concept and build-ability of the project. Renderings can be misleading and if the projects are not executed the right way, it can certainly erode the public's trust in the architects and developers!

Really appreciate your response on this. It’s actually quite awesome that you’re willing to engage in these types of discussions with the public. I also respect @MissingMiddle ‘s point about pushing the boundaries with a vision and the expressive form that may take. I guess the concern is that a lot of the “ethereal expression” proposals haven’t moved forward into construction which make us doubt if they can and, as you alluded to, some recent ones that have haven’t lived up to people’s expectations who were sold on the flashy renders. Now that may be our own fault for taking an expression too literally (it probably is), but hopefully the trust will develop as more of these bold and expressive proposals become a well-executed reality around the city. Would absolutely love if this project moved forward on a different parcel and you all proved my doubts to be silly!

 

[Urb]

An improving real estate market will also help. This will allow developers to increase their hard cost budgets and still hit their profit margins.

 

[JoeUrban]

The latest amazing design by @MoDA, discovered earlier today by @Colinfill. CMLC released an RFP back in the summer, looks like they may have selected this one? The latest update on the EVMP shows this block (block N) as still available though, so… unsure.

Superman was partially filmed in the East Village, makes sense to have the Fortress of Solitude here.