I'm holding my opinion of the faux copper facade until I see it in the Summer when the exterior is compete and the sun is high in the sky.
Me too. Once it’s fully completed and I’ve seen it in different angles of lighting at different times of the year I’ll make my judgement.

To be honest, I’m fine with the building so far , the issue for a lot of people is the renderings were very sexy and set the expectation very high. Overall, this is still a massive upgrade from the old building.
 
The east side of the building could end up looking different from what we've seen due to the curves. The specular lighting (sheen) will show better on the curved surfaces, and quite possibly end up looking closer to the renderings.

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I actually think the overall form is not turning out that badly...but let's not pretend there's going to be some magical turnaround with that facade material. When they put up the terra cotta tiles on Studio Bell, it was obvious right away that it was going to look awesome. Yes, this brown facade may look great for 8 minutes when seen from a 35-degree angle on the 14th hour of the summer solstice... but we all know it's going to pale in comparison to the expectations the renderings set. We should all know by now that accuracy is never the priority of any rendering, and comparing them to the real thing will only lead to disappointment. The purpose of a rendering is to sell a project to the stakeholders and public, not to accurately reflect the material choices and colors of the building. It's the equivalent of a glamor-shot photo of a fast food burger...it's just there to get you in the door. By the time you're disappointed, it's already too late.
 
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I would draw conclusions from the cladding on the read or side of the building. The entrance may still end up copper.
 
I would draw conclusions from the cladding on the read or side of the building. The entrance may still end up copper.
Agreed. Although the renderings show the same material on both sides, I'm holding out a tiny bit of hope that maybe they will put a shinier/nicer version of the cladding on the east side given that it's the more prominent featured side of the building.
 
Man, I never realized how terrible the side facing Olympic Ave is. Such an underwhelming, oppressive, and almost hostile facade that is supposed to be the welcoming face along the new entertainment district Main Street. I’m hoping that once it is complete and landscaped it will be better, but I never paid close enough attention to the details along this side.

If we ever get an arena, this is the side that everyone will see from the event Center plaza. Doesn’t scream very pedestrian friendly or welcoming. I don’t know how they could have enhanced this side, but right now I’m worried it is going to be a dead zone and very heavy feeling.
 
Man, I never realized how terrible the side facing Olympic Ave is. Such an underwhelming, oppressive, and almost hostile facade that is supposed to be the welcoming face along the new entertainment district Main Street. I’m hoping that once it is complete and landscaped it will be better, but I never paid close enough attention to the details along this side.

If we ever get an arena, this is the side that everyone will see from the event Center plaza. Doesn’t scream very pedestrian friendly or welcoming. I don’t know how they could have enhanced this side, but right now I’m worried it is going to be a dead zone and very heavy feeling.
Iirc a screening building is allowed for in the Area shaded green below:
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Thoughts on how similar it looks to rogers place in Edmonton?
There will be some similarities with both buildings have curved walls, and the general size is similar. Also both buildings are mostly exterior material with a smaller percentage of window.
If this building was using a silvery gray material, then they would look a lot more alike, but because the colours are different I think each building will have their own individual look.
 
Thank you. Yeah I agree, it's a really nice sort of replacement for the Saddledome in that skyline vantage point. I just really hope that the new arena will have a half decent south frontage to compliment it. Otherwise it will just be a megalithic blank wall next to this beauty, and will really throw off one of the most prominent viewpoints in the city.
 
Thoughts on how similar it looks to rogers place in Edmonton?
The arm / breezeway element may look slightly similar, but I don't think anyone is going to look at this building and think Rogers Place! Do people look at the Bow and say it's just like Toronto City Hall? There are some very basic similarities, but the end result looks like it's own unique building.
 

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