Preferred choice for the St. Lawrence Centre Redevelopment Competition

  • Brook McIlroy, Trahan Architects, and Hood Design Studio

    Votes: 11 13.9%
  • Diamond Schmitt, Smoke Architecture, and MVVA

    Votes: 12 15.2%
  • Hariri Pontarini, LMN Architects, Tawaw Collective, Smoke Architecture, and SLA

    Votes: 39 49.4%
  • RDHA, Mecanoo, Two Row Architect, and NAK Design Strategies

    Votes: 16 20.3%
  • Zeidler Architecture, Diller Scofidio + Renfro, Two Row Architect, and PLANT Architect

    Votes: 1 1.3%

  • Total voters
    79
  • Poll closed .
Well, if UT is any indication of where this is going, HP seems to have the early advantage. The in-thread poll shows HP with a lead of 9-2 among the 11 who have cast a vote. The two are for the condo proposal ;) by Mcllroy
 
Well, if UT is any indication of where this is going, HP seems to have the early advantage. The in-thread poll shows HP with a lead of 9-2 among the 11 who have cast a vote. The two are for the condo proposal ;) by Mcllroy
Though I like polls, they are maybe best used by peeing dogs - I would point out that as of a minute ago the people on UT totaled 289. (Total: 289 (members: 45, guests: 244)). A vote by 9 of us is hardly very indicative of anything!
 
Because honestly there isn't *anything* there. It's basically just paving and a piece of public art (both of which aren't bad, at least).

AoD
This is actually our destination when it's raining really hard but we still need to get the kid out to burn off some energy. You can move west along Front Street dodging among the various colonnades to stay dry, then play under the shelter at the Sony Centre, and if the rain stops, skip out and look at the skyline in the funhouse mirrors.

We could go in the PATH, but the security there is really uptight and won't let you ride a scooter or balance bike, even on a weekend.
 
This is now budgeted at $295-million, plus 20% contingency. TOLive has roughly $42-million budgeted for maintenance work.

This means that as much as $380-million needs to be found from government sources or philanthropy.

Many of you have some relevant expertise. How plausible does this sound?

https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2022/ra/bgrd/backgroundfile-223490.pdf

8B3CC238-BE6F-4B9F-B163-EF2A86DEBCEC.jpeg
 
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This is now budgeted at $295-million, plus 20% contingency. TOLive has roughly $42-million budgeted for maintenance work.

This means that as much as $380-million needs to be found from government sources or philanthropy.

Many of you have some relevant expertise. How plausible does this sound?

https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2022/ra/bgrd/backgroundfile-223490.pdf

View attachment 458516
In my experience a general rule of thumb for non-arts public capital projects and philanthropy is to get as close to 50% philanthropic support as possible. I don’t see this project getting to 50%. But it could potentially get to 1/3 (closer to 1/4 probable) with marquee naming for building, halls, and lobby spaces, primarily.
 
We have now published the first of five stories, one each day this week, looking a little more in depth into the design proposals for the theatre, going alphabetically through the list per lead local architect. Today's story is on the Brook McIlroy, Trahan Architects, Hood Design Studio proposal.

BTW, the jury members have been announced, and they are;

maxine bailey, Executive Director of the Canadian Film Centre (CFC) and co-founder of the Black Artists Network in Dialogue (BAND)​
Meg Graham, Architect and Founder, Superkül (Chair)​
Seema Jethalal, Former Regional Director General, Canadian Heritage, and inaugural Managing Director of Daniels Spectrum​
Lori Marchand, Managing Director, Indigenous Theatre at the National Arts Centre Ottawa​
Sadie Marshall, Artist​
Thomas Payne, Architect and Founder, Thomas Payne Architect​
Marc Ryan, Landscape Architect and Founder, PublicWork​

42
 
None of the proposals are particularly exciting. I'm not a fan of building pedestrian bridges in the Old Town. Keep people on the street with a high-quality public realm. My "vote" would be to request more submissions in the competition.
 
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Splendid design from the Trahan, Brook and Hood! The use of natural material is ingenious and appropriate for the place. Absolute stunning!
 
They all have merit, though I can't say any of them blow me away.

Hariri Pontarini is probably the winner for me, with Brook McIlroy 2nd.

The Diamond & Schmitt proposal does intrigue me, even though it doesn't relate well to the original building.
 
Even though @DSC has his opinions about polls, I do find it interesting to see what my fellow UT'ers are thinking. For the click-averse, here's how the poll stands at this moment in time:

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As a group, we are certainly of the consensus that Zeildler missed the mark!

I'm intrigued that Schmitt is quite low; but as its design might be considered similar to a perhaps better executed vision by HP, it languishes.

Those who really prefer the more subtle/sympathetic alterations are roughly splitting their votes between Brooks and RDHA
 
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Even though @DSC has his opinions about polls, I do find it interesting to see what my fellow UT'ers at thinking. For the click-averse, here's how the poll stands at this moment in time:

View attachment 459358

As a group, we are certainly of the consensus that Zeildler missed the mark!

I'm intrigued that Schmitt is quite low; but as its design might be considered similar to a perhaps better executed vision by HP, it languishes.

Those who really prefer the more subtle/sympathetic alterations are roughly splitting their votes between Brooks and RDHA
My remark on polls was made when you first posted this one and there were VERY few respondents! I too like to see what the 'consensus' is around here,
 

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