Kidding!

I did know the son through some friends who lived in the building. Didn't ever try the restaurant until the son took over. Didn't really like it anyway and wasn't surprised that it shut down. Seemed like they were closed more often than they were open even before they closed down.
 
I hate when they throw colour in for no reason like they have on some of the city place buildings.

This however I think looks good and makes sense it's an intentional strategic non pattern.

I might not know about many of the things people are experts at on this forum but I do know colour.
That's my education and my career.

And I think this is good. Not everyone has to agree on this.

But don't say that people are so desperate for colour that we will take anything.

That is not what is being said here
 
Look, you can study and claim to "know" colour all you want. But appreciation for colour is entirely subjective. I studied it too and work with it constantly as both a painter and graphic designer, but that doesn't mean I design and paint stuff that people universally find appealing - not by a long shot. There is a science behind colour but it's also a thing loaded with psychological and emotive qualities; it's also strongly associated with vivid memories; not all memories are attractive or appealing. Good luck getting people to agree about colour in architecture - or any other realm, for that matter.

I like the use of red for the re-cladding. It's vibrant and playful. The city could certainly use more of that.
 
I appreciate your input lenser as we seem to have similar backgrounds.
I know colour is subjective. Especially red. Which is why I said that not everyone will agree and that's totally ok.

I was more bothered by modernitz implying that people like this patterning just because it involves colour. Which isn't the case. Atleast for myself personally.

Everyone should have their own opinions. I just don't like it when people assume that mine or others come from nowhere.

The colour patterning is very well balanced. The designer clearly put thought into it.

Whether everyone likes it or not
 
I get it, stjames2queenwest.

It's funny - yes, red in particular is fraught with peril. I used to have a large studio in an old trucking terminal on Mill Street, before the big make-over. I shared it with a props master and two scenic painters, one of whom was my wife - we were all in the film business. One day in the summer, I had a large predominantly red abstract painting on canvas, about 7' tall by 3' wide. The props guy found the work so disturbing he asked me to turn it against the wall. I laughed but obliged him. Whenever he wasn't around and I had the space to myself, I'd have everything and anything out. But out of deference to him I'd hide the bolder, redder works when it was time to end another session and put away the brushes. I was struck by his remarks that he found red "violent;" he suggested it was an innately aggressive, even threatening colour.

I'll say this: red is no wallflower. It's full-on. It signals passion but sometimes people find it vulgar, crass or over the top. Put it up on a building and watch the comments fly.
 
I don't think anyone here has taken issue with the colour, but I could be forgetting. I think most people were on-board with the red insets in the windows, because it gives them a place within the facade. The more recently added red panels look very much "tacked-on" for no reason, and don't sit nicely against the texture of the brick.
 
Tuscani01 said:
Kidding!

I did know the son through some friends who lived in the building. Didn't ever try the restaurant until the son took over. Didn't really like it anyway and wasn't surprised that it shut down. Seemed like they were closed more often than they were open even before they closed down.
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Glad you're kidding. We went there once and were quite taken aback at a very definite lack of customer skills.
 
Aug 15
The repainting of these building has done wonders to them, but should have done something on the AC and frames. Lets see what they do with the retail section.
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If I had told myself last year that I'd end up loving this building, I'd laugh myself out of the room. Every day that I pass by, I find myself really enjoying how it looks like an old warehouse conversion.

The exception for now is the street level and the building connecting the two towers but those haven't been touched yet. Seeing what Quadrangle has achieved so far, I'm optimistic and — holy $hit, I can't believe I'm saying this — Maple Leaf Square may end up becoming a gem on the waterfront.

Bravo Quadrangle, bravo!
 
I love how it looks like an old warehouse conversion, too. They could tack on one enormous red panel that's not flush with the brick and I'd still love it. The complex never said, "look at me" before but rather, "turn away".

This recladding gets me more excited than 90% of the new builds, primarily because we have such an awesome waterfront (that many don't appreciate how awesome and animated it is!) that really just needed some sprucing up. The QQ makeover, coupled with this reno, plus a few more years of tree growth and highway ramp removal and the true gem will be revealed fully.
 
yes - except they are storing the new windows in the hallways.. reducing the width by almost half. Suspect the window replacement wont be done till Mid-late October.
 
MetroMan said:
If I had told myself last year that I'd end up loving this building, I'd laugh myself out of the room. Every day that I pass by, I find myself really enjoying how it looks like an old warehouse conversion.

The exception for now is the street level and the building connecting the two towers but those haven't been touched yet. Seeing what Quadrangle has achieved so far, I'm optimistic and — holy $hit, I can't believe I'm saying this — Maple Leaf Square may end up becoming a gem on the waterfront.

Bravo Quadrangle, bravo!
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Hopefully it will hold up. I'm already seeing water stains on the paint job.
 
I really hope they abort this red stuff that they started adding between some of the windows recently. It's gonna look real messy.
 
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