taal
Senior Member
Does anyone have a pic of them on !
AlexBozikovic
Active Member
I came across this photo quite by accident a few days ago. NPS looking south, 1966, before the Sheraton was built
dt, this photo would have come from my blog, No Mean City.
http://www.nomeancity.net/viljo-revell-frank-gehry-and-city-hall-slideshow/
It's by Hugh Robertson, and it's from the archives of Dominion Modern.
AlexBozikovic
Active Member
Oh - sorry for second post - but also, you guys may want to have a look at this: some thoughts on the redesign and the "controversial" cost overruns. I've got an overview of the project in there too.
http://www.nomeancity.net/nathan-phillips-square-city-hall-design-and-whats-worth-it/
http://www.nomeancity.net/nathan-phillips-square-city-hall-design-and-whats-worth-it/
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Torontovibe
Senior Member
Sorry, I meant the drinking fountains. (good water pressure and cool water) Half the drinking fountains in this city, don't work at all, so it's nice to see some that are working well. (for now)
someMidTowner
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
August 21st:
egotrippin
Senior Member
I haven't used a public drinking fountain downtown ever since I watched a homeless man bathe his feet in one. It's not the pipes that are the issue.
AlvinofDiaspar
Moderator
egotrippin:
You have just nailed the gist of my initial comment. Case in point: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4945960 - it's a school drinking fountain, but the theory holds.
AoD
You have just nailed the gist of my initial comment. Case in point: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4945960 - it's a school drinking fountain, but the theory holds.
AoD
MetroMan
Senior Member
In related news, Ford came back from Edmonton in love with their City Hall fountain:
I'm sure it's much too late to change plans for whatever was planned -- and under construction -- but this would be a fantastic fit for the NPS fountain. These jets mimic the Freedom Arches and I've always thought that it was a bit disappointing that people were discouraged from using the reflecting pool during the summer months.
I love Crown Fountain in Chicago:
[video=youtube;NziRaGxI8Ow]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NziRaGxI8Ow[/video]
The water is shallow, under an inch deep so it gives you the impression of walking on water. It's really cool and very well used by tourists and locals alike.
I'm sure it's much too late to change plans for whatever was planned -- and under construction -- but this would be a fantastic fit for the NPS fountain. These jets mimic the Freedom Arches and I've always thought that it was a bit disappointing that people were discouraged from using the reflecting pool during the summer months.
I love Crown Fountain in Chicago:
[video=youtube;NziRaGxI8Ow]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NziRaGxI8Ow[/video]
The water is shallow, under an inch deep so it gives you the impression of walking on water. It's really cool and very well used by tourists and locals alike.
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k10ery
Senior Member
Are they tree cells plus irrigation?
dt_toronto_geek
Superstar
Looks like a great blog, I'm looking forward to poking around it tomorrow
. I snagged the photo from a Facebook group, I think it was put up on the 'Vintage Toronto' group.
I'm sure it's much too late to change plans for whatever was planned -- and under construction -- but this would be a fantastic fit for the NPS fountain. These jets mimic the Freedom Arches and I've always thought that it was a bit disappointing that people were discouraged from using the reflecting pool during the summer months.
Yes!!! I always think that too, a more interactive water feature in the summer months. All it would take would be a little less water, a rough surface applied to the top of the concrete to help prevent slipping and then blue paint every few years to make the water look clean.
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MetroMan
Senior Member
Actually, it's not what I thought at all. I was looking at them backwards. Those boxes will be filled in with cement and will become the support columns on top of which the concrete square tiles will lay. The piping around some of the boxes is probably just electricity conduits.
This part of the square will be bare with only 2 trees further back up against the elevated walkway.
MetroMan
Senior Member
Regarding the square blocks that make up the surface of the square, I wish they would add some variation to prevent the square from appearing so monochromatic. It's such a large expanse of the same "cement grey" that I think a bit of variety in the colour of the blocks would help a lot. The blocks are made up of squares and narrow rectangles. If those rectangles were replaced with a darker shade of grey -- perhaps granite -- it would create a nice pattern and break up the monotony of the square.
Another thing that I'd like to see almost came true (and still might): cladding the walls of the elevated walkways with the grooved tiles that are being used on the new buildings (the skate rental/snacks building and the stage). The South-East entrance building is the last item to be addressed in 2014. It will be reclad in these tiles to make it look like the rest of the new buildings so it's entirely possible that the walkways could be added to the recladding work.
Another thing that I'd like to see almost came true (and still might): cladding the walls of the elevated walkways with the grooved tiles that are being used on the new buildings (the skate rental/snacks building and the stage). The South-East entrance building is the last item to be addressed in 2014. It will be reclad in these tiles to make it look like the rest of the new buildings so it's entirely possible that the walkways could be added to the recladding work.
W. K. Lis
Superstar
What I find interesting is that the current city hall opened in 1965. The old city hall opened in 1899. The old, old city hall (see St. Lawrence Hall and Market) opened in 1850. So every 50 years (usually plus), a new city hall is built.
Today, instead of planning and constructing a new city hall, the city is renovating the current one. Hopefully, once it is finished, it will last another 50 years before we will have to either build a newer city hall or go through another renovation.
Today, instead of planning and constructing a new city hall, the city is renovating the current one. Hopefully, once it is finished, it will last another 50 years before we will have to either build a newer city hall or go through another renovation.
AlvinofDiaspar
Moderator
I kept thinking that there is something uncanny about the way the steel support for the stage canopy speaks to the Freedom Arches.
AoD
AoD