Toronto Fort York Visitor Centre | ?m | 2s | Fort York Foundation | Patkau

[Parkdalian]

^ What are those white balls that the kid is sitting on? Alien eggs? Spirits of the dead?

I don't mind it being under the Gardiner, or the unfinished look of the concrete. But from what I recall, being under the Gardiner is super-loud - someone tried to do some open-air plays under the Gardiner a few years back, and you couldn't hear the actors. I assume the designers have taken this into consideration.

 

[ponyboy]

unless they really do something special with acoustic engineering/sound absorption on the bottom and sides of the gardiner, the social scene will never look like that render (except maybe on the opening day of the new centre). However, I still kinda like the freeway juxtaposed with the historical site....it reflects the inherent contestation of space for competing uses found in all great cities.

 

[wyliepoon]

I kind of want to see a skate park under the Gardiner with scheme A. Not only would it actually attract a crowd the size you see in the renderings, I'd also imagine that film producers would be lining up to use such an "urban" location for film/TV/commercial shoots.

 

[gristle]

^ Regarding the numeber of people in the render, don't forget a whole new neighbourhood is being developed immediately south of this site and in the surrounding vicinity.

Render-people always show up. That is their purpose.

 

[Archivist]

And the choice is "A", which was Patkau as Alvin suggested. I have to admit, I voted for "C" initially, but I found the arguments here for "A" were compelling and I ended up changing my mind, so I am feeling content with the outcome.

 

[Torontovibe]

Yep, A is the winner. I'm surprised there is such little buzz on here about the winning design.

http://spacing.ca/wire/2009/12/18/fort-york-visitor-centre-winning-design-announced/

 

[skorji]

I'm content with the outcome of this design competition, but is it realistic to suggest the planting of decorative grasses, etc. under the Gardiner? How much light do such species need to survive?

 

[egotrippin]

They've done a whole bunch of plantings under and around the Gardiner at the Yonge and Lakeshore intersection and it seems to be doing well.

 

[interchange42]

Yep, A is the winner. I'm surprised there is such little buzz on here about the winning design.

http://spacing.ca/wire/2009/12/18/fort-york-visitor-centre-winning-design-announced/

Okay; buzz buzz buzz! Just had not had the time yet lately...

I'm not sure what else to say other than...

Not that I have any idea of any of the entrant's proposals, but I am excited to see Patkau Architects shortlisted. Their Grand Bibliothèque in Montréal is so good, I immediately perk up seeing their name here.

You can check out their work at patkau.ca
(scroll down to the Grand Bibliotheque, click, and make sure you see some of the interior shots)

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Patkau also did the Harbourfront School, which has never excited me very much. It would be nice to give them a second chance in the city, though.

Agreed regarding that school, and the second chance, as 15 years worth of experience since then has shown that this pair can work some serious magic.

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Yippee! Called it!

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[interchange42]

If I have to guess

Scheme A: Patkau Architects with Kearns Mancini Architects Inc
Scheme B: Diamond and Schmitt Architects Inc; du Toit Allsopp Hillier / du Toit Architects Limited
Scheme C: Raw Design with Gareth Hoskins Architects.
Scheme D: Baird Sampson Neuert Architects

AoD

Wow Alvin - pretty good! As we've seen above, you were spot on with Patkau of course... but you did flip a couple of them (and we had already discussed Diamond Schmitt dropping out).

Anyway, just to spell it all out, the following firms designed the other presentations:

Presentation B by Raw Design with Gareth Hoskins Architects

Presentation C by du Toit Allsopp Hillier / du Toit Architects Limited

Presentation D by Baird Sampson Neuert Architects

Congratulations again to Patkau/Kearns Mancini, to the jury, to Fort York, and to Toronto. Only 2 years to build this to make the War of 1812 Bi-Centennial. Get the shovels in the ground!

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[W. K. Lis]

Now, maybe they could paint the Gardiner's pillars brown and the overhead roadway green. Anything better than the current concrete gray and rust.

 

[Admiral Beez]

I'm a longtime fan of historic British forts and fortifications, and often seek them out in my travels. I once spent over five hours wandering at the Lei Yue Mun Fort in Hong Kong, http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/Coastal/en/section1-3.php

In St. Kitts I spent half a day at the Brimstone Hill Fortress, a very well done restoration http://www.brimstonehillfortress.org/

In Ontario, Fort George in Niagara and Fort Henry in Kingston are two of the best examples, with Fort Wellington being a good example of a Fort York-sized fort http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Wellington

When I lived in Fredericton, NB, I always enjoyed the re-enacted changing of the guard at the old Barracks. As for the Maritimes, Halifax's Citadel is one of the best restored forts in Canada, with Quebec's Citadel being a close second, or equal.

There are lots of examples in Ontario and Canada of British forts that are included in the city's planning and growth. Fort York could definitely use a PR boost. First of all, it should be removed from the city's control, much like was done with HMCS Haida, and moved to Parks Canada's control.

 

[Archivist]

Admiral, I couldn't agree more. Fort York should be a federally-administered National Heritage Site, no questions asked. It's a crime that it isn't. I find it quite amazing that you can go to this map and not find a single Parks Canada site in Canada's largest city.

 

[khris]

Well out of the National Parks I've been to, nothing in the GTA comes close to what a National Park should be.

Won't Downsview Park be a national park eventually? What about Lake Ontario Park?

 

[DSC]

There is a difference between National Parks (of which there are none in GTA) and Sites of National Historic Interest (of which there are many.)

National Parks - See: http://www.pc.gc.ca/progs/np-pn/index_e.asp

National Historic Sites - See: http://www.pc.gc.ca/progs/lhn-nhs/recherche-search_e.asp?s=1

National Marine Conservation Areas - Se: http://www.pc.gc.ca/progs/amnc-nmca/recherche-search_e.asp?m=1

Downsview Park appears to be none of these and is described as:

"Downsview Park is a unique urban recreational green space, a safe and peaceful place, developed according to the principles of environmental, economic and social sustainability, for Canadians to enjoy in all seasons. The park reflects Canada's mosaic brilliance and celebrates its past, present and future accomplishments." See: http://www.downsviewpark.ca/

National Parks are actually run by Parks Canada, Historic Sites, like Fort York, are run by a variety of people and may get some $$, or none, from the government.