Stucco Buildings

[Marcanadian]

There was a thread on this before, but it was made a while ago, so I figured it's worth creating a new one.

I can't be the only one noticing a crazy rise in the amount of stucco builds. I notice this mainly because of its ugliness - many century old homes and businesses in my neighbourhood are being covered in ugly, sterile stucco that eliminates the character of the building. I can't be the only one despises this. I realize that stucco is cheap, and it could look nice if done well, but the stuff that's been going up lately has been nothing short of horrendous.

Here's an example of a couple of shops at Dufferin and St. Clair. I almost threw up when I saw this.

Is there anyone out there that thinks this looks good?

 

[Nads Gone Bads]

There was a thread on this before, but it was made a while ago, so I figured it's worth creating a new one.

I can't be the only one noticing a crazy rise in the amount of stucco builds. I notice this mainly because of its ugliness - many century old homes and businesses in my neighbourhood are being covered in ugly, sterile stucco that eliminates the character of the building. I can't be the only one despises this. I realize that stucco is cheap, and it could look nice if done well, but the stuff that's been going up lately has been nothing short of horrendous.


Here's an example of a couple of shops at Dufferin and St. Clair. I almost threw up when I saw this.



Is there anyone out there that thinks this looks good?

The worst is when you see old stone or brick homes covered in this mess. I can't stand stucco. It's featurless. Covering a home or building in asphalt would be equally appealing.

 

[TrickyRicky]

I feel your pain Marcanadian. I've been mentioning the stucco invasion of Toronto in threads for years. There are a number of really sound reasons for owners to want to do this to buildings. Out of love they are turning their buildings into hideous monstrosities. Out of love. That is the tragedy of this situation.

 

[barit]

Agreed. There ought to be a law against it.

 

[adma]

I call that architectural treatment the "Heidi Montag"

 

[ambleDexterous]

There was a thread on this before, but it was made a while ago, so I figured it's worth creating a new one.

I can't be the only one noticing a crazy rise in the amount of stucco builds. I notice this mainly because of its ugliness - many century old homes and businesses in my neighbourhood are being covered in ugly, sterile stucco that eliminates the character of the building. I can't be the only one despises this. I realize that stucco is cheap, and it could look nice if done well, but the stuff that's been going up lately has been nothing short of horrendous.

Is there anyone out there that thinks this looks good?

I agree absolutely. The stucco craze is a blight however if people have older homes and want to insulate them, the only option is applying insulation on the brick and then covering it with stucco. I'd be interested to know how much it cuts energy consumption, if its significant then that might have to be a blight we all learn to live with until something better is devised

 

[adma]

I agree absolutely. The stucco craze is a blight however if people have older homes and want to insulate them, the only option is applying insulation on the brick and then covering it with stucco. I'd be interested to know how much it cuts energy consumption, if its significant then that might have to be a blight we all learn to live with until something better is devised

Once upon a time, aluminum siding was an "only option". And we all know how weasely-metaphorical the proverbial "aluminum siding salesman" is.

 

[Memph]

Stucco does have the potential to be done well, but it helps if the architecture is otherwise decent. I think the stucco shop Marcadian posted would look much better if that big blank area between the shop windows and 2nd floor windows had some signage or if the windows occupied more of that space or some architectural features or decoration of some sort...

 

[Marcanadian]

I agree absolutely. The stucco craze is a blight however if people have older homes and want to insulate them, the only option is applying insulation on the brick and then covering it with stucco. I'd be interested to know how much it cuts energy consumption, if its significant then that might have to be a blight we all learn to live with until something better is devised

As I speak a store around the corner from me is putting insulation on the brick. Stucco will naturally be added afterwards. I agree with Memph that it can be done well. Several buildings in London are stucco, but are intricate and designed beautifully. It's all in the details. Unfortunately, those details are often lost when actually applied.

 

[Marko]

I call that architectural treatment the "Heidi Montag"

Aside from the ridiculous boob job, that photo might actually support all the other surgery decisions she's made.

Looking at the face only...

That said - just to be clear - I'm not a fan of the cheap stucco cover ups going on either. In some cases though, as per the face comparison above - a stucco facelift isn't automatically bad.

 

[adma]

That said - just to be clear - I'm not a fan of the cheap stucco cover ups going on either. In some cases though, as per the face comparison above - a stucco facelift isn't automatically bad.

Even if she wasn't, uh, "conventionally beautiful"...I'd still beg to differ.

Just like added signage/features/etc wouldn't excuse the illustrated example as an archetype.

 

[Mississauga Slim]

Of course what we're talking about here isn't really stucco but EIFS, the dreaded Exterior Insulating Finishing System. Stucco is basically a kind of finishing cement. It can look good if done well. It's not really a good choice for our climate however since it will not weather well with our extremes of temperature and humidity.

EIFS, on the other hand, is a kind of plastic foam that hardens into a gross, tacky finish that-no matter how it's done- can't make a building look like anything else other than a retail concession at Canada's Wonderland. It is functional however. And we live in a town where the utilitarian attitude to architecture definitely prevails.

 

[Towered]

Aside from the ridiculous boob job, that photo might actually support all the other surgery decisions she's made.

Looking at the face only...

That said - just to be clear - I'm not a fan of the cheap stucco cover ups going on either. In some cases though, as per the face comparison above - a stucco facelift isn't automatically bad.

Bad example to use, because she definitely looks better now. She had an ugly nose.

 

[TrickyRicky]

I know this is off topic but seriously? I might actually want to spend time with the woman on the left. She looks natural and warm. The woman (in the after picture) I almost feel sorry for.

 

[Marko]

Bad example to use, because she definitely looks better now. She had an ugly nose.

I might actually want to spend time with the woman on the left. She looks natural and warm. The woman (in the after picture) I almost feel sorry for.

The woman on the left may look more natural and warm to you, but there are women who naturally might look more like the woman on the right, maybe having more symmetry, higher cheekbones, bigger lips, etc... If you didn't know what she looked like before, her face doesn't scream plastic like her chest does, or like some other famous facial upgrades have looked like. Aside from the dyed blonde hair, I think the woman on the right would be more attractive to more men, with or without make up.