Interesting. I think it's probably the nicest new build in Hamilton, by a long shot. Much nicer than Kiwi right next door.
I personally think that boils down to whether you like modern box minimalist aesthetic or if you like craftsmanship. I am not the former, but you seem to be. It's just incredibly bland to me. At least kiwi has subtle curves and angles. It's prettier to look at, esp the balconies. I don't get why people worship rectangular architecture - it's made that way because it's the cheapest thing to build, but its like telling you "it's cheap, but you'll think it's trendy, and you'll like it"
I just don't get it. It's literally boxes on top of boxes, it's the laziest architectural design you can possibly muster. I get that from a footprint area it might be more EFFICIENT - but from a design standpoint I simply cannot agree. And I know the modernist movement has shunned I guess what they consider "garish" exterior embellishments in favour of pure geometric form where the interior is focused on, instead of the exterior, but I hate that movement.
So help me understand, what is it about it that makes you think it's the nicest new build? Esp. when compared to ACTUAL craftsmanship like Core Urban? No judgment btw, I simply don't get it. Saying it's the nicest new build in hamilton.. well that needs some backing up haha.. Personally I feel the augusta st/james st block is the nicest new build complex in hamilton right now. Modern combined with beautiful craftsmanship. Or, at least what counts as beautiful craftsmanship these days.
I'll say what i DON'T like about it
1) its a box, on top of a box, on top of a box, with glass and bland boring windows punched in all 90 degree angles, not a single curve or bend to deviate from that - I hate blockitecture - the grey brick looks dirty from far away - parts of the brick exterior feel like hollywood props where it's just on the exterior but doesn't feel structural. You can painfully sea the brick "seams" and it doesn't feel harmonious - and the red brick garage area makes the "front" of this building look like a loading bay "back" - also I hate those grates in the middle of the front entrance and the ones above the windows on the first floor. It all feels very awkward and disjointed.
2) the inside lacks warmth whatsoeever and not even the ceiling is finished. There are few I have been so vocally against but this is one of them - I just hate it, and I'll never like it.
3) It feels like they cut corners everywhere - they didn't even finish bricking the balconies - the balconies themselves feel like prison slats and the hallway interiors look like a sterilized mental institution hallway.
This doesn't feel like the nicest, it feels like the cheapest made. I kinda already echoed a lot of my complaints I had here:
https://urbantoronto.ca/forum/threa...lopments-studio-jci.32336/page-7#post-2072621
Pics for reference of my points:
mental hospital hallway with bland colours and unfinished ceiling:
Unfinished brick with no wraparound to cover cinderblock - that's a glaring one imo.
awkward looking seams and strange vent windows on the front:
I will admit the render did look a BIT better
but elements like the brick above the windows appears to have been much shorter in the final result and just doesn't even show up unless you squint. Just don't like it. The render is better due to a deeper contrast - the blacks are blacks and irl theyre more just kinda greyish black. The trees and foliage help to humanize it too - admittedly that'll take some time - but those seams, blegh. And that grey brick still looks dirty from far away, dunno how else to describe it - but yeah all I can focus on are the seams - for something that's meant to be geometric I feel it fails at even that as you can't focus on the entire form. Like what's up with the seam going up and down between the second and third column of windows? I could see the seams going across for lintels for the bricks to rest on but the up and down one I am unsure about. God I miss when brick looked uniform Like the render above.
