Hamilton McMaster Graduate Student Residence | 97.9m | 30s | Knightstone | Diamond Schmitt

The escarpment is clearly a bit too high. It is ruining the views of the skyline in some of Lake Ontario's pics above.
 
Chronamut said:
I do love the effort that has been put into this building to make it look unique and not box or grid like. I'm not always grouchy about designs - I just appreciate GENUINE effort and craftsmanship, even if it's a modern design. Gotta go above and beyond the bare minimum.
Click to expand...
Sometimes I can live with just a box. As you know, I’ll cut a lot of slack for things if it’s executed well ;)

A powerful thing about UT is that it’s clear to me now there are builders that care about quality in the entire region- many more than just your Core Urbans or MacMaster’s. I’ve always felt that quality speaks for itself, especially in architecture/UD. So, knowing that there are people that care about what they build elsewhere makes it a game of patience for the Hammer that’s slowly paying off.
 
It’s hard not to admire the “Wild West” feeling downtown has nowadays. It’s like you can feel the interest and anticipation of countless entities in the air, each vying for a piece of the pie. It’s not some meticulously planned thing, so lots of shlock has appeared, but it’s charming in it’s unadulterated nature. We didn’t have to coerce the market- it came on its own terms. This building is a testament to that; other universities aren’t building residences like this in their respective downtowns, only satellite campuses. But Mac came and fired on all cylinders. Phenomenal stuff really.
 
Towered said:
Interesting to see fresh "faces" on Hamilton's skyline. It had been stagnant for decades.
Click to expand...
Red is new buildings from the last 5 years, blue is future under construction buildings which will be there soon, roughly:

5.png
 
I think your future between Mac and Marquee is not quite right. From this vantage point I don't think you'll be able to see it much. Will be mostly hidden by Marquee. Also, don't forget about Television City! Probably the tallest in the city considering it's position on that sandbar.
 
Sunnyside said:
Sometimes I can live with just a box. As you know, I’ll cut a lot of slack for things if it’s executed well ;)

A powerful thing about UT is that it’s clear to me now there are builders that care about quality in the entire region- many more than just your Core Urbans or MacMaster’s. I’ve always felt that quality speaks for itself, especially in architecture/UD. So, knowing that there are people that care about what they build elsewhere makes it a game of patience for the Hammer that’s slowly paying off.
Click to expand...
yeah it this was american idol you'd be paula abdul, and I'd be simon lol

and I'll continue to call out the crappy developers and designs until said people show me their beautiful core urban-esque works. Trust me, I WANT to praise architects - I really really do - that's one thing that MAKES me grouchy is I just want to see excellence in design ACTUALLY being built.

And Yes Harry Stinton, that was aimed at you.
 
Sunnyside said:
It’s hard not to admire the “Wild West” feeling downtown has nowadays. It’s like you can feel the interest and anticipation of countless entities in the air, each vying for a piece of the pie. It’s not some meticulously planned thing, so lots of shlock has appeared, but it’s charming in it’s unadulterated nature. We didn’t have to coerce the market- it came on its own terms. This building is a testament to that; other universities aren’t building residences like this in their respective downtowns, only satellite campuses. But Mac came and fired on all cylinders. Phenomenal stuff really.
Click to expand...
Yeah but mac has a HUGE history and presence in the city - and deep, deep pockets. They originally left toronto to move to hamilton and a lot of hamilton's prestige comes FROM mac. So one would definitely EXPECT anything associated with them to reflect that sense of prestige and excellence. It may be a bit too much to assume the same level from other designers whose pockets may not be so deep, or their presence not as deeply engrained in our citys very historical culture and fabric.

We're watching, but some of our expectations for said vyers of the pie is very very high.. so impress us people! Show us excellence of design..

..and cornices :p

I've always respected your stances though and I do admire your optimism - but someone has to be the "me" on the forums lol :p
 
I have to compliment the design here with regards to sight lines and wind lol

The garage is tall enough to make the area feel really urban, but doesn’t take away sight lines or block the sun.

I’ve walked by dozens of times over the past few months, and don’t feel a difference in wind since before the build when it was a surface parking lot.

Anyone who’s walked along Toronto’s Urban Canyons, or even waited at Macnab Transit Terminal on a windy day, can appreciate the wind issues lol

My only complaint is the over-the-top garage entrance. It’ll be interesting to see how that incorporates with future developments on this block.
 
DC83 said:
I have to compliment the design here with regards to sight lines and wind lol

The garage is tall enough to make the area feel really urban, but doesn’t take away sight lines or block the sun.

I’ve walked by dozens of times over the past few months, and don’t feel a difference in wind since before the build when it was a surface parking lot.

Anyone who’s walked along Toronto’s Urban Canyons, or even waited at Macnab Transit Terminal on a windy day, can appreciate the wind issues lol

My only complaint is the over-the-top garage entrance. It’ll be interesting to see how that incorporates with future developments on this block.
Click to expand...
I suspect any addition to this on the southeast corner will include no additional parking. Both to save cost, and just because it's unnecessary. That's why the building adjacent to Marquee has no parking, because it will be utilized the Marquee lot which was overbuilt.
 
I don't believe Mac overbuilt parking here over the minimums like Marquee did. The building next door would still need parking, that is unless the City's plans to drop parking minimums comes through..
 
innsertnamehere said:
I don't believe Mac overbuilt parking here over the minimums like Marquee did. The building next door would still need parking, that is unless the City's plans to drop parking minimums comes through..
Click to expand...
I'm betting that occurs before a proposal here comes forward.

In other news, the construction elevator looks to be coming down
PXL_20231027_180421116.jpg
 
The choices made with this building are really interesting. I don't know if it's completely successful, but in this case, it's kind of good not knowing. It's bold and different while working hard to be an asset, and these days, that's saying something.
I grew up near Hamilton in the '70's, and Hamilton had been building a lot of stuff that was brutalist and partook of some of the decades cliche's - smoked and bronzed glass, concrete and precast brownish panels, angled piers and columns, the occasional moat. To a younger me, it all looked ravishingly futuristic. Hamilton Place, Jackson Square and The Art Gallery, especially.
To me, this building seems to pick up some of those tropes and run with them. I don't know how to explain it, but it "feels" like a Hamilton building. It looks a bit neo-'brutalist' to me, with it's pushed and folded forms. It's meant to state it's presence, and it does. Nifty.
 
You must log in or register to post here.

Back
Top