Finally, a little time to actually weigh in on this one:
Yellow: This one most cleanly and simply (and therefore best) addresses the public square to the west of the building. Too bad we don't have more exterior renders: it makes me wonder what they are trying to hide, and leaves me unable to properly assess this entry.
Red: I get the Granville Island critique... but that's exactly why I think this does belong here in the city, as this area should be our Granville Island. As our Farmers' Market, the North Market should have a granola-y feel. I like the glass elevators and staircase facing Front Street and the Saint Lawrence Market: the movement of the elevators and the eyes on the square, even while riding vertically away from it, will further animate this space. I like the wooden louvres and recessed glazed exterior of the building: they will make for constantly changing facades depending on the daylight conditions or lack thereof. I love the interior view through to St. Lawrence Hall; it is easily the best of the interior designs. Good openings to the public square to the west.
Orange: This is the most playful exterior with its partial barrel shape, randomized punch-out windows, and colours. I like very much the colouration of cladding panels, reflecting the colour of leaves at different times of the year. I am not sure why the south end would not sport a similar treatment: I think that more of the same would be more interesting than the simple glass field that is proposed. This design does not take advantage of the public square to the west as well.
Green: This looks like an older building that has been completely overhauled to look more modern... and has too many fussy details as a consequence. While Orange has details galore too, they seem to be better integrated in its case, while here they feel piled on. It does feel like too slavish a copy of the St Lawrence Market building too, and one that has not improved upon it despite the doodads. No idea of the interior feel.
Blue: I like sheds as much as the next guy, which is to say, not very much. Why are they pushing the shed thing? Who is this supposed to get on-board? I am unaware of a pro-shed movement in town. I also like modern, out-there, wow-factor architecture as much as the next guy, so too bad this is not it. There is no delight in this thing; it look turtle-ish, which is to say heavy and sluggish, it won't animate the square to the west whatsoever, nor the Front Street facade, nor the Jarvis Street facade, where it looks like a Star Trek: TNG phaser. The renderfolk in the south window of the courts section can't even see into the building from where they are, making the courts seem inaccessible and oppressive. It's hard to imagine that there were 25 designs that were worse than this one. How did this possibly make it as a finalist?
So, Red, then Orange, but maybe Yellow on par with Orange if I knew what it looked like, followed by none of the others please!
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