Vaughan Civic Centre (Maple, 4s, KPMB)

[spmarshall]

FM is allowed to bash any suburb he wants, be it Brampton, Vaughan, Scarborough, whatever, but don't the rest of you dare criticise Mississauga!

Good thing there's no cabal of pro-Vaughan people here. Vaughan bashing is fun, but admittedly not that sporting.

 

[building babel]

Finally! And a nice little article about the evolution of KPMB in today's Globe too.

 

[FutureMayor]

$107 million for a not so spectaular landmark civic centre in the middle of nowhere?

Louroz

 

[simply Dan]

At least the new Vaughan Civic Centre will be built directly next to a GO train station - as opposed to a giant parking lot like in Mississauga.

 

[building babel]

I'm thrilled that the City Above Toronto will get a City Below Vaughan Style building.

And I'm delighted that Mississauga has one of the few internationally known examples of Canadian PoMo, a considerably rarer thing. There is fearful symmetry in the fact that KPMB was one of the bright-eyed-and-bushy-tailed young firms that stopped PoMo dead in its tracks as a style to be reckoned with locally with their Kitchener City Hall, and now they're kinda Mississauga-Blocking with another fine civic building on the other side.

 

[simply Dan]

In addition, I think the new civic centre will be truly spectacular indeed... very elegant in a modern minimal 21st century way - unlike the incredibly dated PoMo 80s megalomania "barn-silo-Mussolini-balcony" Mississauga city hall built atop a giant wall - that just screams for attention while turning its back on the city all the same.

 

[FutureMayor]

If it is suppose to be the landmark destination in the city at least build it in what is suppose to be the "Vaughan City Centre" and where Ontario taxpayers will supposely be spending hundreds of millions to extend a subway line to.

My question is, does the $107 include the new Central Public Library and secondary office building for Vaughan Hydro? If it is just the main "City Hall" building with the Etobicoke Civic Centre inspired clock tower, I got to question the price tag as it doesn't even include suffient underground parking? The site plan shows two massive surface parking lots directly behind and east of the complex.

I'm also afraid that because of its location, the planned Civic Square will remain empty most of the year. Like Mississauga Civic Square a few years ago, it could end up being a dead empty space if it isn't extensively programmed throughout the year.

Also, how could the price tag of the project go from $76 million in December 2004 to $107 million today - a $31 million jump in less than 2 years?

Finally, why is the City Manager calling the shots at City Council? It boggles my mind that the Mayor of the city of Vaughan doesn't even control the date and time of council meetings.

As for the building itself, its not bad, however its also nothing special in my humble opinion.

Louroz

 

[spmarshall]

Some of the sketches makes it look like it could have come from FLW if one blurs the eyes, but it is no FLW. It looks okay, but like FM, I hate the location - middle of nowhere.

Vaughan has shown yet again that it does not deserve a subway, to bad the finance minister (and the Dick Cheney to McGuinty) lives there and represents the area.

 

[simply Dan]

$107 million is but a drop in the bucket for an incredibly wealthy municipality like Vaughan.

 

[FutureMayor]

I have no idea what Vaughan's new Civic Centre has to do with Mississauag City Hall.

I've raised two key problems I see with the building: the price tag and location.

If there is anyone who believes in 905 cities building great civic projects, I can assure you that person is me. What bothers me, is that Vaughan appears to be wasting a great opportunity to make a bold statement about itself and future.

Louroz

 

[billonlogan]

What a wasted opportunity, for $107 M they could have built the Taj Mahal. Hoping they would go vertical and make a real impact on the landscape.

 

[DaninToronto2]

Looks like it has a smoke stack.

 

[spmarshall]

The "smoke stack" almost makes it look like the old Etobicoke Hall, now that you mention it.

 

[Sir Novelty Fashion]

Where are all those people in the rendering going to come from? Are they going to drive to the city hall parking lot so they can walk in circles for a few minutes and leave? Or are they Vaughan rent-a-mobs waiting for the cue to enter the chambers and work their magic?

 

[prometheus the supremo]

Where are all those people in the rendering going to come from? Are they going to drive to the city hall parking lot so they can walk in circles for a few minutes and leave? Or are they Vaughan rent-a-mobs waiting for the cue to enter the chambers and work their magic?

this is the voice behind the project...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXGfmHC2Q5M

they should test those vaughan fields for ergot. :lol

also, apparently from the above film, they're supposed to build a shoeless joes or something.