Encana trying to make its mark on Calgary skyline

[Shawnski]

A world-famous architectural firm from London, England was picked to design the massive office tower complex oil and gas giant EnCana Corporation plans to build over a two-block area in the heart of this booming city.

EnCana announced Thursday that Foster and Partners will be the “signature architect” for what could be the biggest commercial development in western Canadian history.
Industry speculation has it that the planned two million square feet of office space will be housed in two office towers, one of which is over 60 storeys tall – the highest in Calgary - and it would be connected high above a major downtown road to link with the second office tower in the adjacent block.
EnCana agents were trying to tie up all the land and buildings in the two block area that sits east of Centre Street and two blocks west of City Hall, according to sources and some property owners who said they were in negotiations with EnCana agents. If EnCana is successful in gaining control over all the land and property, city police would be moving out of their headquarters and a number of heritage buildings would be included in the overall development.

So right on the LRT at Macleod North it sounds like.

http://www.mytelus.com/news/article....icleID=2114151

[Reaper]

Originally Posted by Shawnski

So right on the LRT at Macleod North it sounds like.

http://www.mytelus.com/news/article....icleID=2114151

7th and Centre Street - beside the Legion.

[Cowperson]

Prince Charles would die.

Cowperson

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Despite what Chuck might say, I'm impressed to hear that Foster & Partners (Sir Norman Foster) will take the lead on this. They've certainly got some impressive projects under their belt:

http://www.fosterandpartners.com/int...ml/simple.html

I'm hoping for something new and inspiring. More Nexen/Bankers Hall, less TCPL/5th Ave Place.

A few years back the police were formerly speculated to be moving to the old co-op on 11th Ave, in front of the Mustard Seed, but I believe that land has since sold.

[Shawnski]

Man, that company has done some incredible work. I am pretty excited about what they may come up with for DT.

[browna]

I'm hoping for something new and inspiring. More Nexen/Bankers Hall, less TCPL/5th Ave Place.

Maybe this?
http://www.thejarrellgroup.com/miamivice/images/atl.jpg

[BlackEleven]

I quite like the building in Vancouver they're working on:

http://www.fosterandpartners.com/int...asp?JobNo=1289

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Maybe they can incorporate a giant "Flaming C" Flames logo at the top of that 60 story tower.... like Saurumon's eye from Lord of the Rings.

Maybe this?
http://www.thejarrellgroup.com/miamivice/images/atl.jpg

But enough about Edmonton.... j/k ;-)

[TOfan]

nice to see foster got the job

thank god they didn't go with bkdi or cohos evamy.

calgary architecture is terrible. especially bankers hall. its embarassing people in calgary actually think that is good architecture.

hate to say it but, calgary architecture and architectural community is non existant.

[Calgary Flames]

Originally Posted by I-Hate-Hulse

I'm hoping for something new and inspiring. More Nexen/Bankers Hall, less TCPL/5th Ave Place.

I agree, I love the Nexen building. Amazing design.

[Calgary Flames]

Originally Posted by TOfan

nice to see foster got the job

thank god they didn't go with bkdi or cohos evamy.

calgary architecture is terrible. especially bankers hall. its embarassing people in calgary actually think that is good architecture.

hate to say it but, calgary architecture and architectural community is non existant.

You kidding? people at skyscraper forums love Calgary's skyline. It's not the best, but it's very well rounded.

[Neeper]

Originally Posted by I-Hate-Hulse

Maybe they can incorporate a giant "Flaming C" Flames logo at the top of that 60 story tower.... like Saurumon's eye from Lord of the Rings.

As silly as that sounds, that would be AWESOME! But in our dreams.

[TOfan]

Originally Posted by Calgary Flames

You kidding? people at skyscraper forums love Calgary's skyline. It's not the best, but it's very well rounded.

well, skyscraper forum pages aren't ussually considered credible in terms of providing architectural criticism.

calgary's architecture is banal, forgetable, and uninspiring. I wish it was different. just check out the city of calgary's web-site. just this past year we had our first city of calgary urban design awards (something other cities have been doing for decades) and winners were not even selected for 3 categories. it wasn't because no one entered it was because the entries were that poor. credit to the city for actually posting that embarassment, hopefully that means it'll be better for it in the years to come.

calgarys architectural landscape is littered with buildings of limited aspirations. just take a look around at some of the new condo's dt.

the montana? five west? emerald stone? what garbage.
just terrible.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Calgary Flames

You kidding? people at skyscraper forums love Calgary's skyline. It's not the best, but it's very well rounded.

The skyline is great, especially when compared against, say, Edmonton or Tampa Bay. The invidual artichechture is lacking in many cases. Many of our towers are victims of the big box era of the late 70s/early 80s.

[BlackArcher101]

It is indeed a great skyline right now. Encana would improve it even more though. I mean, how could you not like my SIG?

[Shin Pad]

Well, I am a Consultant to many Architects in this City, and one of the problems I see is that the Owners/Developers aren't really inspired to create great Architecture. They only think about the bottom line. You could be the best Architect in the World, but if you have an Owner that doesn't want to pay for it, you will end up with some of same crap that we now have in this City. There are some great pieces of Architecture around Calgary, but there is also a lot of buildings that leave a lot to be desired.

Having said that, there is going to be a new wave of high rises in the downtown area over the next 3 or 4 years. Some of the preliminary designs I have seen, look pretty good.

And one other thing - 5th Avenue Place was designed back in the day when big dark bronze curtain wall clad boxes were all the rage. All glass buildings were a fairly new concept. Calgary isn't the only place to have this type of building - just look at Pacific Centre in Vancouver (built a few years before 5th Avenue Place) - it's another big dark bronze curtain wall clad box.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by TOfan

calgary's architecture is banal, forgetable, and uninspiring.

calgarys architectural landscape is littered with buildings of limited aspirations. just take a look around at some of the new condo's dt.

While for the most part I agree with you, I do think Calgary has recently turned the corner in terms of architectural quality. There are some really quality projects that have been built recently (eg, the Orange Lofts, the MTech building, various UofC buidings), or are on their way (eg Colours/Chocolate, Arriva towers, Centrium, the new Water Works building).

Yes, there are still lots of projects stuck in a bland stucco timewarp, but the days of all new Calgary works of architecture being called bland are behind us...or atleast on their way. This city is definitely starting to mature in this regard.

[Shin Pad]

I'm working on Centrium Place right now.

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Originally Posted by TOfan

calgary's architecture is banal, forgetable, and uninspiring. I wish it was different. just check out the city of calgary's web-site. just this past year we had our first city of calgary urban design awards (something other cities have been doing for decades) and winners were not even selected for 3 categories. it wasn't because no one entered it was because the entries were that poor. credit to the city for actually posting that embarassment, hopefully that means it'll be better for it in the years to come.

People's view are always relative - to what other cities are you comparing Calgary to?

Heck, most of the downtowns in Canada falls into that category. MTL/TOR/VAN aren't much better IMHO.

[Reaper]

Originally Posted by I-Hate-Hulse

Maybe they can incorporate a giant "Flaming C" Flames logo at the top of that 60 story tower.... like Saurumon's eye from Lord of the Rings.

You mean that giant floating Vagina they always show in commercials for those Lord of the Rings movies?