[News] UPD: Aug 4 released renderings of Event Centre in OP (+ new ext. renders in post #704)

[Manhattanboy]

Project looks awesome.

[Hack&Lube]

I'm very cautious about these renders because we all know how Edmonton's brand-new battleship library turned out as compared to renders.

It was cost-cut over and over with cheaper materials and shortcuts until it looked like a 1980s corrugated brutalist metal mess. Finishes and materials are a big deal and we keep hearing that the Flames ownership is big on cost cutting and continues to push for cheaper and cheaper.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Expectation...onton_alberta/

[The Fisher Account]

It's almost comical how everyone trots out Edmonton's library now whenever a render of a new building comes out.

[Jordan!]

The main "square" garage/parkade and arena footprint look very similar to the Footprint center in Phoenix.



A little Boring design overall. I don't get the hate for the Oilers rink design, its cool as hell.

I hope to bring my son to his first Flames game when this arena is done and we visit Calgary and talk about the cool Saddle arena that his dad went to countless times with his father.

[Madman]

Originally Posted by getbak

Here are the 3D model photos from the presentation document.



Overhead from SW corner...

[D as in David]

Originally Posted by The Fisher Account

It's almost comical how everyone trots out Edmonton's library now whenever a render of a new building comes out.

What do you mean "almost"?

[Table 5]

I wish just one of these renderings showed the environment in a realistic setting of how this place will be used...ie. a cold and windy February, ice and brown sludge everywhere, and people in parkas and jerseys shuffling in and out as fast as possible.

[Mazrim]

Originally Posted by Jordan!

A little Boring design overall. I don't get the hate for the Oilers rink design, its cool as hell.

The Oilers arena design is decent with lots of smooth, sweeping lines, but in my opinion it's going to age really poorly. It only looks good at a distance. If you get up close to it, it already looks kinda rough. The exterior material selection wasn't the greatest. I'm hoping the Event Centre avoids the same pitfalls.

[Bunk]

A more relevant example would be the Calgary library, which had the same local architect, Dialog.

It turned out better than the renderings, IMO.

E=NG - did you forget?

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

I'm very cautious about these renders because we all know how Edmonton's brand-new battleship library turned out as compared to renders.

It was cost-cut over and over with cheaper materials and shortcuts until it looked like a 1980s corrugated brutalist metal mess. Finishes and materials are a big deal and we keep hearing that the Flames ownership is big on cost cutting and continues to push for cheaper and cheaper.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Expectation...onton_alberta/

[VilleN]

Originally Posted by The Fisher Account

It's almost comical how everyone trots out Edmonton's library now whenever a render of a new building comes out.

I think that is the point.

[8sPOT]

I'm way more concerned with the interior than the exterior. If I dont need to wait 5 mins for a beer and 10-15 mins to take a leak I'll be happy. Simple as that. It's all about the experience at whatever event being attended.

I'd buy a lot more food, drinks, and merchandise if it didn't mean missing large portions of the game.

Edmonton somehow completely messed this up which has me a little concerned that we will do the same.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Bunk

A more relevant example would be the Calgary library, which had the same local architect, Dialog.

It turned out better than the renderings, IMO.

Unfortunately Calgary doesn't have the best reputation when it comes to material/build quality... the new library definitely feels like a bit of an anomaly to me compared to most construction projects. It also seemed like it also had a very healthy budget (3x of Edmontons?) so they had a chance to do it right. The new arena seems to be on the lower/mid level of budgets (atleast compared to the really nice arenas in the league) so I'm not expecting gold urinals.

I hope you're right though, as this is a design that would really benefit from quality materials and attention to detail, as the forms themselves aren't particularly interesting.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Unfortunately Calgary doesn't have the best reputation when it comes to material/build quality... the new library definitely feels like a bit of an anomaly to me compared to most construction projects. It also seemed like it also had a very healthy budget (3x of Edmontons?) so they had a chance to do it right. The new arena seems to be on the lower/mid level of budgets (atleast compared to the really nice arenas in the league) so I'm not expecting gold urinals.

I hope you're right though, as this is a design that would really benefit from quality materials and attention to detail, as the forms themselves aren't particularly interesting.

Reputation for public buildings or private ones? IMO the Calgary courthouse turned out fine, the Bell centre is nice, the library is cool (albeit I still wish there were lots of stacks of books inside).

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by Mazrim

The Oilers arena design is decent with lots of smooth, sweeping lines, but in my opinion it's going to age really poorly. It only looks good at a distance. If you get up close to it, it already looks kinda rough. The exterior material selection wasn't the greatest. I'm hoping the Event Centre avoids the same pitfalls.

The oilers arena looks like it was designed to look good from an aerial shot. It doesn’t look great from the street - which is where it’s experienced from 99.99% of the time.

Our arena may not look the best from an aerial shot, but it’s going to look pretty good from the street, which is what you want when you want to develop around it.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

The oilers arena looks like it was designed to look good from an aerial shot. It doesn’t look great from the street - which is where it’s experienced from 99.99% of the time.

Our arena may not look the best from an aerial shot, but it’s going to look pretty good from the street, which is what you want when you want to develop around it.

This. T Mobil is boring when seen from the highway or probably from the air, but walking up to it - it’s great.

[Enoch Root]

I like the looks - not wowed, but it's nice.

However, I think that is mostly irrelevant. What matters is the experience. My favourite arenas to go to are the ones where there is space - nothing worse than crowded hallways. At the Dome, it is a nightmare trying to get from one section of the arena to another. In places like Phoenix and Vegas, you can easily move around the building (and you don't feel imprisoned).

The next factor is amenities - can I go to the bathroom, or get food and drink, without it taking an entire intermission?

Just solve those issues and I'll be happy.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Reputation for public buildings or private ones? IMO the Calgary courthouse turned out fine, the Bell centre is nice, the library is cool (albeit I still wish there were lots of stacks of books inside).

The CMLC-led projects definitely have better finished projects (although the new parkade is a bit of a turd)...although it sounds like they are out of the picture now. So it may depend on who's in charge of overseeing things. The Flames to me never seem like sticklers for quality or someone who put a lot (or any) value in good design. Hopefully who ever is managing it now does though!

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

The more they update it, the more I like it.

Construction Projects like this operate on a Bell-Curve.

The initial renderings are underwhelming and thus the graph starts low, as time goes on and things become more polished and refined and the renderings get more detailed and nicer the curve of the graph climbs.

Then construction starts and people actually have to start paying for things, cost overruns happen and cuts start and then the curve of the graph starts going down...

Until you get to the final product which is largely as underwhelming as you'd thought it would be when it all started.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

The oilers arena looks like it was designed to look good from an aerial shot. It doesn’t look great from the street - which is where it’s experienced from 99.99% of the time.

Our arena may not look the best from an aerial shot, but it’s going to look pretty good from the street, which is what you want when you want to develop around it.

Which is something they emphasized many times during the meeting yesterday. It's not an "object building" designed to sit alone in the middle of a massive parking lot, but it's designed to integrate with the surrounding community.



Speaking of the meeting, the video is now online: https://pub-calgary.escribemeetings....b-cff81667578b

The Event Centre discussion starts around 3 hours and 25 minutes into the video. There is a short video that starts around 3:34 which is mostly flyby shots of the model.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Unfortunately Calgary doesn't have the best reputation when it comes to material/build quality... the new library definitely feels like a bit of an anomaly to me compared to most construction projects. It also seemed like it also had a very healthy budget (3x of Edmontons?) so they had a chance to do it right. The new arena seems to be on the lower/mid level of budgets (atleast compared to the really nice arenas in the league) so I'm not expecting gold urinals.

I hope you're right though, as this is a design that would really benefit from quality materials and attention to detail, as the forms themselves aren't particularly interesting.

I love the new library. Looks great inside and outside, it's really fun inside actually and there's a ton of rooms/quiet areas.

But the SPF they used throughout is going to get wrecked real bad.