Comments on: Montréal Architecture (No.3)

By: fred capio

fred capio — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:50:40 +0000

@Ben Brown
Here we go again. the myth of Montreal’s “European feel”, perpetuated by people who obviously never visited Europe. And this insane obsession to keep Canada different from the USA. (The Narcissism of small differences. Sigmund Freud)
I agree with Vinny but I am afraid that Montreal, a city paralysed by complacency, will never heed.

By: paul

paul — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 17:36:59 +0000

you dont attract business by building skyscrapers, im
pretty sure it goes the other way around…

i do agree that the height limit should be scrapped, as it does nothing to preserve a ‘view’ of mount royal (think about it: if you build as high as the mountain you still hide it); plus the more buildings that get built to that limit the flatter the skyline gets. see vancouver.

toronto’s skyscrapers, or any other city thats undergone recent development for that matter, may not have the charm of old early 1900s chicago or manhattan buildings, no doubt. maybe architects could take a look back to the past for upcoming structures..

By: Toronto Unique Urban Homes

Toronto Unique Urban Homes — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 18:18:08 +0000

how that brings back memories! I lived in montreal for nearly 8 years, and one of the city’s finest pleasures is a late-night walk. It was absolutely wonderful to stroll Old Montreal and then straight up the main cutting across to St. Denis in the late night hours. I know the city has changed a great deal (hell, there are people LIVING in old montreal again!) but it truly is a superb city to walk.

Bravo!

By: James Stewart Thom

James Stewart Thom — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 23:59:09 +0000

Interesting site. Has anyone heard of a George Stewart who was prominent in high rise architecture in Canada – early 1900’s.

By: Skyline Observer

Skyline Observer — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 19:45:17 +0000

High-rise buildings are an inevitable necessity in nearly every large city, and has to be accepted rather than fought against. There exist, however, certain architectural and civic parameters that must be observed if the high-rise buildings are to blend harmoniously with older, more traditional architecture. Stringent guidelines regarding, architectural cohesion, style, green space rendered, and approtraiteness of design need to observed. In other Candadian cities, notably Calgary, the high-rise buildings were thrown up along low-density streets, and little architectural cohesion exists there, though Calgary should be nonetheless noted for several uniquely impressive buildings. Vancouver has implemented height-space regulations, and harmonizing design standards with some success. Some streets there work esthetically very well, others less so. Toronto has had to struggle with every high-rise issue imagineable.
Montreal still has the nicest skyine, the most inter-relation between old and new, the best angles of placement, the most beatiful designs (Chateau Champlain, Tour de la Bourse, among others).
Perhaps it’s the French influence, but the city has
done some good work. May it continue to do so *

By: Mary Soderstrom

Mary Soderstrom — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 16:02:32 +0000

High rise buldings can work, it all depends on how they are integrated into a city’s fabric. Singapore, where at least 85 per cent of the people live in high rise apartments, seems to have found a good balance between dense development, green space, and vibrant street life.

Mary

By: Toronto houses

Toronto houses — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 17:23:00 +0000

I can't agree with you, Ben. I personally like modern architecture. But if you consider the high-rise, modern Toronto houses to be horrible, we cannot much argue with each other. I certainly don't think that Toronto had been 'destroyed'.

By: Ben Brown

Ben Brown — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 12:32:24 +0000

Don’t destroy Montreal with horrible towers like they have destroyed Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary etc. The only thing that keeps Canada different from the US is the European feel to Montreal, Quebec City and Victoria as well as some of the smaller cities across Canada.

Asia is now destroying their cities with ugly glass towers. When will it all end. Most modern buildings are soul-destroying monstrosities. This is best said by James Howard Kunstler in his writings on his website.

http://www.kunstler.com/

By: Vinny

Vinny — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 19:53:09 +0000

Since Montreal doesn’t have as many beatiful old building like those in Europe we should try to build more and more supertall skysrapers in order to attract investment as well as tourists from all over the world , destroy the height limit from the city… sky is the limit don’t you all agree … time to grow you politians ,do it like Toronto or we all going down the drain in the next ten years …

By: Ken Gildner

Ken Gildner — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 18:27:36 +0000

Excellent summary of Montréal’s highrise architecture history, Owen! The New York Life Insurance building is surely one of my favourite in town — the sandstone gives it an elegance that puts today’s glass towers to shame.

- Ken