In case you're wondering why I'm rather upset, Frank Gehry is the maroon who did this to the Art Gallery of Ontario. Did I mention the building leaks? Yes, that too.Princess of Wales Theatre to be torn down for condos, art complex
09/30/2012 | Marcia Chen, CityNews.ca
One of the city’s preeminent impresarios says he plans to tear down the Princess of Wales Theatre and build a complex which would include three condo towers, an art gallery and a new campus for OCAD University.
In a letter to the media, David Mirvish said the project — a collaboration with architect-superstar Frank Gehry — would include the residential space, a free public gallery called the Mirvish Collection, the OCAD grounds and planted terraces.
All of the buildings on the block-and-a-half west of the Royal Alexandra Theatre on King Street over to John Street will be demolished.
“If there were a way of completing this project without removing the Princess of Wales Theatre, we would have followed it,” Mirvish said. “But … I decided not giving Gehry a full canvas on which to work would have meant compromises that would have lessened the power of the project.
“This wasn’t an easy decision … I lavished an enormous amount of energy, creativity and money to build the Princess of Wales Theatre. It is a beautiful facility of which I am very proud, but it happens to be situated in the middle of the new project’s path.”
The plan includes a memorial to the Princess of Wales Theatre and its namesake, the late Princess Diana.
“The neighbourhood has grown up, just as Toronto has,” Mirvish said. “I believe after almost 50 years of custodianship of these two blocks of urban space, now is the time to take a bold step into the future while preserving the flavour and strengths of our heritage.”
Mirvish — who also owns the Royal Alex, the Ed Mirvish Theatre and the Panasonic Theatre — said he would consider building a new theatre if needed.
The project is expected to take three to seven years to complete.
On Monday, Mirvish and Gehry will unveil the concept at the Art Gallery of Ontario, which Gehry redesigned.
NO!! Not another Gehry building!
Moderator: Edi
NO!! Not another Gehry building!
CTV News link
This post is a 100% natural organic product.
The slight variations in spelling and grammar enhance its individual character and beauty and in no way are to be considered flaws or defects
I'm not sure why people choose 'To Love is to Bury' as their wedding song...It's about a murder-suicide
- Margo Timmins
When it becomes serious, you have to lie
- Jean-Claude Juncker
The slight variations in spelling and grammar enhance its individual character and beauty and in no way are to be considered flaws or defects
I'm not sure why people choose 'To Love is to Bury' as their wedding song...It's about a murder-suicide
- Margo Timmins
When it becomes serious, you have to lie
- Jean-Claude Juncker
Re: NO!! Not another Gehry building!
Why do people keep hiring this guy? Not that the theater is a piece of architectural art or anything, but it can't possibly be as ugly as whatever Gehry has planned. Hell, search him here, his stuff is just absolute shit.
"Siege warfare, French for spawn camp" WTYP podcast
It's so bad it wraps back around to awesome then back to bad again, then back to halfway between awesome and bad. Like if ed wood directed a godzilla movie - Duckie
It's so bad it wraps back around to awesome then back to bad again, then back to halfway between awesome and bad. Like if ed wood directed a godzilla movie - Duckie
- Sea Skimmer
- Yankee Capitalist Air Pirate
- Posts: 37389
- Joined: 2002-07-03 11:49pm
- Location: Passchendaele City, HAB
Re: NO!! Not another Gehry building!
"lessened the power of the project"
Idiot lines like that say it all, a place that people are expected to work and live for decades has to make an 'impact', as look dumb as fuck for all time, instead of being designed for functionality that will improve lives. Sounds like the idiots in charge of this are convinced that this idiot is vital Canuck heritage though.
Idiot lines like that say it all, a place that people are expected to work and live for decades has to make an 'impact', as look dumb as fuck for all time, instead of being designed for functionality that will improve lives. Sounds like the idiots in charge of this are convinced that this idiot is vital Canuck heritage though.
"This cult of special forces is as sensible as to form a Royal Corps of Tree Climbers and say that no soldier who does not wear its green hat with a bunch of oak leaves stuck in it should be expected to climb a tree"
— Field Marshal William Slim 1956
— Field Marshal William Slim 1956
- Crossroads Inc.
- Emperor's Hand
- Posts: 9233
- Joined: 2005-03-20 06:26pm
- Location: Defending Sparkeling Bishonen
- Contact:
Re: NO!! Not another Gehry building!
They hire him because they think he is "Edgy!" and "Provocative!" They assume since there is always controversial aspects to him that he must be something special.phred wrote:Why do people keep hiring this guy? Not that the theater is a piece of architectural art or anything, but it can't possibly be as ugly as whatever Gehry has planned. Hell, search him here, his stuff is just absolute shit.
Gehry is really a guy who is making Modern art out of buildings... His "work" is better sitting inside of MOMA then with people living it, there are a lot of his buildings that, because they are so horrifically silly, have structural and engineering problems.
Praying is another way of doing nothing helpful
"Congratulations, you get a cookie. You almost got a fundamental English word correct." Pick
"Outlaw star has spaceships that punch eachother" Joviwan
Read "Tales From The Crossroads"!
Read "One Wrong Turn"!
"Congratulations, you get a cookie. You almost got a fundamental English word correct." Pick
"Outlaw star has spaceships that punch eachother" Joviwan
Read "Tales From The Crossroads"!
Read "One Wrong Turn"!
-
- Jedi Knight
- Posts: 646
- Joined: 2006-07-22 09:25pm
- Location: Planet Facepalm, Home of the Dunning-Krugerites
Re: NO!! Not another Gehry building!
Some of Gehry's buildings, notably the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles (where I have attended several concerts), have been spectacular successes. Notably, those successes occurred when other experts in fields pertaining to the intended use of the structure had a firm guiding hand in his ideas (the inspiration for the concert hall was the Berlin Philharmonic by Hans Scharoun, and prominent acoustical experts played a large part in the layout of the concert spaces). Also notable are the points where his evolving vocabulary of form just happened, by chance, to be compatible with the urban landscape surrounding his project. Of course, rich pretentious Phillistines just hire him because he has a prominent name.
Every day is victory.
No victory is forever.
No victory is forever.
Re: NO!! Not another Gehry building!
Models of the proposed buildings are out, street level view on the left and full view on the right
It would be fine in the Financial District where we have many other shiny skyscrapers but that's not where it's going. See the Sound of Music sign? That's the current Princess of Wales Theatre which they want to demolish and replace with three 80+ story towers. It's not as bad as the AGO renovation or some of his other abominations, still, as the kids would say these days, no! do not want!
It would be fine in the Financial District where we have many other shiny skyscrapers but that's not where it's going. See the Sound of Music sign? That's the current Princess of Wales Theatre which they want to demolish and replace with three 80+ story towers. It's not as bad as the AGO renovation or some of his other abominations, still, as the kids would say these days, no! do not want!
This post is a 100% natural organic product.
The slight variations in spelling and grammar enhance its individual character and beauty and in no way are to be considered flaws or defects
I'm not sure why people choose 'To Love is to Bury' as their wedding song...It's about a murder-suicide
- Margo Timmins
When it becomes serious, you have to lie
- Jean-Claude Juncker
The slight variations in spelling and grammar enhance its individual character and beauty and in no way are to be considered flaws or defects
I'm not sure why people choose 'To Love is to Bury' as their wedding song...It's about a murder-suicide
- Margo Timmins
When it becomes serious, you have to lie
- Jean-Claude Juncker
Re: NO!! Not another Gehry building!
What the fuck? I don't even like Toronto and I don't want to see those abominations built.
∞
XXXI
Re: NO!! Not another Gehry building!
I am at a loss for words.
The only thing that makes skyscrapers even marginally tolerable aesthetically is that they usually have straight lines until near the top.
WHY WOULD YOU CHANGE THAT?!?!?!
The only thing that makes skyscrapers even marginally tolerable aesthetically is that they usually have straight lines until near the top.
WHY WOULD YOU CHANGE THAT?!?!?!
Re: NO!! Not another Gehry building!
He's done worse than the brown building at the left that looks like someone haphazardly made a Lincoln log tower?J wrote:It's not as bad
Seriously, it looks like a shitty design from a preschooler, but at least the preschooler probably doesn't know any better.
"How can I wait unknowing?
This is the price of war,
We rise with noble intentions,
And we risk all that is pure..." - Angela & Jeff van Dyck, Forever (Rome: Total War)
"On and on, through the years,
The war continues on..." - Angela & Jeff van Dyck, We Are All One (Medieval 2: Total War)
"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear." - Ambrose Redmoon
"You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain." - Harvey Dent, The Dark Knight
This is the price of war,
We rise with noble intentions,
And we risk all that is pure..." - Angela & Jeff van Dyck, Forever (Rome: Total War)
"On and on, through the years,
The war continues on..." - Angela & Jeff van Dyck, We Are All One (Medieval 2: Total War)
"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear." - Ambrose Redmoon
"You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain." - Harvey Dent, The Dark Knight
-
- Jedi Knight
- Posts: 646
- Joined: 2006-07-22 09:25pm
- Location: Planet Facepalm, Home of the Dunning-Krugerites
Re: NO!! Not another Gehry building!
Gehry's haphazard sculptural aesthetic is fine for shorter buildings of medium mass, where they can be appreciated like a piece of abstract art in a garden, but he should never be allowed to dominate a skyline.
Every day is victory.
No victory is forever.
No victory is forever.
Re: NO!! Not another Gehry building!
you see, i'm looking at what's currently there, (thanks J) and it looks like shite
the standard, boring design, boring facade, no historical interest, could have been built anywhere in the last 20 years.
those skyscrapers are a thousand times better to my eyes.
the standard, boring design, boring facade, no historical interest, could have been built anywhere in the last 20 years.
those skyscrapers are a thousand times better to my eyes.
"Aid, trade, green technology and peace." - Hans Rosling.
"Welcome to SDN, where we can't see the forest because walking into trees repeatedly feels good, bro." - Mr Coffee
"Welcome to SDN, where we can't see the forest because walking into trees repeatedly feels good, bro." - Mr Coffee
Re: NO!! Not another Gehry building!
You clearly have no taste whatsoever if you think "skyscraper that looks like it'll topple over at any minute" is better than "boring facade" in any way.madd0ct0r wrote:you see, i'm looking at what's currently there, (thanks J) and it looks like shite
the standard, boring design, boring facade, no historical interest, could have been built anywhere in the last 20 years.
those skyscrapers are a thousand times better to my eyes.
Of course that assumes there's anything wrong with buildings simply being functional and conforming with the rest of the buildings around them rather than some horrid mess by an architect who clearly shouldn't be allowed to design structures in The Sims let alone real life.
"How can I wait unknowing?
This is the price of war,
We rise with noble intentions,
And we risk all that is pure..." - Angela & Jeff van Dyck, Forever (Rome: Total War)
"On and on, through the years,
The war continues on..." - Angela & Jeff van Dyck, We Are All One (Medieval 2: Total War)
"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear." - Ambrose Redmoon
"You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain." - Harvey Dent, The Dark Knight
This is the price of war,
We rise with noble intentions,
And we risk all that is pure..." - Angela & Jeff van Dyck, Forever (Rome: Total War)
"On and on, through the years,
The war continues on..." - Angela & Jeff van Dyck, We Are All One (Medieval 2: Total War)
"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear." - Ambrose Redmoon
"You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain." - Harvey Dent, The Dark Knight
-
- Jedi Knight
- Posts: 646
- Joined: 2006-07-22 09:25pm
- Location: Planet Facepalm, Home of the Dunning-Krugerites
Re: NO!! Not another Gehry building!
Star architects need to learn some humility. Not everything must dominate the surroundings to attract attention. Frank Lloyd Wright's Morris Gift Shop attracted just enough attention to be profitable by being even more modest than its surroundings, while containing an interior that prefigured his later Guggenheim museum.
Every day is victory.
No victory is forever.
No victory is forever.
- Zixinus
- Emperor's Hand
- Posts: 6663
- Joined: 2007-06-19 12:48pm
- Location: In Seth the Blitzspear
- Contact:
Re: NO!! Not another Gehry building!
All I'd like to say is that, I too would prefer a building that does not look like something assembled out of industrial clutter by a homeless person.
I know that modern art can be weird, but holy shit. Those things don't even look stable, I shudder what the poor construction engineer would have to go through to get those things to stand.
I know that modern art can be weird, but holy shit. Those things don't even look stable, I shudder what the poor construction engineer would have to go through to get those things to stand.
Credo!
Chat with me on Skype if you want to talk about writing, ideas or if you want a test-reader! PM for address.
Chat with me on Skype if you want to talk about writing, ideas or if you want a test-reader! PM for address.
Re: NO!! Not another Gehry building!
As someone who really enjoys that theatre...madd0ct0r wrote:you see, i'm looking at what's currently there, (thanks J) and it looks like shite
the standard, boring design, boring facade, no historical interest, could have been built anywhere in the last 20 years.
those skyscrapers are a thousand times better to my eyes.
I'm seeing War Horse there next friday. I'll be sure to take some pictures of the interior; it's quite beautiful.
Saying smaller engines are better is like saying you don't want huge muscles because you wouldn't fit through the door. So what? You can bench 500. Fuck doors. - MadCat360
Re: NO!! Not another Gehry building!
interior pics would be nice
"Aid, trade, green technology and peace." - Hans Rosling.
"Welcome to SDN, where we can't see the forest because walking into trees repeatedly feels good, bro." - Mr Coffee
"Welcome to SDN, where we can't see the forest because walking into trees repeatedly feels good, bro." - Mr Coffee
Re: NO!! Not another Gehry building!
How do you know that this building won´t perform well regarding functionality?RogueIce wrote:You clearly have no taste whatsoever if you think "skyscraper that looks like it'll topple over at any minute" is better than "boring facade" in any way.madd0ct0r wrote:you see, i'm looking at what's currently there, (thanks J) and it looks like shite
the standard, boring design, boring facade, no historical interest, could have been built anywhere in the last 20 years.
those skyscrapers are a thousand times better to my eyes.
Of course that assumes there's anything wrong with buildings simply being functional and conforming with the rest of the buildings around them rather than some horrid mess by an architect who clearly shouldn't be allowed to design structures in The Sims let alone real life.
-
- Jedi Knight
- Posts: 646
- Joined: 2006-07-22 09:25pm
- Location: Planet Facepalm, Home of the Dunning-Krugerites
Re: NO!! Not another Gehry building!
Because Gehry has a history of such buildings. They leak often, and require a lot of expensive maintenance and sometimes alterations. He's like LeCorbusier that way, only without the hypocritical pretense of being a functional rationalist. Gehry admits his work is just indulging his personal artistic speculation, and credits his large engineering team with making it possible to realize his ideas in some workable form.
Every day is victory.
No victory is forever.
No victory is forever.
Re: NO!! Not another Gehry building!
Well, the buildings themselves don´t look overly complicated. They´re just boxes on top of each other rotated and moved a bit.
I can´t tell if the toilette paper at the bottom is even part of the building or just a decorative thingy wrapped around the base.
I can´t tell if the toilette paper at the bottom is even part of the building or just a decorative thingy wrapped around the base.
Re: NO!! Not another Gehry building!
it isn't in the other shot so I'm guessing its just a wrapping.
Does Gehry get held responsible for everything on the project? It's been a while since I've seen an architect on his knees doing the waterproofing.
Courbousier was an idiot.
Does Gehry get held responsible for everything on the project? It's been a while since I've seen an architect on his knees doing the waterproofing.
Courbousier was an idiot.
"Aid, trade, green technology and peace." - Hans Rosling.
"Welcome to SDN, where we can't see the forest because walking into trees repeatedly feels good, bro." - Mr Coffee
"Welcome to SDN, where we can't see the forest because walking into trees repeatedly feels good, bro." - Mr Coffee
Re: NO!! Not another Gehry building!
Except for the fact that they completely clash with everything in the area. Seriously, go to Google Maps and punch in "223 King Street West, Toronto, ON" and go to street view to take a look around. Now, imagine 3 giant towers the size of the Chrysler Building getting dropped just west of Ed Mirvish Way. Put'em a few blocks to the east and they'd fit in just fine with the bank buildings and modern hi-rise condos, but in the middle of the theatre district is just retarded.madd0ct0r wrote:you see, i'm looking at what's currently there, (thanks J) and it looks like shite
the standard, boring design, boring facade, no historical interest, could have been built anywhere in the last 20 years.
those skyscrapers are a thousand times better to my eyes.
aerius: I'll vote for you if you sleep with me.
Lusankya: Deal!
Say, do you want it to be a threesome with your wife? Or a foursome with your wife and sister-in-law? I'm up for either.
Lusankya: Deal!
Say, do you want it to be a threesome with your wife? Or a foursome with your wife and sister-in-law? I'm up for either.
-
- Jedi Knight
- Posts: 646
- Joined: 2006-07-22 09:25pm
- Location: Planet Facepalm, Home of the Dunning-Krugerites
Re: NO!! Not another Gehry building!
Agree with you on the last count (lumping in Mies van der Rohe, Gropius, and others of their ilk). However, even if he doesn't install the waterproofing himself, the point is the design probably didn't take into account awkward junctures or areas of ponding because the structure was designed for abstract looks first, function second, and constructability third. The architect can be held responsible if his design choices led to suboptimal connections.madd0ct0r wrote:it isn't in the other shot so I'm guessing its just a wrapping.
Does Gehry get held responsible for everything on the project? It's been a while since I've seen an architect on his knees doing the waterproofing.
Courbousier was an idiot.
Every day is victory.
No victory is forever.
No victory is forever.
Re: NO!! Not another Gehry building!
That address drops outside the Metro central - which looks like a perfectly functional, if ugly, international modern style tall building. Behind it is a rather plain older building (quite nice if you like that kind of thing - as a neighbour hood set they'd look quite good.).aerius wrote:Except for the fact that they completely clash with everything in the area. Seriously, go to Google Maps and punch in "223 King Street West, Toronto, ON" and go to street view to take a look around. Now, imagine 3 giant towers the size of the Chrysler Building getting dropped just west of Ed Mirvish Way. Put'em a few blocks to the east and they'd fit in just fine with the bank buildings and modern hi-rise condos, but in the middle of the theatre district is just retarded.madd0ct0r wrote:you see, i'm looking at what's currently there, (thanks J) and it looks like shite
the standard, boring design, boring facade, no historical interest, could have been built anywhere in the last 20 years.
those skyscrapers are a thousand times better to my eyes.
Glass towers at one end of the street, so I head the other way and find the base construction site of a huge thing called 'festival tower'.
I think the skyscraper shaped horse has well and truly bolted
"Aid, trade, green technology and peace." - Hans Rosling.
"Welcome to SDN, where we can't see the forest because walking into trees repeatedly feels good, bro." - Mr Coffee
"Welcome to SDN, where we can't see the forest because walking into trees repeatedly feels good, bro." - Mr Coffee
Re: NO!! Not another Gehry building!
I think there is something wrong with architecture where you can't say if toilet paper on the model is supposed to be a part of it or just needless bit of packing left...madd0ct0r wrote:it isn't in the other shot so I'm guessing its just a wrapping.
Re: NO!! Not another Gehry building!
I think that sums it up rather nicely. I mean look at this:Irbis wrote:I think there is something wrong with architecture where you can't say if toilet paper on the model is supposed to be a part of it or just needless bit of packing left...
(Click for a larger image)
Seriously, that looks like Gehry crumpled some pieces of colored paper together and cried, "GENIUS!"
I suppose you could argue about whether it's "art" or makes "bold, powerful statements" or whatever other art critic platitudes you care to toss around. Personally I don't think your buildings should look like Godzilla bumped into it during a fight but whatever. Still as others have pointed out, his designs do seem to have various problems with them, most likely as a result of his whole "bold, powerful" style:
So yeah. And yes, I know there's a quote from him blaming MIT taking things out of his design and so on and so forth. But as a practical matter, I think Alerik sums it up well:Wikipedia wrote:On October 31, 2007, MIT sued architect Frank Gehry and the construction companies, Skanska USA Building Inc. and NER Construction Management, for "providing deficient design services and drawings" which caused leaks to spring, masonry to crack, mold to grow, drainage to back up, and falling ice and debris to block emergency exits. A Skanska spokesperson said that prior to construction Gehry ignored warnings from Skanska and a consulting company regarding flaws in his design of the amphitheater, and rejected a formal request from Skanska to modify the design.
"However, even if he doesn't install the waterproofing himself, the point is the design probably didn't take into account awkward junctures or areas of ponding because the structure was designed for abstract looks first, function second, and constructability third."
"How can I wait unknowing?
This is the price of war,
We rise with noble intentions,
And we risk all that is pure..." - Angela & Jeff van Dyck, Forever (Rome: Total War)
"On and on, through the years,
The war continues on..." - Angela & Jeff van Dyck, We Are All One (Medieval 2: Total War)
"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear." - Ambrose Redmoon
"You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain." - Harvey Dent, The Dark Knight
This is the price of war,
We rise with noble intentions,
And we risk all that is pure..." - Angela & Jeff van Dyck, Forever (Rome: Total War)
"On and on, through the years,
The war continues on..." - Angela & Jeff van Dyck, We Are All One (Medieval 2: Total War)
"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear." - Ambrose Redmoon
"You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain." - Harvey Dent, The Dark Knight