Not words normally found in the same sentence.
But, reports the Edmonton Journal:
long-awaited proposals released for redeveloping the City Centre Airport show a potential green oasis of parks, lakes, ravines and a tram line. Five international design teams worked since August on the best way to bring the city’s vision of a compact, energy-efficient, family-friendly neighbourhood for 30,000 residents on the site into reality.
Here’s an image from the proposal by Perkins + Will, Vancouver:
Don Buchanan, who sent the links, observes: “I’ve always appreciated the way design competitions bring together diverse and innovative solutions. Could they be used more and provide the opportunity to combine options rather than simply refine one vision? Check out the display boards and videos – varied and impressive.”
More here on the Conceptual Designs and Videos. And more here on City Centre Redevelopment.
I was 10 years old when Edmonton first promised an extension to the LRT, it was finally built and I’m in my mid-thirties. If anything approaching that vision gets built I’ll eat my hat. Bless Edmonton’s river valley and art scene, its urban planning however is a case study of disaster.
Can we see that same image at 25 below?
That style reflected in the mockup image is awfully tiresome. The whole glass and steel thing, it’s a Vancouver cliche and I wish it would stop showing up everywhere as if it’s the example of good urban design. Admittedly, it’s an improvement on the generally sprawling nature of Edmonton, but the aesthetics are unappealing, it’s not as environmentally efficient as it’s made out to be and it’s out of place when it comes to other cities (although I’m not entirely clear on what historical basis it has in Vancouver).
Of course the City is proposing the higher densities for a swath of now vacant land rather than rezoning exitsng built-up areas closer to the City Centre that are currently occupied by single family homes…