April 11, 2016

Colour and Shape in Downtown South

Highrise style for the 2010s – at Helmcken and Richards in Downtown South.

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  1. In the context of Downtown South, we’d argue this is more a midrise – albeit at 13 storeys a robust midrise. The building is the privately funded replacement for Jubilee House across the street, that in turn will be redeveloped as a high-rise strata and rental tower. It will have 162 units of affordable housing.
    We suspect the blue colour is protective film that hasn’t been removed yet: the architects, GBL, used a similar set of green shades on another recently completed non-market building on Howe Street where the Odyssey nightclub was once located.

  2. Social housing buildings always have the most colourful architecture
    – because it’s not dumbed down – to beige or taupe – to appeal to the masses.
    Hopefully rental building may take a cue and try to stand out from the crowd with colour.
    (and more than just a few stripes of blue spandrel which scream “afterthought”.)

  3. I like the bits of colour. Two shades of green. It’s a nice touch.
    This can be done badly though with the wrong colours chosen. A good example of bad is the, “Tommy Hifliger Building” on 4th Avenue. Red, blue and white shapes randomly arranged. It’s ugly.

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