There is much crowing about how the new skyscrapers at 225 Sixth — at the site of the old Herald building in downtown Calgary — will “claim bragging rights as Western Canada’s tallest building.”
The design (a term I’ll use with a grain of salt) includes two similarly styled (another term I’ll use with a grain of salt) skyscrapers. One will be 56 storeys tall — or 247 metres along with a 178-metre shorter twin.
People are saying that “Calgary’s new tallest tower will easily eclipse” The Bow tower, which is currently Calgary’s tallest building. But one thing it can’t do is compete with the Bow in terms of architectural interest.
The design of these two still unbuilt towers is unquestionably uninspired. This is the kind of building a dexterity challenged three-year-old with Lego can build. And don’t kid yourself, even the three-year-old knows it’s ugly and not particularly impressive.
Would it be too much to ask for some architectural flourishes a roof, some angling, a twist — anything but a tall rectangle?
Why does Calgary’s city council allow such atrocities? If I were on City Council I would work tirelessly to ensure we developed a downtown building code that wouldn’t allow rectangles to be built anymore. It’s so terribly sad that Calgary’s skyline is so utterly boring and uninspired.
I don’t understand how people can go to university, study architecture and then design something so plain, boring and ugly. It’s a crying shame.
Here’s an idea. Next time, get a 10-year-old with Lego to design Calgary’s next skyscraper. They’ll do a better job.
