Monthly Archives: September 2016

Yesterday Shannon Kyles wrote a captivating piece on Raise The Hammer. In it, she petitions that Parkside High School should not only be saved from the wrecking ball, but also repurposed.

She’s right.

Tearing down one of the city’s greatest examples of midcentury modernism would be a tragic loss in a city that is steadily seeing it’s historical buildings disappear.

Parkside High School is an award-winning design (by architect Lloyd Kyles) with an incredible, swooping, saddle roofed, Eero Saarinen-esque entrance. It’s a building that means a lot to a town that saw generations of their loved ones walk through those doors.

It’s not only the nostalgia worth saving. It’s really just common sense.

One commenter on the aforementioned RTH article called it “just a box”. Perfect. Boxes are made for stacking and re-using. The simpler it is, the easier it should be to find a viable, cost effective way to convert the building into condos.

Related: Turn Parkside high school into affordable condos, says Dundas group

Rolled out sympathetically on a sloping site, the school would be prime for adaptive reuse. The dead-end street it resides on would still remain quiet (much quieter than when it was a high school) and it could be a perfect opportunity to add impactful residential building stock in the greenest possible sense. It even has an expansive, inclusive park behind it.

Demographics are shifting in the Valley Town. A younger generation is filling the neighbourhoods with new families. Empty nesters thinking of moving out of their 4-bedroom suburban homes are limited when it comes to condo options, both in availability and a financial sense, causing many to take flight to Aldershot and other surrounding areas. The housing market is tight, constricted, and in need of smart growth. The town needs more District Lofts and less Governors Road suburban sprawl.

Let’s preserve what we have. Isn’t that the Dundas way?

Preservation doesn’t just mean old buildings (which Dundas has in abundance). It means importance, value, influence, style, and so much more. It means not allowing the lineage of our architectural past vanish for a cluster of prefabricated townhouses and a cemetery.

A cemetery? How about we build to accommodate old age, not cast it upon an aging population like a profitable, impending doom.

Let’s take action. Sign the petition and save a piece of Dundas:
https://www.change.org/p/arlene-vanderbeek-hamilton-ca-i-want-to-stop-the-demolition-of-parkside-high-school-in-dundas

It’s time to keep history. Lest it be another chapter in Vanished Hamilton’s ever growing list of buildings that were worth saving.

I recently wrote a small piece on Templar Flats in the Summer edition of Hamilton Magazine to sum up my thoughts on this development:

“Templar Flats on King William isn’t even completed and the development is already generating a lot of hype. This project by Core Urban Development and Lintack Architects is just another notch on their belt when it comes to growth inside the core that doesn’t involve tearing down a building. Once completed, these three buildings will house 25 rental units ranging from $950-$2200 and three restaurants at street level.

At 30,000 square feet, the development consists of two existing buildings, with a new infill piece in-between. The developers bought the two bookend buildings and later acquired the gap tooth lot from LiUNA, turning it into a six-storey limestone-clad building with historical connotations. The two top floors contain floor-to-ceiling glass, offering scenic views of the North and South. This modern touch gives it a contemporary design flair while stamping its mark on the skyline. The two bookend buildings also saw their facades restored and interiors renovated. In a bold move, Core Urban decided against parking spaces; instead, there will be bicycle parking. Templar Flats isn’t just sympathetic with its surroundings, but it’s also a building invested in Hamilton’s future. Why have parking when you’re surrounded by everything you need?

This project is far from a hidden gem. It’s a rock star. However, Templar Flats, along with the restoration of the Lister Block and Empire Times building, are reviving the real hidden gem, King William Street. It’s quickly becoming the hottest destination in the city. If you want to see what Hamilton’s renaissance looks like, look no further than King William.”

This week I was privileged enough to get a tour of the building with Steve Kulakowsky. Kulakowsky showed me the building last summer and it’s quite different now. Real different. The first time I visited the units were essentially just wall studs, the gap tooth wasn’t filled, and it was still just a vision coming together. We were scaling stairs and ducking through the floors. Now, it’s a different place. Tennants are moving in, restaurants are set to open (Berkley North is slated to open next week!), and the energy on King William is at it’s highest. Here’s some photos of what I saw during the tour:

We walked in on employee training at Berkeley North. I snuck this photo as we wandered through a clean new restaurant with an exciting menu.

A skylight that cuts through units from the roof right into the restaurant. When you’re in the restaurant be sure to look up and see the windows from units above.

Sputnik lighting in the lobby, with the elevator on the left and a room for bike parking on the right.

Look at those exposed walls and recessed windows. The sun was shining in and the mixture of new and old is seen through so many of the units.

Bedroom views with large windows.

More exposed brick. More light.

The kitchens in each unit differed, but they were ultra modern. Very european with an economical use of space.

A kitchen with a view of King William.

Balcony views.

Bedrooms of exposed brick and afternoon light.

A kitchen with european appliances and frosted glass for privacy with sun shining through from the skylight.

The last time I saw this unit it was just wall studs. Now it’s got balcony access at King William and Hughson.

Who wouldn’t love this bedroom?

One of the units on the 5th floor of the new infill piece. The glass is triple glazed to combat the noise pollution on King William. Another beautiful balcony view.

The ideal bedroom? Probably. Again, triple glazed windows for added quiet.

This is the view from the living room. Same unit on the 5th floor. You are literally in the centre of it all.

Another bedroom. Same unit. Fishbowl views of the north east with floor-to-ceiling windows.

And finally, the penthouse balcony. To die for. Incredible spot.

Kulakowsky spent a lot of time breaking down all the details including how the building runs, from hydro to heating. The way it’s run is “some sort of sorcery” said Steve. It’s that good.

We went through every single vacant unit and each one was unique (there was so much to take in, I couldn’t even begin to write about it all). We also toured The French, a project Kulakowsky is very excited about. As we toured the building, he was beaming with pride. This project has been his baby since it’s inception and it’s a game changer when it comes to development in the core. He should be proud.

These units won’t last long. Check out http://templarflats.ca/contact/ for leasing information.

 

 

 

 

INVIZIJ Architects and Toms+McNally teamed up to create a unique skating pad, The Waterdown Rotary Memorial Skate Path, at Waterdown Memorial Park.

The idea behind the project started when Graham McNally’s (of Toms+McNally) grandfather, a long time member of the Rotary Club of Waterdown, wanted to build a skating rink for the youth of his beloved town. After consulting with the city, it was clear they wanted a path and not a rink. By weaving a path through the park it became more inclusive while also reducing the liability of hockey.

At the time Graham was still at INVIZIJ architects. However, as the project progressed and time went on, he left INVIZIJ to start his own firm with Principal Architect Philip Toms. From that point forward INVIZIJ would design the path and Toms+McNally would design the corresponding building.

The project wasn’t always smooth sailing. The city’s planning department informed the architects of a road-widening plan on Hamilton Road, which meant they would have to move the original location proposed. Councillor Judi Partridge and the recreation departments met with park stakeholders to reprogram the ball diamonds and soccer fields to ultimately find a new site for the path.

Cost estimates kept coming in over budget with the path itself costing around $1.3 million. Instead of building a new amenity building Toms+McNally proposed to keep and build around the existing washroom facility (designed by Richard Lintack). This solution not only saved money, but also had the added benefits of working with existing sewer and water connections.

Half of the old cinderblock building was demolished and the remainder was wrapped inside a new enclosure clad in brick and glass. The new building includes a community area, offices, a backroom for the zamboni and refrigeration, and a corridor for access to the pre-existing washrooms.

The communal area for lacing up skates and keeping warm was wrapped in glazing, creating a more welcoming, transparent space, with better views for parents to watch their children.

It’s an economical building with little frills. Except for one: the canopy at the south west corner. Raised above the roof on steel columns, the asymmetrical canopy levitates above the entrance. It’s a statement big enough to turn a simple building into a noticeable piece of public infrastructure, while also acting as a counterpoint to the taller refrigeration plant at the north of the building.

The Rotary Club of Waterdown and the City of Hamilton funded the project, which opened this summer to the applause of many in the community, and the city deserves major credit for being with the architects every step of the way. It’s this collaboration and teamwork that ultimately lead to the skate paths successful implementation.

Get your skates sharpened for the winter (or bring your rollerblades for the summer!) and don’t forget the hot chocolate.

The Hamilton/Burlington Society of Architects and TBA presents an exhibition about art, architecture, and what Modernism means today.

Set in Perkins + Will’s recently completed Barber Atrium expansion and the Lower Level Salon of the Beaux-Arts Carnegie Gallery in Dundas, this presentation pairs the modern work of local architects and artists.

This exhibition runs from September 9th to October 2nd and the reception is being held Friday, September 16th from 7:00 – 9:30PM.

Support the arts, support your local architects, and check out a worthwhile show.

See you Friday.

 

Who doesn’t love tote bags?

High-end design line perspectives from some of dpai’s well-known projects will be printed on quality canvas tote bags and satchels which will be available for purchase at select downtown Hamilton locations this weekend.

The projects printed include: The Hambly House, The Hamilton Public Library Central Branch, The Birks Clock, and The Seedworks Urban Offices.

dpai architecture inc joined forces with Hamilton Farmers’ Market, Hamilton Public Library, The Hamilton Store, and Reprodux, to raise money for the Hamilton Arts Community.

The canvas tote bags will be $15 and the canvas satchels with a zipper and adjustable strap will cost $25. The satchel with the HPL design will be available at the Central Library at select times during Supercrawl weekend and the canvas Birks Clock tote bag will be available at the Hamilton Farmers’ Market during the Market’s open hours. If you can’t find them there, all designs and items will also be available at The Hamilton Store.

Proceeds from sales will go to the Hamilton Arts Council and not-for-profit organization An Instrument for Every Child.

ARKISӒK is an initiative that aims to support the arts, while highlighting the importance of taking action and driving Hamilton’s extraordinary artistic infrastructure from within.

What better time to buy a tote and support the arts than on Supercrawl weekend?