1215 Square Phillips - 40 étages (2012)

[Habsfan]

This project is a mess. Another mediocre development at best. No vision with some of these developers. The surrounding buildings are some for the most part a collection of garbage buildings. Bric-a-brac. if they had any vision they would hold off the purchase the properties along R-L at least.

 

At 900,000 sf a slender and elegant 40 storey building could be built. This looks like something left over from the early 90's that was pieced together without much thought. Another stumpy, ugly, and uninspiring project to join the list:

 

1100 R-L

Bell/Banque Nationale

Cite International II

701 St Jacques

 

Had you read my explanation for this maybe it would have saved you some time.

 

Like I said before, the reason why these new proposals have such large floor plates, is because clients want to be able to have their employees on the fewest number of floors possible.

 

Think about it. If you're trying to attract a potential Tenant who needs 40,000 sqaure feet and he's thinking about 2 buildings in particular. Your building with 45,000 square foot floor plates or the CIBC building(which is nice and slender and has 13,000 square foot floor plates). Where do you think the tenant is gonna want to go?? IN your building where he could put all his employees on ONE floor or do you think he'd go to the CIBC building where he would have to separate his employees on THREE different floors???

 

I think the answer to that is quite obvious!

 

Another important thing you seem to have forgotten, the location they plan on building this tower, there is a height limit set at 120 meters. A 40 storey office tower does not fit under 120 meters...it would be at least 150 meters tall and it would not be allowed by the city!

[internationalx]

That still doesn't explain a poor design. Which is the basis of my criticism. Have you seen the hodge-podge of buildings that line the streets of this block? Junk. At least have the vision to assemble as many parcels as you can over a period of time. That is what all the great developers have and continue to do. You don't build an important office building in the center of a block surrounded by little insignificant buildings.

 

As for floorplates: There are no tenants in Montreal that need such massive floorplate. Morgan Stanley, Bear Sterns and other investment banks need that.

 

As for zoning/height limits: Always negociable. No height limit is set in stone. We;re not talking 60 storeys. Furthermore, this is R-L blvd. One of the only places in Montreal where height could be negociated. Instead of always focusing on size and height in Montreal, we should be challenging developers and architects to pursue design and aesthetics, the use of quality materials to inspire innovating and exciting architecture. In all the cities I have worked in I have never seen such a small-time, provincial mentality when it comes to development.

[yarabundi]

Plus : if I'm not mistaken, not any of the building on R.-L. are worth being preserved. They could as well be destroyed to give to any futur highrise at least an adress on this boulevard !!

[mtlurb]

Those R-L buildings are worth gold at this moment, especialy the land they're sitting on. Is our market that rich for a developper to start buying neighbours, demolish, build and then lease with a big margin to make up for the losses? not sure.

[Cataclaw]

At 900,000 sf a slender and elegant 40 storey building could be built. This looks like something left over from the early 90's that was pieced together without much thought. Another stumpy, ugly, and uninspiring project to join the list:

 

1100 R-L

Bell/Banque Nationale

Cite International II

701 St Jacques

 

What'd wrong with Cite II and Bell/Banque National?

 

Those two aluminum towers are great!

[Habsfan]

That still doesn't explain a poor design. Which is the basis of my criticism.

 

Don't you think you are a bit hasty in your criticism? This is all we have to judge the building's design.

 

 

 

It's not much to go by!

 

I agree, this building will most likely be boxy and stubby, but like I said, i think we should wait and see the final plans before we start bashing the design!

 

You don't build an important office building in the center of a block surrounded by little insignificant buildings.

 

WHy not? When they first built Place Ville Marie, there were mostly low rise buildings next to it. Today it stands among other tall towers! Whose to say the same thing won't happen there. Plus let's not forget that it probably cost the promoter alot less for that parcel of land compared to something directly on René-Lévesque!

 

As for floorplates: There are no tenants in Montreal that need such massive floorplate. Morgan Stanley, Bear Sterns and other investment banks need that.

 

Not true my friend. Rogers and Ubisoft are just a couple of large corporations that are running around town looking for large spaces!(100,000 sq. ft. and more) I could name you a couple more, but that's confidential information right now...and I could lose my job! The companies are out there...it'S just a matter of time!

 

we should be challenging developers and architects to pursue design and aesthetics, the use of quality materials to inspire innovating and exciting architecture.

 

I agree with you on that! But we have to rememnber that it costs alot more money to pay for famous architects like Foster, Libeskind, I.M. Pei and Pelli, compared to Local Architectural firms such as DCYSM.

 

In all the cities I have worked in I have never seen such a small-time, provincial mentality when it comes to development.

 

I also agree with you on that! I've been compalining about this for quite a while now!

[Habsfan]

Is our market that rich for a developper to start buying neighbours, demolish, build and then lease with a big margin to make up for the losses? not sure.

 

Malek does bring a good point! Even though the Montreal market is healthy, I don't think we are the stage just yet where there is no more vacant land available in Downtown Montreal where promoter have to buy old buildings and demolish them!

[monctezuma]

I agree with you on that! But we have to rememnber that it costs alot more money to pay for famous architects like Foster, Libeskind, I.M. Pei and Pelli, compared to Local Architectural firms such as DCYSM.

 

DCYSM est maintenant DCYSA

 

http://www.dcysa.ca/

[mtlurb]

Je veux pas être plate, mais regardez le 900 de maisonneuve. Il est fait par la firme Pickard Chilton Architects, reconnue mondialement. Venez pas me dire que le design du 900 mérite de grands applaudissements et éloges sur le côté inovation ou originalité.

 

On a de grands architectes à Montréal. Y'a pas juste ici où l'on favorise des firmes de la villes même. La plupart des gratte-ciel de Vancouver sont dessinés par les mêmes 4 firmes qui sont établies là-bas. Allez vérifer par vous même, moi je l'ai déjà fait.

 

----------------------------

 

En passant, le «M» de DCYSM à décidé de partir en solo en amenant son équipe de DCYSM avec lui.

 

Extrait de la nouvelle sur le site de DCYSA:

 

À compter du 1er octobre 2007, les modifications suivantes prendront effet :

 

Alain-Serge Marchand opérera sous la bannière Groupe Marchand et Associés Architecture & Design. Alain-Serge continuera de servir sa nombreuse clientèle grâce à son équipe de plus de 25 collaborateurs dans ses locaux existants et avec tout le support de ses associés actuels. Comme toujours, ses clients peuvent compter sur son talent, son jugement et son expertise et celle de son équipe pour mener à bonne fin tous leurs projets en cours et futurs.

 

Roger Desmarais, André Cousineau, Harry Yaghjian, Bruno St-Jean opéreront sous la bannière DCYSA Architecture + Design en s’adjoignant de nouveaux associés qui, avec leurs collègues fondateurs, assureront la continuité du savoir-faire et du service qui fait l’enviable réputation de l’entreprise.

[internationalx]

I'm not saying that we can't ever use local architects but with the exception to KPF in 1988-1992 for 1250 RL, the last 30 years has only been local architects.

 

Architecture and the use of star-chitects is a HUGE marketing tool. Not just for corporations but also tourists. Did anyone ever really hear of Bilbao bf they built the Guggeheim? It got and continues to get that city so much global attention. I would LOVE to see Jean Nouvel do a new Salle Symphonique. People will travel to cities just to see these guys' work.