Manchester Square | ?m | 2s | 76 Group Co | Gardner Architecture

[thommyjo]

Drove by here this morning and was surprised by the scale in person. Felt bigger than I expected. Honestly, as quirky as it is, the way it was lit up and the extra artistic elements made it a step up from the usual strip mall vibe with 1 floodlight overhanging a lame sign.

 

[archited]

I have to say that the lighting helps...

 

[ronron]

Tracing the roof-line makes the whole thing pop even more to me. I have to see that in person. Nice photo's

 

[_urbanite]

It certainly isn't the worst looking retail development this city has seen. What I appreciate the most about this development is the quality of the finishing materials, the fact in also incorporated the warehouse portion of the Brick Store that was there prior, and that it doesn't turn it's back to 120 street, which the old building did.

It's still a very car centric development though, and the name is still confusing AF (millennial term ), but I have to say I have warmed up to this one for the most part

 

[Avenuer]

Checked it out for the first time in person since it has finished construction:

The faux-Euro theme even extends to the lobby!

 

[RH van der Rohe]

Echo what people are saying, lighting and quality of materials help but couldn't that effort be directed to something of it's time and place?

 

[Romanov]

I dont really like the trim lighting. This development is still a spectacle destination rather than an integrated neighbourhood hub. Maybe this will change as more tenants open up shop, and the gimmicks are turned down a notch.

 

[Glenco]

Name me one other strip mall that has garnered the media attention this one has.

 

[archited]

^^^^Satin Dolls Strip Club in Reno Nevada.

 

[_urbanite]

Checked it out for the first time in person since it has finished construction:


The faux-Euro theme even extends to the lobby!

View attachment 291776

Just imagine a canal behind those bollards instead of a parking lot and all of a sudden you're at Manchester Square in Amsterdam!

 

[archited]

While Edmonton is copying Oldie-time Amsterdam; Amsterdam itself seems more focused on the future:

nhow Amsterdam RAI | SkyriseCities

nhow Amsterdam RAI, Amsterdam by 1, Office for Metropolitan Architecture

skyrisecities.com

Sluishuis | SkyriseCities

Sluishuis , Amsterdam by 1, Bjarke Ingels Group

skyrisecities.com

P15 Ravel Plaza | SkyriseCities

P15 Ravel Plaza, Amsterdam by 1, MVRDV

skyrisecities.com

Gershwin Kavel 14a | SkyriseCities

Gershwin Kavel 14a, Amsterdam by 1, H

skyrisecities.com

Oosterdokseiland | SkyriseCities

Oosterdokseiland, Amsterdam by 1, UNStudio

skyrisecities.com

 

[Daveography]

Name me one other strip mall that has garnered the media attention this one has.

Not sure what the point of this comment is.

 

[Glenco]

Not sure what the point of this comment is.

It works whether or not you feel it is good taste. It has generated a great deal of interest although there is only one tenant occupying the mall.

 

[Daveography]

@Glenco I don't think a single person on this forum doubted that it would be commercially successful, nor do I think anyone faults anyone who truly enjoys it.

That doesn't make it any less of a poor design from an urban design standpoint, nor that the cartoonish design (no matter how well executed materially) is an insult to good architecture. And that's not even going into how stupid the name is.

Its popularity only goes to show how far we have to go as a city in understanding our own heritage and historical design vernacular, and what good architecture, urban design, and placemaking really looks like.

 

[archited]

I made the tongue-in-cheek comparison to the strip club to suggest that there are many ways to gain notoriety -- not all of them good. The grotesque always draw attention (the current U.S. president is a prime example) -- it doesn't mean that it is a good societal move.