Comments on The Burd Report: Some images of the future

I have a comment on one of the actual companies. ....

2009-11-30T14:38:33.463-05:00

I have a comment on one of the actual companies. . .bitching about how much we all hate this stupid community centre and how much it's going to cost us (the tax payers) doesn't make sense, since we're getting it if we want it or not, SO:

I think it's interesting that Bondfield Construction is a choice, they deigned a very interesting building for Queen's University known as the ILC. It's a "Living Lab" and Green friendly building. It's too bad that we can't have something like it, if we have to have this.

http://livebuilding.queensu.ca/

I just think it's neat. That was my two cents ;-)

LEEDS has a caveat. The U.S. Green Building Counci...

2009-11-30T12:56:05.852-05:00

LEEDS has a caveat.
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is best known for the development of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system. USGBC has more than 15,000 member organizations from every sector of the building industry...

It is a self-serving 'ngo' that serves the needs of the construction industry first. It does not invalidate the work they have done or will do, but nota bene...

The statements each company makes mentions LEED ce...

2009-11-29T11:21:36.326-05:00

The statements each company makes mentions LEED certification. I looked it up and found that LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Enviornmental Design. There are certain points received for everything from recycling construction waste to using rain water for flushing, ground source heat, etc. Setting the floor plans aside, it looks like this building will actually be pretty energy efficient. While I agree that all the plans look somewhat alike, I see one or two that really stand out.

By the way, I'm not an engineer, but I used to play one on TV.

Some one suggested we should be voting on what the...

2009-11-28T19:40:28.772-05:00

Some one suggested we should be voting on what the inside will be like rather than what the outside will look like. I think that is an excellent idea. Kind of like voting for the spit rather than the polish.

Well, we don't have unlimited budgets for thes...

2009-11-28T18:42:12.218-05:00

Well, we don't have unlimited budgets for these kinds of public facilities. If the design sketches remind some of the latest car dealership down the road, then so be it. Jack Diamond designed a utilitarian building with as great accoustics as you'll hear anywhere in the world for the new Four Seasons barn at University and Queen in Toronto, and with plenty of glass to boot, ( at least on one side ). And flat roofs with plenty of glass can be energy efficient if done intelligently as Wally has suggested. I suppose it does come down to what's inside, in large measure, that counts these days.

The suggestion for lake water to cool the building...

2009-11-28T11:30:31.553-05:00

The suggestion for lake water to cool the building thereby decreasing energy expenditure is a ludicrous idea. The expense of setting up such a lake water project could cost as much as the building itself. if not more. Lake water is just one of the latest buzzwords of environ mental disorder.

People don't know much about art, but they know what they like. Well, even an infant knows what it likes. No accomplishment to see here folks, move along.

BullMoose asks `doesn`t anyone have any imagination any more?`

With the exception of myself, NO! The writers on this blog wallow in progressive pap, banality bluster excreted from bloated bland glands all.

That is why they presume engineering conclusions. I don`t see any way of ascertaining the operating expense of the buildings from these images.

For example, just because a building has a flat roof with lots of glass does not mean it can`t be suitable for winter. The author would do well to bone up on glass technologies and roof tech for that matter.

For the information of 'anon' I was a qual...

2009-11-28T07:21:19.580-05:00

For the information of 'anon' I was a qualified engineer for 30-years. I ran CN freights, Go Trains and VIA all over southern Ontario.

Don't know much about buildings though. But, like art, I know what I like. And I don't like this bland collection of futuristic ordinariness. They all have the staying power of a mild fart in a prairie windstorm.

And, like your cranky post, they all lack any imagination whatsoever.

I have more questions, this time for the anonymous...

2009-11-27T19:49:59.181-05:00

I have more questions, this time for the anonymous who seems to think people must be architects or engineers to have an opinion on these designs.

Do you have to be a chef to know if you liked your dinner?

Do you have to be a hair stylist to know if you got a good haircut?

I hope people at the public meeting don't have to produce their engineering degrees to vote on the entries.

It was a bogus and petty comment.

They all look the same, reminding me of a 1960s ga...

2009-11-27T18:14:51.957-05:00

They all look the same, reminding me of a 1960s gas station with large car bays, lube and oil while you wait.

Doesn't anyone have any imagination anymore?

More like a Scientologist bowling alley.

2009-11-27T16:13:41.726-05:00

More like a Scientologist bowling alley.

Wow, I'm amazed that so many here have attaine...

2009-11-27T15:18:45.949-05:00

Wow, I'm amazed that so many here have attained their appropriate engineering certification to make such conclusions based on an image of a proposed building.

Congratulations to you! I'm sure you're highly respected and employed in your positions as building designers and engineers. Amazing that almost every single person who comments on such things here have such qualifications! Astounding.

I am trying to remember if this the first time I&#...

2009-11-27T14:46:11.514-05:00

I am trying to remember if this the first time I've seen Hubbard linked to cannibalism. It might be.

They all look like something L. Ron Hubbard would ...

2009-11-27T14:26:53.359-05:00

They all look like something L. Ron Hubbard would have designed as a Scientology retreat, somewhere to 'go clear'.

It's the eerieness of the humans walking towards the glass-and-steel that kind of sends a shiver up my spine. It reminds me of that wonderful episode of The Twilight Zone 'To Serve Man' where only Leslie Neilsen in the end figures out that the aliens aren't here to serve man at all but indeed To Serve Man is actually the title of the alien's cookbook. Meanwhile, humanitie's wide-eyed dupes all happily stream toward the open doors of the spaceship.

Well -it kinda reminds me of that anyway....

They sure do all look alike, and I agree with the ...

2009-11-27T13:34:45.035-05:00

They sure do all look alike, and I agree with the comment that the heating/cooling bills will be huge.

Haven`t gone on their website yet because I`m still thinking about my choice. Hopefully it will answer the following.

Questions: wouldn't different designs from different designers have different building costs and therefore affect budgets? How does that work?

On their website, can you click on "other" if you don't like any of them?

Do any of the designs consider environmental concerns, ie a cooling system using lake water, solar panels, green roof etc.

Hopefully their website will describe details like that.

Interesting that all these designs appear to be ba...

2009-11-27T10:15:34.931-05:00

Interesting that all these designs appear to be basically minor variations on the same theme - flat roofs and lots of glass- not very suitable for our climate of cold winter snows and hot summers. I predict much expense over time for roof repairs and heating/cooling.

Also interesting of note, is that our farcical modern "guided democracy" allows us to vote a preference for exterior design (and what about the interiors?) but not on the fundamental question of whether we want or need this multi-million dollar extravagance in a time of economic uncertainty. What if the $27 million were put into real economic development and training of the idle for useful occupations? Perhaps you could organize such a ballot on your website?

Those of long memory will recall that way back in the dark days of the 1950's, when councillors faced annual elections, major public expenditures such as this had to be approved by the public in a referendum. Construction of the first Cobourg Arena only followed several years of passionate public campaigns and involvement.

Any one of these plans will show how progressive C...

2009-11-27T09:38:48.798-05:00

Any one of these plans will show how progressive Cobourg is. It will probably employ 90% of locals. It will accept from the YMCA any respectful donations for areas for their future use. Any special interest group will gladly help raise funds to help cover their inclusion. It will isn't all drawn on the plans or is it all just an over riding cost. Hang on taxpayers, its being built for YOU.