Tale Of Two Contemporary Condos: Dominion vs CY33
Over the past few months two major condo developments, both with unique architectural designs, and both announced several years ago, have been completed but not at as condos – but as rentals. Dominion in Bridgeland/Riverside and Courtyard 33 in Marda Loop.
Domion’s first of two sister towers, that are not quite identical, have great views of downtown, are steps from the Bridgeland-Riverside LRT station and Murdoch Park.
Condos to Rentals
In both cases, due to changes in Calgary’s economy, the projects were converted from owner-occupied condos to rental homes. But what didn’t change was the unique contemporary design of the buildings.
Dominion in Bridgeland/Riverside by Bucci Developments was designed by architect Maxime Laroussi and his Urban Agency team, a boutique Dublin architectural firm. (FYI: It is their first project in North America.)
The design was for twin 15-storey residential buildings, set back from a podium at street level that would include a mix of uses including restaurant, fitness center and co-work space for residents and neighbours to enjoy. On a recent walk-by I found that a fitness studio is getting ready to open and rumour has it that a deal with a bakery is also in the works for another of the commercial spaces on the street.
Dominion’s design is dominated by a bold rectangular design, not only in the overall shape of the buildings, but also in the large recessed balconies cut into the building’s façade. The visual effect creates a contemporary black and white honeycomb-like façade under most light conditions, but subtly changing colour depending on light conditions. Laroussi told me he thinks of the balconies as “verandas and are meant to be an extension of the interior space, and pay homage to the verandas of the heritage homes in Bridgeland/Riverside.”
The architect also subtly changed the size of the balconies, so in one building they get larger from top to bottom and the other from bottom to top. The changes are just enough to add visual interest to a simple yet elegant design.
What Dominion looks like today? It is very similar to what was proposed.
Computer rendering of the proposed Dominion condo project.
Renderings vs Reality
Sometimes the computer renderings created to get approval for and then sell modern residential buildings are different than what actually gets built. In some cases the massing of the building (i.e. its size and shape) in a computer rending is more conceptual and doesn’t convey the reality of what the building will really look like in the context of the actual street setting where it is being built.
In the case of Dominion, the renderings are very close to and what you actually see today. The two towers have a nice contemporary edge to them, without being too weird or wacky. And at street level, the restaurant space has clear glass with unobstructed views of both the street and Murdoch Park creating a very friendly pedestrian experience. The buildings have been well received by the community as a nice addition to the architectural diversity of the community.
Over in Marda Loop, Calgary developer RNDSQR recently completed the ambitious Courtyard 33 (CY33) project, designed by Winnipeg’s award winning 5468796 Architecture, at the corner of 33rd Ave and 22nd Street SW. Over the past several years, RNDSQR has built a solid reputation in Calgary for creating boutique residential buildings with unique contemporary designs.
CY33 is their most ambitious project at six-storeys and 70 homes. Like Dominion, the original design of the building was a large box with balconies cut into a façade that was articulated with squares at different angles creating a wavy or “oscillating” façade.
However, the actual building seems to have less balconies facing the street and looks more like a flat wall with peep holes, making it less inviting and less visually interesting than the renderings. The highly reflective corrugated metal siding can be harsh to look at on a sunny day. Though its industrial look could work well on some streets, in this case the façade material and texture creates a jarring juxtaposition that is not particularly attractive or welcoming for many pedestrians.
It seems like it is “love-it or hate-it” design, you definitely can’t ignore it. It is big, bold and as they say - “architectural allure is in the eye of the beholder.”
In addition, the building seems to turn its back on the community and the street, as the focus is for tenants is to look into the interior courtyard.
Yes, there will be shops along the sidewalk including Diner Deluxe, with The Brewer’s Apprentice in the courtyard above. The building’s interface with the sidewalk is dominated by concrete pillars and very steep steps to the courtyard that aren’t very pedestrian-friendly.
The pillars decorated with cartoon testimonials about how great the building and builder is, create a strange pedestrian experience today.
However, I expect they will disappear and the shops will spill out onto the sidewalk and the pedestrian experience will improve.
Bob van Wegen, Executive Director of the Marda Loop Business Improvement Area thinks “CY33 helps fill out the commercial area by anchoring the west end of 33rd Avenue and connecting it to the Garrison area.” He also notes “more people living in walking distance is also great for business. Overall, CY33 adds to the vitality of Marda Loop.”
What CY33 actually looks like today.
A computer rendering of what CY33 was suppose to look like.
This massive mural in CY33’s interior courtyard, by artist Cassie Suche, anchors an intimate public space.
Unfortunately the courtyard is elevated from the street, with access via a steep staircase that isn’t pedestrian friendly.
Last Word
Kudos to both Bucci and RNDSQR for adapting to the ever-changing economic realities of residential development in Calgary and committing to creating signature architectural buildings.
As with any experiment (every new building with a new architect is an experiment) they don’t always work as expected. Unfortunately, when an architectural experiment doesn’t work, the community has to live with it for many decades.
An edited version of this blog was published in the Calgary Herald’s New Homes + Condos section on November 13, 2021, titled “Projects Showcase Architectural Innovation.”