In praise of ugly buildings

[Beton Brut]

^^ You may be on to something, briv. Perhaps a frameless glass favela could grow upward between all those concrete piers.

 

[briv]

^That could be very cool. Treat them like geological structures, and make all additions ultra-transparent.

 

[unterbau]

More than anything, the space just needs some green. Arthur Erickson proved how effective a simple infusion of plant-life can be for brutalist architecture.

Of course, good luck getting the city to maintain it.

 

[czsz]

Where is that example? Don't forget this is a winterbound city half the year.

 

[tobyjug]

Habitat 67 has a lot of growth on it now.

An ugly pair of buildings that will never be praised: Symphony Plaza East and West. Boston's worst.

 

[unterbau]

Where is that example? Don't forget this is a winterbound city half the year.

Evergreen Building
Provincial Law Courts
Simon Fraser

Those are all in Vancouver, so it doesn't get quite as cold as boston, but there are plants that don't lose their green during our winters.