Today's Blog post is largely an opinion blog (lightweight).
But we will also expose about architecture and, well... photography, the reason for this blog, skyscraper photography
Montreal isn't a city of very tall skyscrapers, there is actually a municipal law forbidding anyone to erect buildings taller than 200m which is approximately 51 stories, the equivalent of the cities two tallest buildings : IBM tower and le 1000. This law was created with the objective of preserving the mount-royal as Montreal's highest point, 365m. However, Montreal has definitely become a city of skyscrapers thanks to this very law, multiplying the 30 and 40 storey towers. Needless to say, they make for a far less impressive skyline.
I have always been critical of this law because the financial district is relatively small in territory, therefore the concentration of high-rises is pretty staggering, hence the mountain isn't very visible anyway through that concrete and steel forest. Moreover, small towers are less prestigious, hence they attract less businesses looking for prestigious headquarters, not to mention the mostly insignificant architecture realized through the decades. And, mostly because it has wrapped and hidden the cities most prestigious and recognizable skyscraper, the
Place Ville-Marie, a symbol that this by-law has contributed in diminishing
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(above) top floors of the Place Ville-Marie, Montreal's most architecturally significant tower
No less than 7 new towers are being erected in this same area of the city, all between 28 and 51 storeys tall, making Montreal the 4th city where there is the most skyscrapers now being built in North America. Two of these will be the cities tallest at 51 storeys, including the Montreal Canadiens tower. Thus adding to the already cluttered skyline.
(above) top floors of CIBC tower on the left, a highly sophisticated skyscraper built in 1962 with noble materials. It still stands elegantly in the city's skies changing color to the different moods of the light. Its stainless steel curtain wall lining and quality tile panels are original and have never really changed
I think the time has come to change or simply eliminate this bylaw and revert to more modern and architecture oriented rules. The city should allow very tall towers outside the regular perimeter of the present financial district and forbid any new towers in the district itself. This will result in reducing the amount of insignificant architecture in the center of town - an already plagued area of bad architecture - and leave what is left to be protected such as heritage, or developed into green spaces. We could then create a new financial district along the western end of the René Levesque Boul. were the city could allow only significant architectural statements to bu built, much like London England has done. This will shift and change the face of Montreal, a much needed thing for the future of this town.
The best way to photograph tall buildings is with wide angle lenses mostly. But that set up will result in quite the stereotype of the well known elongated perspective. Shooting in fixed 50mm or 75mm lenses will force you to focus and compose on the architectural elements and materials on a fraction of the building such is the case with most images on this post.
(above) IBM and CIBC towers with Victoria bridge and the Saint-Laurent river in the background
(below) IBM tower in the sunset
(above) the atrocious 1000 de la Gauchetière : Montreal's biggest architectural mistake of the past 30 years. It stands at the entrance of the railway, the main bridge into the city and the port. It is the first thing you see coming in to town and the city's tallest building. It was meant to become the new architectural symbol of the city. Le 1000 is a complete failure, it is low end, ugly, energy guzzling unsophisticated neo-classic pink marble clad heavy looking tower with a suburban bus terminal that clogs the city core every rush hour. A stunning architectural and urban tragedy that defaced and back-ended Montreal. If i was mayor i would oblige the owners of this terrible building to re-wrap the structure in a new skin to save face.
Text and photos : Eric Soucy
>FI3200/2014 - all rights reserved
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