The Jury at Stage I felt that this design showed great promise because of the strong simplicity of the basic forms used, and their skilful grouping. It noted at that time the strength of the architectural statement and the evidence of an architect with a strong graphic sense, but was concerned about the over-simplification of the design as presented. Accordingly, the Jury anticipated a much higher degree of development of the total design as a building, and further proof that it could be a significant exhibit vehicle.
The competitor had cleverly demonstrated the latter point in his report and in his visuals, but his Stage II presentation made it very difficult to assess the result in architectural terms. He had failed to demonstrate, for example, how he would achieve the intended sharp arrises and corners by the detailing of the connections, and do this with allowance for rain, drips, etc. Yet these details are crucial to his scheme. It is clear, however, that the scheme is technically simple and economical and that it is a completely realistic proposal which could be developed as an exhibition building.
At the same time the sizes and shapes of the volumes and their composition have been altered significantly and the result is, in the unanimous opinion of the Jury, less attractive than the first design. The introduction of a tower is a cliche of earlier exhibition buildings and is a confession of failure to pro-duce a strong image with the building forms themselves.
Where the simple building forms of the first design, if starkly detailed and given strong colour identification, could have achieved this result, the competitor has chosen to underplay his revised design and, in the opinion of some jurors, has achieved a result which is utilitarian and undistinguished. While this appears to be a deliberate choice of the competitor, the Jury was not convinced that the handling of landscape and graphics at pedestrian eye level could overcome the association of the forms with barns and warehouses, and they were unanimous that this image of Canada was not suitable for Expo '70.
(From competition documentation)
27 scanned / 14 viewable
- Perspective
- Photograph of Model
- Plan
- Conceptual Collage
- Conceptual Collage
- Plan
- Plan
- Section
- Section
- Elevation
- Elevation
- Elevation
- Conceptual Sketch
- Conceptual Sketch
