Waterloo Region's Top 10 Buildings

[ookpik]

Titanium is no longer. That address houses the Taco Farm restaurant.

You're absolutely right. I relied on Google Maps Street Views, failing to notice that its images were captured in August 2011. Worse it was a "senior's moment." Your post reminded me that I saw the conversion of Titanium to Taco Farm as it progressed and was actually at Taco Farm when it opened.

[thefringthing]

The Mathematics and Computer Building at UW for all 10.

[perspectivacles]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the Hespeler branch of the Cambridge Idea Exchange. It's easily one of the most interesting and beautiful libraries I've ever been to, plus it has a meaningful history. The original 1923 building was one of the 111 Carnegie libraries built in Ontario (with significant architectural details such as the trademark front steps to mimic a rise to higher knowledge, and the value of the "third space"), but a major renovation was necessary to accommodate a growing community. Rather than start from scratch, in 2007 a glass cube was built around the original building, and much of the original structure was preserved. Not only is it meaningful and unique, but its beautifully designed interior is quite an experience. There's something nice about a massive wall of window to read beside.

[BuildingScout]

Yes, very nice building and also an example of the environmentally friendly glass encased building-within-a-building that has been sweeping Europe for the last 10+ years.

[thusenth]

Seagram Museum

Kaufman Building

Dominion Tire Plant (now Airboss) - http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IUQZeU1IYEE/To...C+1986.JPG

Perimeter Institute

Kitchener Central Library

Mike & Ophelia Lazaridis Quantum-Nano Centre

Mutual Life building (Sun Life on King/Union)

The Tannery

Hespeler Public Library/Idea Exchange - https://s3.amazonaws.com/storage.filemob...7040755/15

Wild card I'm throwing in as my 10th spot:

165 Claremont Avenue - https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.4513645,-...J4Ju0A!2e0
Awesome example of mid-century residential built in the 1950s.  Built on several lots assembled by A.R. Kaufman in the 1940s. To really understand the scale of the lot and how well hidden it is, you have to view the block in satellite view (2.5+ acres carved inside of a block near Uptown Waterloo).  Early design of Toronto architect Eberhard Zeidler. Zeidler would go on to design Toronto’s Eaton Centre and Ontario Place.

[Lens]

My top ten, with photos:

Kitchener City Hall

Kitchener City Hall by Matt M S, on Flickr

The Walper Hotel

Lightning Over King and Queen by Matt M S, on Flickr

UW School Of Pharmacy

School Of Pharmacy by Matt M S, on Flickr

Kaufman

Kaufman by Matt M S, on Flickr

The Tannery

The Tannery by Matt M S, on Flickr

TD Centre

King and Ontario by Matt M S, on Flickr

Downtown Scotia Bank Branch

The Bank of Nova Scotia by Matt M S, on Flickr

Krug
Railway and Krug by Matt M S, on Flickr

Waterloo Life

Waterloo Life by Matt M S, on Flickr

Old Galt City Hall (Don't have a photo)


Some honourable mentions:

The York
305 King West
The Breithaupt Block
Kaufman Mansion (Ratz Bechtel)
Bullas Glass
Waterloo Region Museum
Old Kitchener Post Office
37 King Street West (Artisan Zone)
Rockway Clubhouse
KPL Central
Former Public Utilities Building
CIGI Campus
UW E5
Central Presbyterian Church
Old Galt Post Office

[Spokes]

Having photos provided a really good sell job haha.

[The85]

I was in southwest Cambridge this past weekend and was pretty impressed with the former Dickson Public School. The 135-year old school closed in August this year. The City of Cambridge designated this building under Part IV of the Heritage Act. It would be a great site for an infill redevelopment, similar to the Alexandra School lofts in Waterloo, while maintaining the designated heritage features. The WRDSB is looking to sell the site as it has now been declared surplus to their needs.

Historic and/or surplus schools in the Region could be a thread of their own in this forum....which I will set up shortly!

[jamincan]

I don't know if YMCA/WPL on Fischer Hallman is Top 10 in the region, but it is definitely one of the best new buildings in the region. I think it is somewhat forgotten sometimes due to the location not being very prominent; however, it is a beautiful building I think, and a lot of consideration went into its design in terms of making it environmentally friendly and usable. As someone who uses it pretty much every day, it is also a very comfortable facility - bright and airy and open throughout - a nice change from some other gyms.

[urbanist]

Great posts – as a slightly different twist, here is my list trying to link past with present for most important buildings:

Reinvention - notable industrial/historical buildings that have evolved from past to present:

1. Cambridge City Hall for its Galt limestone and fieldstone (1858) and conservation with modern addition in 2008 that frames a public square and market.
2. The Seagram Building (1878) for its industrial architecture and repurposed many times over for 21st century.
3. Lang Tannery Building for is industrial heritage (1896) and catalyst project in Kitchener’s Innovation District.
4.The Kaufman Building (1908) - for its industrial architecture (Albert Kahn) and repurposed as modern lofts.
5.The Sunlife (Mutual) building on King and Union (1912) by Canadian architect Frank Darling for landmark design and impact on insurance community.

Honorable mentions: hard not to include 15 Melville, School of Architecture in Galt (former silk mill) and Breithaupt Block in dt Kitchener.

Rethink: Since 1993, Waterloo Region is home to many award winning modern buildings designed to attract the top talent in the world...these buildings are transforming our community and include:

1. Tie between The Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery and new Kitchener City Hall – Both built in 1993, both competition projects and started movement for award winning modern architecture (1993).
2. The Perimeter Institute (with Stephen Hawking Centre) for its unique design overlooking city park (2004).
3. School of Pharmacy for its unique approach to promote pharmacy in an urban context and catalyst in Innovation District (2009).
4. The “CIGI” Campus for its sympathetic design to Seagram’s distillery complementing new with old (2011).
5. The UW Quantum Nano Centre (QNC) building for its bold approach to design and talent attraction (2012).

[BuildingScout]

I don't know if YMCA/WPL on Fischer Hallman is Top 10 in the region, but it is definitely one of the best new buildings in the region. I think it is somewhat forgotten sometimes due to the location not being very prominent; however, it is a beautiful building I think, and a lot of consideration went into its design in terms of making it environmentally friendly and usable. As someone who uses it pretty much every day, it is also a very comfortable facility - bright and airy and open throughout - a nice change from some other gyms.

My thoughts exactly when I drove past it three days ago. Somehow the fact that it stands alone in a construction field works against it. However now with the senior residence in the background it shows well.

[Spokes]

I saw this thread last night and it's been on my mind so I wanted to bump it.

WRConnected has seen a big membership rise in the last four years and wanted to point the thread out.

But also, there's been a lot of changes in Waterloo Region over the last four years. Does anyone want to amend their list?

[tomh009]

Some honourable mentions:

(…)
KPL Central
(…)

I think the KPL renovation is fantastic, and it definitely moves it to (at least my) top 10 list.