New Château Laurier expansion design incites fury online
Toronto architect Peter Clewes, a big part of Toronto's condo boom, designed hotel expansion
The Château Laurier made waves when it unveiled a proposed design for its expansion on Wednesday.
They were mainly waves of criticism on the design drawn up by Peter Clewes, one of the leading architects in Toronto's condo boom.
The fury came swiftly on social media. Here's a taste.
Ottawa's <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChateauLaurier?src=hash">#ChateauLaurier</a> restoration if the hotel were a painting. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OttCity?src=hash">#OttCity</a> <a href="https://t.co/fhGloBZ9FG">pic.twitter.com/fhGloBZ9FG</a>
—@ryanwright<a href="https://twitter.com/OttawaMorning">@OttawaMorning</a> I've NEVER think to quote Prince Charles but this is 'a monstrous carbuncle on the face...of an elegant friend'
—@Omaizzy<a href="https://twitter.com/OttawaMorning">@OttawaMorning</a> it's quite obvious to me that the owners have dusted off a shelved concept and stuck it alongside the Chateau. Awful.
—@Sim4ce<a href="https://twitter.com/CBCOttawa">@CBCOttawa</a> Yikes, that's horrifically ugly & inappropriate. Worse than Mitterand's pyramid at the Louvre. Leave the Chateau Laurier alone!
—@MikeMcPicklesThat included Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson.
<a href="https://twitter.com/jchianello">@jchianello</a> this falls under the category "back to the drawing board!
—@JimWatsonOttawa<a href="https://twitter.com/CBCOttawa">@CBCOttawa</a> Is this a joke? Pretty cruel if it is. What idiot thinks this is a great design? Didn't learn from ROM's Michael Lee-Chin fiasco?
—@JudyTyeArts<a href="https://twitter.com/CBCOttawa">@CBCOttawa</a> that just makes a beautiful building ugly! I certainly would stop going downtown, as it would ruin the views!
—@crystaljama<a href="https://twitter.com/CBCOttawa">@CBCOttawa</a> if that happens then chateau laurier will be the ugliest building downtown lol
—@eastbeasts<a href="https://twitter.com/CBCOttawa">@CBCOttawa</a> Expansion is fine, but this design *must* be rethought. Completely off the mark and Ottawans won't stand for it.
—@FailedProtostar<a href="https://twitter.com/CBCOttawa">@CBCOttawa</a> Never a good plan to Trumpify a heritage building.
—@SFAgentPeterG<a href="https://twitter.com/CBCOttawa">@CBCOttawa</a> This ranks up there with the Mother Canada statue and the Communism Memorial for thoughtless design and cloying, irritating scale
—@BillyOHanlon<a href="https://twitter.com/CBCOttawa">@CBCOttawa</a> Looks like a series of barcodes!
—@MullingJenny<a href="https://twitter.com/CBCOttawa">@CBCOttawa</a> is today April fools? Did you see the view from Major Hill's park? That's taking the heritage out of Ottawa.
—@donatottawaSome people approve of the new design, though.
<a href="https://twitter.com/OttawaMorning">@OttawaMorning</a> Chateau reminds me of the pyramid at the Louvre. Old and modern combined. I'm ok with it. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/confessyourunpopularopinion?src=hash">#confessyourunpopularopinion</a>
—@jennifersalahub<a href="https://twitter.com/CBCOttawa">@CBCOttawa</a> A good mesh bewtween the historic and modern given the new condo on one side and the Parilimant Hil on the other.
—@raymondsnow<a href="https://twitter.com/OttawaMorning">@OttawaMorning</a> another case of people complaining about an aesthetic that will have zero impact on their actual lives. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/chateaulaurier?src=hash">#chateaulaurier</a>
—@OttawaTalks