U/C Waterloo Region Courthouse | 28 m | 7 fl | Completion March 2013

[KevinL]

They applied to take down the building last month, just hasn't been approved yet.

A quite solid ring of fencing went up around it today, it blocks off a lane on both Duke and Frederick. Looks like demolition is coming!

[KevinL]

A quite solid ring of fencing went up around it today, it blocks off a lane on both Duke and Frederick. Looks like demolition is coming!

And, indeed, it's under way. Today the entire facade (concrete and glass) came down.

[UrbanWaterloo]

Here's some photos of the demolition...

February 8, 2012

[zanate]

The courthouse building in those photos looks like a CGI render. It's the weirdest effect.

Everyone can go home, we have finally succeeded in making architecture look the same as computer animation promoting architecture!

[KevinL]

Demolition is now right down to ground level - finally you can see the 'front' of the new building as it's meant to be seen!

[KWrealestate]

[UrbanWaterloo]

March 11, 2012

[SP!RE]

From ground level at that corner, it actually is a surprisingly colourful contribution to downtown.

[BuildingScout]

I agree. I drove past it today and it looks really nice, even though it is still half finished and with dirt in the front.

[KevinL]

Work on the public square has begun, with these interesting curvilinear structures:

[KevinL]

Steady progress :

[KevinL]

Thanks to the admins for the fix! [admin note: fixed]

[SP!RE]

The public space is shaping up nicely. Thanks for the update.

My only qualm in the design at the moment is a small detail to most, but I wish that the entrance pavilion area had glass like the section it comes out of: as in, I wish the glass was more horizontally stressed like the rest of that facade, instead of having the window frames criss-cross. But that's a very minor detail. Overall I'm quite happy with this building. It's a shame they had to use pre-cast instead of stone in many areas, but where they did use stone it looks fantastic.

[KevinL]

The public space is shaping up nicely. Thanks for the update.

This view is just steps from my work, so it's easy to keep an eye on.

My only qualm in the design at the moment is a small detail to most, but I wish that the entrance pavilion area had glass like the section it comes out of: as in, I wish the glass was more horizontally stressed like the rest of that facade, instead of having the window frames criss-cross.

I'd imagine that's an offshoot of having the entrance built in; they have to secure it more strongly around the doors, whereas the curtain wall is a single, unstressed surface.

[panamaniac]

I look forward to seeing, and using, the completed plaza. My beef is not with the courthouse at all, but rather with the way opening up the site has made the Duke Street facade of the Market Square parking garage so prominent. I wish something could be done to make it a tad less ugly, for example by adding louvres to close in the gaps and getting rid of the suicide fence on top for something less forbidding. Perhaps someday.....

[KevinL]

A higher angle this time, it helps appreciate how the layout is coming together. Also note at lower right that they've begun doing the facing stonework on some of the wals.

[UrbanWaterloo]

June 13, 2012

[KevinL]

Steps and paving and masonry...

[KevinL]

Still more progress - including flagpoles!

[UrbanWaterloo]

August 7, 2012