[David A]

I'm not usually one for the overgrown look, but that looks way better than what we have right now

Yes, it does. I would prefer to go a bit more towards the more kept up look from the Vancouver example, but either way it does nicely soften up the overwhelming grey metal hulk.

 

[jason403]

Edmontan?

 

[Friendmonton]

I would give a number of choice organs to see something like this lol. Unfortunately winter will make it look possibly worse for the other 8 months of the year.

 

[archited]

There are some excellent low form plants in Edmonton's zone that would work through winter as well and the trees are cedars so they would add character then too. This is the sad part -- too many people have swallowed the kool-aid thinking that Edmonton really is Deadmonton.

 

[buildings]

nice idea but I don't think the roof was engineered for such a massive load of wet soil and vegetation.

 

[archited]

^ But it was engineered for a massive load of wet snow and ice? There is always a way. And conventional soil is not a requirement.

 

[David A]

It doesn't have to be as big trees as in the picture, Cedars are not that big and you don't have to have a lot of soil for grass or vines. Of course it may not be green all year, but it would look great for some of it.

 

[archited]

I would rely on @Glenco to explain possibilities but there are literally hundreds of plants that could work here.

 

[Avenuer]

Edmontan?

I think that was an AI-generated photo.

 

[TAS]

View attachment 641859

The alternative modelling provided from @archited would be a significant improvement. As it stands now, I don't know which is worse and a bigger problem - the exterior materials and all that grey or the actual design and shape of this building. Without the greenery covering up much of the building as shown in the alternative image, could the existing design/shape of the library had been salvaged with different cladding or a mix of materials/colours?

 

[yeggator]

Just change it to the same cladding on the Coronation Rec Centre and it’ll look fine.

 

[archited]

The zinc cladding that is the "finish" layer on the Library can definitely be a substrate for more exotic materials -- including chrome, stainless steel or a number of other potentials including wood forms with Tamarac, Cedar or Teak. I think the form of the Library remake is just fine -- as I have said many times previously (especially considering what the architects had to work with in terms of scalable reno of a square block-like un-inspired build). I doubt the final chapter has been written on this building.

 

[ChazYEG]

Just change it to the same cladding on the Coronation Rec Centre and it’ll look fine.

That'd look amazing. Using some wood, similar to what we have on Winspear, could also give it some warmth and make it 1000x better.
I also wouldn't mind if it had more glass.

 

[Gronk!]

They've been doing some rehab work on the pavement.

 

[JNO1]

Hopefully that rehab work extends to the rest of the exterior.