Beyond Big-Box: Transition away from mega-stores bodes well for urban landscape
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By Brent Bellamy, Creative Director and Architect
Cibinel Architects' proposal for a mixed-use project at the old stadium site lost out to the Target store.
When Disneyland opened its doors in 1955, visitors experienced for the first time a stroll down Main Street U.S.A., Walt Disney's nostalgic interpretation of the central pedestrian shopping strip most North American cities and towns had grown up around.
Winnipeg's example of this high street was Portage Avenue, stretching through downtown from its famous intersection at Main Street. Anchored by Eaton's, the 10th-largest department store in the world, the avenue's shops, theatres and restaurants made it the social, retail and cultural heart of the city for more than a century.
As postwar North American cities began to expand outward with sprawling, low-density suburbs, retail development responded to this new, auto-centric lifestyle by moving away from main street into enclosed suburban shopping malls, set within large, asphalt parking lots. In 1959, Polo Park opened in Winnipeg, and the first shot was fired in the long war against downtown shopping.
Racial Peace Through Architecture
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By Brent Bellamy, Creative Director and Architect
Thunderbird House on Main Street is designed by architect Douglas Cardinal, who infuses modern architecture with indigenous beliefs and traditions.
- PHOTO BY MIKE APORIUS/WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES
The Maclean's article -- three words that when spoken anywhere in Winnipeg over the past few weeks would invariably spark a passionate and polarizing conversation. It is not often that a national periodical publishes such a charged condemnation of an entire city, but shining a spotlight on Winnipeg's racial divide has created an opportunity to further an already pervasive dialogue about our city's most complex challenge.
From Why Winterpeg to Why Not?
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By Brent Bellamy, Creative Director and Architect
The Red River Mutual Trail regularly attracts skaters to get in some winter activity. (BRENT BELLAMY)
It is mid-January, and through hard crusts of frozen breath on their tightly wrapped scarves, Winnipeggers across the city can be heard muttering to themselves "Why do I live here?"
Bringing the Woods Indoors for Better Health
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By Nadine Pearson, Architectural Intern
Projects such as Douglas Park School in Regina (left) and Qualico Family Centre in Winnipeg (right) demonstrate the elegance of wood as a building material.
In Canada, 81 percent of the population lives in urban areas and Canadians typically spend 90 percent of their time inside. We are so far removed from our natural environment, it’s no wonder our health and state of mind are so fragile.
Studies have shown that exposure to natural environments has positive effects on physical and mental health. Simply going for a brief walk outdoors, for example, can lift ones spirits and generate real health benefits. As designers, we have an opportunity to bring some of the benefits of the natural environment indoors through the use of wood in our designs.
Energy Efficiency not Cheap
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By Brent Bellamy, Creative Director and Architect
Every young intern architect in the country has been through the experience of having their eyes glaze over when first trying to solve the Rubik's Cube puzzle known as the National Building Code of Canada. For those in Manitoba, that challenge just became much more difficult.
Number TEN Blog
Number TEN Inspired! captures the knowledge, passion and ideas of our award winning architects, interior designers and supporting staff, as they navigate through the complexities of the modern design landscape. We are creative problem solvers, advocates for better ways of doing things, and observers of all that is interesting and noteworthy in our field. This blog is our effort to share our knowledge and ideas in a way that resonates with everyone. Whether you work in the industry as an architect, interior designer, building manager, property developer, or are just someone with an interest in creativity and new ways of doing things, this blog has something for you.
