Seeing our Forest for the Trees
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By Brent Bellamy, Creative Director and Architect
As Winnipeg's trees drop their leaves and brace themselves for another winter, the full effects of the city's tireless battle against Dutch elm disease has revealed itself once again. Trees resigned to their ultimate fate wear an orange dot of paint like a scarlet letter, and significant gaps can now be seen in the once-continuous tree canopy that rises above many of the city's neighbourhoods.
In 1900, Winnipeg's civic leaders decided that to elevate the image of their gritty, featureless prairie town, residential streets should be built with boulevards and lined with grand trees. The American elm was the species of choice because it was beautiful, resilient and readily available to be transplanted from the city's riverbanks.
That forward-thinking decision has defined the image of Winnipeg for more than a century. The quality of light filtered through a cathedral arch of 25-metre-high elm trees is a uniquely Winnipeg experience. These trees today form the backbone of an impressive urban forest, one of the city's truly special attributes.
Even if Requirements have been met by developers, local opposition can scuttle plans
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By Brent Bellamy, Creative Director and Architect
I support development, just not THIS development.
People are going to park on my street!
My property values are going to plummet!
The traffic isn’t safe for my children!
It seems inevitable that these are the lines recited by local residents whenever new development is proposed in a Winnipeg neighbourhood. Last week, the people of River Heights again mobilized, going door to door collecting signatures, handing out leaflets, bombarding their Councillor with phone calls and e-mails in opposition to a proposal for a new two storey building on Academy Road. In response to the protest, the project’s presentation at Community Committee was delayed until September.
Yad Vashem
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By Brent Bellamy, Creative Director and Architect
"Jerusalem from mt olives" by Wayne McLean (Jgritz) - Own work. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jerusalem_from_mt_olives.jpg#/media/File:Jerusalem_from_mt_olives.jpg
After four airports, three connecting flights and countless hours staring at the ocean from above, I arrive in Jerusalem.
My taxi winds through unfamiliar streets until finally, I reach the stone steps leading to my new office. This was where I would be starting my first job after so many years in university. Exhausted from the travel, but buoyed by the adrenaline of new experience, I eagerly ask my co-workers what I should head out to see first. Standing in the shadow of the ancient fortifications in the most sacred city on earth, I expect the response to be the Wailing Wall, the Temple Mount or the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Surprised, I am told without hesitation that I must first visit a museum called, Yad Vashem on the outskirts of the city.
Plan Would Redefine Downtown
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By Brent Bellamy, Creative Director and Architect
A cyclist meanders his way through downtown traffic. Photo by Mike Pratt.
Most mid-sized North American cities have struggled to maintain a healthy downtown retail market. Winnipeg is no different. Shops that once lined Portage Avenue have been replaced by government offices and for lease signs. Longtime anchors such as Eaton's and Holt Renfrew are now only a memory and The Bay is withering away like a fruit clinging to a branch in late autumn.
Bigger Roads Mean More Traffic
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By Brent Bellamy, Creative Director and Architect
‘THAT money could be better spent fixing our city’s crumbling roads."
This familiar sentiment is often heard following any new spending announcement that comes out of Winnipeg city hall.
From downtown development grants and rapid transit to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights and Esplanade Riel, the value of many projects is publicly weighed against the number of potholes the investment could have otherwise filled.
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.
