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The local media blogworld is vastly different that the traditional media world — we like each other. Spacing often receives emails from our “competitors” alerting us to specific posts or upcoming events that may be of interest. This is what happened today when Robert Ouellette sent us a link to his analysis of the new Filmport studio<\/a>. Robert writes excellent columns on architecture for the National Post whenever they ask him — his observations add a level of sophistication to their sometimes hyperbolic outlook on the world (the Post’s Toronto section is staffed by a bunch of lefties which adds another intriguing layer to Lord Black’s once formidable experiment). Since I’m about 4,000km away in cloudy Vancouver, I was unable to make it to the launch, but Robert was there and he was not exactly pleased with what he saw. Below are portions of his post:<\/p>\n I went to the FILMPORT site to watch Mayor David Miller announce the next phase of development there…. I signed in, got handed the media package, took some photos, looked at the media package, and left before Mayor Miller could tell the assembled throngs how great this new building is. Maybe he would have hedged his bets and just said that FILMPORT is an essential part of the city’s planned economy. Whatever his take, I did not want to be there to suffer through it.<\/em><\/p>\n The reason for my early departure? The proposed Alsop & Quadrangle Architects “iconic landmark” is perhaps one of the most poorly considered designs I’ve seen since leaving the first year architecture studio at university….<\/em><\/p>\n <\/em><\/p>\n In this case… we are seeing Toronto’s early struggles with architecture as art, or at least architecture as something more than utilitarian box. Certainly the bureaucrats can’t be expected to know what’s good and what’s bad. They are too worried about the economic disaster this development looks like it will be because of the increasingly strong Canadian dollar. Does anyone else remember the financial bath Ataratiri<\/a> turned out to be for the city? The timing was not right for that much hyped development just as the timing appears bad for FILMPORT…. <\/em><\/p>\n <\/em><\/p>\n This is not a general condemnation of all Alsop’s work. Far from it. But my guess is that he had something else entirely in mind until the budget was slashed.<\/em><\/p>\n In any case, who decided this was the building needed to showcase Toronto’s film district? I predict there will be a lot of denials heard from City Hall and the Waterfront in the coming months and years. “But look at OCAD” they’ll say, “how were we to know?” The good news is that we’ll probably get better at using architecture to promote the city. The bad news is that somebody is going to have to pay for what increasingly is looking like another Ataratiri development scheme. <\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n I do not have the refined architectural experience that Robert possesses, but I kinda like the building and I’m unsure why he thinks the building is one of the most “poorly considered designs I’ve seen” (I’m sure he has a good argument). I’m of the mind that this is more of what the city is looking for, at least architecturally, as it develops the waterfront. We’ve recently seen a plethora of dissenting views<\/a> on Jack Diamond’s mediocre building design for Corus Entertainment — it will be interesting to see the feedback the Filmport building receives over the next few days.<\/p>\n But we want to give our readers the first chance to voice their opinion: Do you like the porposed design of the new Filmport studios?<\/p>\n