The design guidelines, listed below, shall be used by architects, developers and the City in the event of a redevelopment of the Hudson's Bay Department Store Site, as contemplated in the Compensation Agreement.
The intent of these guidelines are to foster the design of a contemporary building which is sympathetic to the facades of the Hudson's Bay Company Department Store. Since the designated facades are designed in a particular style, it is desirable to design a modern structure which does not attempt to compete with the older structure by means of its own design features. It may be desirable for the new structure to serve as a backdrop for the older building or to exhibit similar, or compatible design features.
a) Any new construction above the height of the designated facades, must be set back from the designated facades and use the facades as a podium in a podium-plus-tower composition. The tower portion of a new development must be set back from the line of the designated facades to allow the designated facades to appear freestanding and must not dominate when viewed from pedestrian level to the greatest extent possible.
A minimum setback of 8 metres for two-thirds (2/3's) of each tower facade facing a street or avenue is required with no portion of the remaining one-third (1/3) to be closer than 5 metres to the designated facades.
The design of new construction should consider and be sympathetic to the following design features of the designated facades of the Hudson's Bay Company Department Store:
(i) The horizontal emphasis of the historic facades - the building has a horizontal emphasis to its facades which is accented by the black granite vertical elements flanking the entries.
(ii) Proportions of the facades - the building exhibits a distinctly geometric appearance in which the large wall expanses are broken up by the horizontal string courses, glass block windows and regular mortar joints.
(iii) Building materials - while new construction does not necessarily have to use the same materials, any new materials should be compatible with the existing limestone, black granite, stainless steel and glass block.
(iv) Architectural detailing - the building displays features such as rounded corners with small curved projecting string coursing, contrasting mortar between the granite cladding, simple geometric motifs between the upper storey glass block windows, projecting string courses and slightly projecting parapet capping. New development on this site could use these details in order to achieve a sympathetic or compatible design.
(v) Roof treatment - while the building has a flat roof, it may be desirable that any tower on the site be designed with a distinct roofline in keeping with the Modern style of the historic building.
b) In order to implement these guidelines to the satisfaction of all parties, it is important that the owner and architect consult with the City of Edmonton Heritage Officer at the preliminary stage and throughout the design process.