WRPS HQ project (200 Frederick St, Kitchener)

[ijmorlan]

This facility though could sure fit in a lot of Hollywood movies. Dystopian type moves.

It’s economic development: we don’t have enough filming activity in this town. This should go some way to making Kitchener more attractive to filmmakers.

[jeffster]

This facility though could sure fit in a lot of Hollywood movies. Dystopian type moves.

It’s economic development: we don’t have enough filming activity in this town. This should go some way to making Kitchener more attractive to filmmakers. 

I know you're jesting, but it really could be used. It needs to be advertised. For example, it's 100% Hunger Games acceptable (but there will be no more movies for that franchise). But you get the point. Could be used in Stranger Things too. Any sort of movie where weird stuff happens. Sure would be nice to see more action up here.

[ac3r]

This building could be a good backdrop for science fiction. I remember 90s Star Trek often using brutalist or modernist buildings for a lot of their settings.

[nms]

I don't think that the Region has a dedicated film recruitment staff person and I think it's left to the cities to handle.

[jeffster]

I don't think that the Region has a dedicated film recruitment staff person and I think it's left to the cities to handle.

They may want to look into changing that. Though Cambridge does get its fair share of filming. It seems that Galt and Hespeler are used quite a bit.

[creative]

https://www.kitchener.ca/en/business-in-...ision.aspx

[Chris]

SOFA works on filming in Southwestern Ontario with local governments.

https://sofa-film.ca/

[nms]

I don't think that the Region has a dedicated film recruitment staff person and I think it's left to the cities to handle.

They may want to look into changing that. Though Cambridge does get its fair share of filming. It seems that Galt and Hespeler are used quite a bit.

I think is has something to do with an ample supply of urban built heritage that can be quickly redressed as something ranging from mid-19th Century to mid-20th Century.

Though there was that scene where things were blown up at Kitchener City Hall, and "Dan for Mayor" shot in Waterloo for a brief time.

[tomh009]

I suspect what we are seeing here will be the remaining extent of the brutalist exterior. Now waiting to see how the windows and new cladding will work with that.

   

[ac3r]

What...they're removing parts of the original façade? That's a shame.

[panamaniac]

Am I correct in thinking that we have never seen a rendering of what the finished exterior is supposed to look like?

[tomh009]

Yes. The removed concrete elements have been demolished so definitely not going back on. The below render is the best I have seen.

At least they didn't completely get rid of the exposed concrete.

[clasher]

Gotta replace that grey concrete with some grey metal.

[tomh009]

A long-overdue photo update. The left side of the building (as seen from Frederick St) retains most of the original concrete facade, whereas most of the right side has greatly increased glazing and (I believe) aluminium cladding. It's not a finished product yet, but it feels like a successful modernization without entirely losing the impact of the original brutalist architecture.

   

[Lens]

It's a massive waste of money if you ask me. The police service ALREADY commands the largest part of the budget so I think we could have asked them to live with a few million for interior renovations and mostly left a quality, hardy brutalist building intact