The multi-storey structures, which usually also conceal parkades, have been the target of some criticisms from the public and city councillors.听
A discussion about podiums will take place at Mondaysa国际传媒 council meeting and while city officials agree more might be done to give the structures a more appealing streetscape, they say they are needed to support tall buildings.听
鈥淕iven that portions of the city have a high ground water table, underground parking can be particularly challenging and expensive to construct, leading to the use of above-grade, structured parking within podiums,鈥 reads part of a staff report to council.听
鈥淏uilding podiums tend to be the largest and most prominent in mid- and high-rise buildings, as low-rise buildings do not have to accommodate as much parking,鈥 the report states.听
sa国际传媒sa国际传媒 current regulations regarding podium design have been adapted from those in place in the City of Toronto, the report states. Objectives include minimizing the overall size of the podium by encouraging slimmer highrises, requiring facade treatments to podiums that make them more attractive, and ensuring there are shops and other pedestrian-oriented features at the street level.听
Podiums can be a maximum of four-storeys, the report says. As well as containing parkades, podiums commonly have amenity space for building residents and include mechanical, waste, and recycling systems.听
The most notable sa国际传媒 highrise without a podium will be UBCO's new downtown campus, a 43-storey tower under construction at 550 Doyle Ave. But the digging of a massive pit for an multi-level underground parkade at the site is believed to have caused damage to some nearby buildings and the project is the subject of various lawsuits.听
There are some considerations that could affect the future size and look of podiums, the report notes. These include:听
- provincial direction to municipalities to reduce parking requirements for certain types of housing projects, which could lessen the size of a required podium
- new design guidelines that would specifically address the appearance of the sides of the podiums. Currently, these may be left blank in anticipation of neighbouring properties also being redeveloped with highrises听
- the possibility of car elevators being used in future high-rise parkades. One such car elevator has been built in a sa国际传媒 building, and others have been approved. 鈥淚t is difficult to predict whether these parking solutions will become more popular, but if further uptake does occur, they may have impacts on the design of building podiums as they are typically more space efficient than standard parkade layouts,鈥 the report states.听
Coun. Gord Loverove in particular has been critical of the look of many existing highrise podiums. He has said they present an unappealing streetscape and contribute to gusting winds.听
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