Details Matter!

What does it take to create a satisfying urban landscape? An environment which is both functional and attractive? One which invites people to feel comfortable and provides a sense of calm--or, alternatively, stimulates and energizes? This question is something that intrigues me whenever I walk. 

Part of the answer to this question is "in the details". I am learning that the details matter! We may not even notice them... but, when they aren't there, we just know that something is missing.  Perhaps the landscape feels sterile, or perhaps, it's not as functional as it could be.

In this post, I explore this idea.

I'm starting with a look at details in design, small touches which add a vibrancy and contribute to a sense of caring for the place in which we live and work.

And, although I could start from many different topics, I'll begin with that of planters. 

Planter at Fairfield Community Centre. I love mosaic work, and glass tile, and this kind of detail adds to the richness of the environment. Imagine what this planter would like like if it were grey concrete.

Planter near the front door of Cedar Hill Recreation Centre. I don't know the backstory of this planter, but I'm guessing it was crafted by a program for young people, during the first year of the pandemic. Seeing the multitude of hearts is a welcome introduction to anyone walking through the doors of the centre.

From planters, I move to another element of the urban environment we may take for granted and not really notice -- garbage receptacles.

This image shows how attention to detail -- colour, the Chinese script -- contributes to the sense of place for Chinatown, from the unique garbage can, to the entrance posts,and the sculpture.

Waste and recycing bins at the back of the Legislature, with the provincial coat of arms. The small touch adds to the ambience of this seat of provincial government.

Waste receptacle, Belleville Street, near the Port Angeles ferry terminal with stylized four pointed design.

A close cousin of waste receptacles are metal Sea-Cans. Some years ago Emergency Measures in Victoria placed these Sea-Can containers throughout the city, full of emergency supplies in the event of an earthquake or other disaster. I've found a few on my wanderings. Many have been transformed, reflecting, again, a sense of aesthetics and caring.

Sea-Can container in Irving Park, James Bay

Detail from Sea-Can container in North Park

Sea-Can container at James Bay Community School

Sea-Can at Fairfield Community Centre

From decorating functional items like planters, waste receptacles and Sea-Can storage containers, I will move to decorating another functional item: a transmission tower.

Telus tower, Summit Park. I was intrigued at the clever design which flowed outwards from both sides of the tower. The mural helps reduce the industrial feel of the concrete monolith. 

Detail of mural on the Telus tower, Summit Park

Some of the things I've noticed reflect Victoria's role as the provincial capital. There are subtle elements which convey a sense of pride, of uniqueness, perhaps even the "pomp and ceremony" appropriate for a capital city. 

Stylized design using the outline of the legislature on a bike rack on Menzies Street.

Lamp post on the grounds of the Empress Hotel, showing a "quatrefoil", four leafed image. According to a Wikipedia entry, the quatrefoil has a long history in art, architecture, heraldry and Christianity. It is a symbol associated with "rulership".  

Stylized dogwood at the centre of the design for this fence near the Centennial fountain.

Paying attention to detail is also a part of craftspersonship. Here are some examples where that combines with Victoria's role as legislative capital.

Detail from a door in the provincial Legislature.

Another door from the provincial Legislature

Carved doors at the Royal BC Museum. Besides the striking trees, images within the design include a bird (possibly a raven?) at the top, flower (dogwood?), mountain goat, spirit dancer and a sailing vessel like a clipper ship. The doors are weather-worn now; I found one image online, by Chris Howes, Wild Places Photography (UK), which showed much better detail. The photo was likely taken in the late 80s or early 90s.

Detail of spirit dancers from museum door (original photo by Chris Howes).

The municipal government also has paid attention to details in design. Here are a couple of examples.

Stylized Garry oak leaf on a park bench in Beacon Hill Park

Gates at Pkols Park (Mount Douglas) with stylized leaf

Here is an example of a detail intended to make something less obvious. This is the view the walker sees of the Clover Point sewage pumping station if they walk the path below the building. Access doors have been covered with some type of exterior sheeting that replicates the design of the rock facing of the pumping station, so the whole facade is more attractive to the passer-by.

These Sea-Cans at the back of the Legislature have been masked with a cedar hedge.

Here is another example of how a designer has solved a tricky problem: how to visually hide a bank of gas meters, and protect them at the same time.

This installation provides the building address, but it also servies a function. Hidden behind the concrete installation are a bank of gas meters. (Note the use of the iron for the sign. There are many examples of iron used like this in Victoria, and I'll be doing a post some time about it.)

These are the gas meters which are hidden by the installation in the previous photo. 

And one more example of "masking", but in this case, a blank wall at the back of a business is transformed so it is no longer a blank wall.

The back exterior wall of Roger's Chocolates on Gordon Street. This addition over the brick serves to transform a monotonous wall, and also achieves some advertising in an understated way.

Many of my foregoing examples have muted colours. Readers know I always appreciate colour, so here's an example of detail from a bike rack which makes the rack more interesting, and brightens the landscape.

Colourful bike rack with stylized leaf, near Yates Street market

And how about what is below our feet, as we walk along the street? I have found many examples in Victoria of small things which add up to a sense of aesthetics and caring for the place we live in. 

I'll start with a couple of examples of amazing tree grates I 've discovered in the downtown.

Tree grate with intricate circle design

Another attractive tree grate, this one with a delicate leaf design

This grate is for a tree so small it can barely be seen behind the black metal protective surround. What intrigued me was the design that has been added of the old bicycle. This is in the "Hudson District", the area of redevelopment of the old Bay site in downtown Victoria. The theme of "vintage" is repeated in many elements throughout the development.

Moving from tree grates to some of the work that has been done to create pedestrian areas on some of the quieter downtown streets. The design of brickwork in the street works in subtle areas ways for pedestrians to feel more comfortable using the street. They do not have to walk only on the sidewalk.

Unusual mosaic design inlaid into the pavement, Broad Street.

Intricate design of paving stones and brick work, also on Broad Street. Note how the vehicle parking spots are located off the asphalt, on brickwork.

And now for something unique which I had never seen before: Victoria's purple prism basement ceilings in several sidewalks downtown.

Sidewalk outside the Yarrow Building, Broughton Street. The basement of the building extends under the sidewalk; the glass tiles in the sidewalk allow light to penetrate. These date from 1909.

Detail of the glass tiles. The City has a project underway on Broad Street to restore the basement of the Yarrow Building which used these unusual sidewalk tiles to let light into the basement.

There is a thorough story on Victoria's purple prism ceilings by Janis Ringuette, who has written extensively about the city's history, at https://beaconhillparkhistory.org/streetscapes/topics/prisms.htm

I showed a picture of a waste receptacle in Chinatown earlier. Here's how the sidewalk looks:

This is attention to detail. The intricate design of the inlaid bricks has a hint of Chinese written characters, and helps contribute to the sense that this is a unique and special area. The choice of colour for the bricks, which ties in the building facade, also helps. And I like the other touches, like the lampposts, and the texture and shape of the planters.

Whenever I walk by the Union Club I enjoy its wealth of details which add to the imposing sense that the Club is a significant place.

I like the details of the arched window -- the complex design of the brickwork above the arch, the round insert which looks to be marble, and the final touch of the "UC".

One more photo from the Union Club, showing the fine detail of the ornate sculpting.

Even the planters continue the theme of the Greek-like finish.

I've focussed mostly on public installations in this post, but private spaces also are important contributors to Victoria's aesthetic sense. Here are just a couple to give examples of what I mean.

Detail from stone pillar outside a home in Fairfield. Now this is attention to detail!

Another private building, also in Fairfield. The detail of the green lights with the red doors provides a satisfying balance of colour and design. And I liked the stained glass window, with the wrought iron gate.

I promised at the beginning that I would also talk about paying attention to the function of space, as well as its aesthetics. That will be the subject of a future post. 

I hope you have enjoyed my brief exploration of how details make a difference in our enjoyment of  the urban landscape.