Each project has set the two-story portion of the addition at the back, away from the street. Trail’s End has a densely packed yet irregular street-scape; the trailers are all different makes, perpendicular to the street, with twenty feet between them and in varying proximity to the road. Most trailers do not have driveways resulting in cars parked hap- hazardly on the road, a non-paved one-way street where vehicular traffic is very slow and the Trail’s End residents all meet. The new additions have not diminished this quality and indeed have further insulated Trail’s End by visually blocking out the new developments.
There is a rather macabre joke in the Northwest Territories. When the Department of Transportation is concerned about the safety of the only road between Yellowknife and the south (approximately 1000km to the next town), they put up more signs and lower the speed limit, rather than fix the road. In the rush to achieve progress as a City,Yellowknife’s current development plans brush aside all that stands in its way.The new additions and renovations in Trail’s End, despite each project’s inde- pendence from the others, have together formed an arguably cohesive statement.While not very delicate, the new addition projects are signs that can be read by speeding vehicles. Construction that says that we will not be bought out or sold out — at least not yet, not until the asking price goes a little higher!
Simon Taylor lives in Yellowknife, is a partner with Pin/Taylor Architects and currently serves as the Vice-President of the North- west Territories Association of Architects.
facing page: the addition is still under con- struction (when I find the time to build) and houses a bedroom for the my one year old and a computer room for my ten year old.
On Site review 11
37
Spring 2004
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