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We all know that buildings don't always turn out like the renderings. Last-minute changes and real-life materials can all cause discrepancies between the vision and reality of a project. In our weekly Flash Forward Friday feature, we take a look at how different projects stack up.
The view of Toronto's Financial District from Nathan Phillips Square hadn't changed much since the major bank towers were built in the 1960s and 1970s. But the recent building boom has produced new office buildings like the Bay Adelaide Centre and mixed-use complexes like Trump International Hotel and Tower — permanently changing the skyline from the square in the process. The two most recent additions, INDX Condos and EY Tower, are nearing completion, bringing modern residences and office space to the core of Canada's largest city.
Designed by Page + Steele / IBI Group Architects for Lifetime Developments and CentreCourt Developments, the 54-storey INDX Condos promised a rectilinear design enhanced by 'USB port' cutouts on the north and south elevations. Rising next to the historic Graphic Arts Building, the almost-finished project has stayed faithful to the original illustrations. Mere steps away, the Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates-designed EY Tower's crystalline form has climbed above the rebuilt facade of the Art Deco Concourse Building. Developed by Oxford Properties, its sharp and striking angles, amplified by vertical fins and gleaming glazing, has quickly become a favourite among UrbanToronto Forumers.
We will return next Friday with another comparison!
