Start Fox said:
This may be one of my favourite posts ever on this forum.

It's something I've felt for a long time while living here, but haven't been able to put it into words.

Edit: wanted to also mention that it gives me hope - because the public realm seems easier and quicker to improve than, for example, re-cladding existing buildings.
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Agreed. It frustrates me to no end. How can Toronto make global top-10 or-20 lists when it is so poorly kept up? There is, it seems to me, an insufficiency of love, of pride, and of money for basic beautification. For too long now, Toronto's modus vivendi has been "functional, utilitarian", such that it seems ingrained in the citizens' collective psyche. It could be so much better. Am I remembering wrong that it was once better? Toronto used to be "The City That Works", "New York Run by the Swiss", etc. Now, it is "The City That Takes it Day-by-Day".
 
unrealestate said:
Not really apples to apples. Metrotown has no historical significance like yonge. That looks more or less like City place. Parts of downtown Vancouver that have a mix of old and new are gritty like Toronto
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Yeah, Metrotown is more like North York.
The predecessor buildings were 4 storey walk-ups with large setbacks with grass and shrubs in front of each.
None would have been originally built up to the sidewalk.
 
syn said:
Why did they decide on beige panels? Hard to see them aging well.

I'm curious why they went with this particular design choice. The original rendering was a lot cleaner and probably would've been more practical too.
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My guess is the precast is to anchor the bottom half of the tower back to the heritage facades.
Having glass shoot up from a 3 storey limestone facade would look disproportioned.
Based on the rendering, the beige precast will stop soon, and the fins that are in the recess facing Yonge will widen out and go up the tower for a bit.
That looks like it'll provide a transition from the weighty heritage facade,
then half density beige precast sections,
then lighter fins (which look thinner as-built than in the rendering),
then all glass to the top (at least on the Yonge side without balconies).
I think that all is to provide visual interest or blend into the Yonge streetscape.

15840-194191.jpg


15840-194193.jpg
 
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officedweller said:
My guess is the precast is to anchor the bottom half of the tower back to the heritage facades.
Having glass shoot up from a 3 storey limestone facade would look disproportioned.
Based on the rendering, the beige precast will stop soon, and the fins that are in the recess facing Yonge will widen out and go up the tower for a bit.
That looks like it'll provide a transition from the weighty heritage facade,
then half density beige precast sections,
then lighter fins (which look thinner as-built than in the rendering),
then all glass to the top (at least on the Yonge side without balconies).
I think that all is to provide visual interest or blend into the Yonge streetscape.

15840-194191.jpg


15840-194193.jpg
Click to expand...
You're right - and it's not fair of me to judge it before it's all finished.

My admittedly knee-jerk reaction was based on Toronto's less than stellar relationship with beige precast.

Hopefully the final product achieves the desired outcome. I'll likely be skeptical until I see it.
 
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