[DaninToronto]

I'm not sure I am sold on the checkered pattern for the glass. It seems like when an architect thinks something up, other architects take the idea and you see it pop up everywhere i.e Marriott hotel, Spire. The height and the fins are cool though.

 

[asiancolossus]

Do the fins actually serve a functional purpose or for design only...

 

[urbandreamer]

The fins help with aerodynamics in the event 1 B.E implodes on its own success.

 

[ShonTron]

All the recent real estate/Bazis/Borat/CrystalBlu discussion has been moved here.

It would be appreciated if there was an effort to separate discussion on architecture/sales progress/demolition to this thread and discussion on Bazis to the other thread. Given that some of the discussion touches on both, some posts have been duplicated on both.

Any questions or comments or errors? Please ask us, or post in Forum Issues.

- Your friendly moderators

 

[Big Daddy]

This tower could be as tall as Scotia Plaza, is it aesthetically deserving of such prominence?

I have to agree and have said same earlier in this thread - the building proposed for 1 Bloor East is as banal as any I have ever seen. Certainly Canada's most important intersection deserves better. Look at how Aura addresses the street - Yonge and Bloor should be a massive pedestrian experience. Instead this very tall building simply sprouts out of the ground and does nothing interesting or unusual - Is this really satisfactory to you guys - just because its tall??.

 

[caltrane74]

I have to agree and have said same earlier in this thread - the building proposed for 1 Bloor East is as banal as any I have ever seen. Certainly Canada's most important intersection deserves better. Look at how Aura addresses the street - Yonge and Bloor should be a massive pedestrian experience. Instead this very tall building simply sprouts out of the ground and does nothing interesting or unusual - Is this really satisfactory to you guys - just because its tall??.

Ok we can slam Bazis for the design of the building.. Name another developer with this type of cashflow, or at least the will to get things rockin' on this intersection within our lifetimes.

 

[Big Daddy]

I'm not really slamming Bazis, just trying to convey the fact that this is a very important intersection and I think the design could/should be tweaked or reworked to address this fact.

 

[ProjectEnd]

While your characterization of 1BE as mediocre and benial is spot on, you cite Aura as your example of a success story. As you may or may not recall, I had a lengthy debate with several UT'ers about the design of Aura when compared with similarly sized and massed buildings - my example was the stunning Eureka Tower in Melborne's docklands. My comparison was met with heated arguments from fellow members both advocating Aura and (attempting to) deconstruct its Aussie 'soulmate.' Sadly, I was never presented with a satisfactory response and still yearn to know why Aura is held in such esteem by people who know better.

Therefore my question to BigDaddy is thus:

Aside from the podium, which does address the street in a "yeah, its me, whatta want?" sort of way, what makes Aura so great?

 

[syn]

I don't know if the design of the building is banal. It's certainly not a creative landmark though.

 

[Big Daddy]

Aside from the podium, which does address the street in a sort of "yeah, its me, whatta want?" sort of way, what makes Aura so great?

It is exactly that - the podium. People do much more in Toronto (and any major city) than simply stare at the skyline. What is truly important is the way a building encourages pedestrian activity. Where people want and will congregate, you have life - it creates a living place where people will shop, meet, street vendors will offer their taste of the city, great shopping, great activities – VITALITY. 1 Bloor east currently offers nothing to Yonge and Bloor other than a long shadow and that’s very unfortunate.

 

[ProjectEnd]

It is exactly that - the podium. People do much more in Toronto (and any major city) than simply stare at the skyline. What is truly important is the way a building encourages pedestrian activity. Where people want and will congregate, you have life - it creates a living place where people will shop, meet, street vendors will offer their taste of the city, great shopping, great activities – VITALITY. 1 Bloor east currently offers nothing to Yonge and Bloor other than a long shadow and that’s very unfortunate.

I completely agree BD. However, what about the space above the first four stories. People will inevitably look up, and when they do would you rather they were impressed and proud to have such a structure in their city, or that they simply look back down at the store they are about to enter?

I think there's a larger issue here. One which moves beyond simple debates about tall towers. We live this every day. We as architecture enthusiasts can't help but look at buildings and critically appraise them. What we sometimes fail to remember is that the large majority of people don't.

I find the podium on Aura is made for such a person. Sort-of daring, intersecting glass forms and other features which, while nice, don't really do much to stir the imagination and promote the sense of pride that a really imaginative base might. Does Aura fail? Surely not, the design-review panel has done a pretty good job of taking a really bad building and making it into an acceptable one.

Whether you like him or not, Bentley-Mays certainly has strong opinions which I believe summarize both of these projects: "Neither high-rise will bring much in the way of strong design to its outstanding location." Very true; furthermore, "...[in 2007] We saw nothing that forcefully embodies the liveliest and most creative tall building ideals of our time."

I'm really hoping that I'm wrong here. I want to like Aura and 1BE but I just can't help but be left wanting more.

(Both quotations from the Real Estate section of Friday's Globe and Mail)

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

I completely agree BD. However, what about the space above the first four stories. People will inevitably look up, and when they do would you rather they were impressed and proud to have such a structure in their city, or that they simply look back down at the store they are about to enter?

I think there's a larger issue here. One which moves beyond simple debates about tall towers. We live this every day. We as architecture enthusiasts can't help but look at buildings and critically appraise them. What we sometimes fail to remember is that the large majority of people don't.

I find the podium on Aura is made for such a person. Sort-of daring, intersecting glass forms and other features which, while nice, don't really do much to stir the imagination and promote the sense of pride that a really imaginative base might. Does Aura fail? Surely not, the design-review panel has done a pretty good job of taking a really bad building and making it into an acceptable one.

Whether you like him or not, Bentley-Mays certainly has strong opinions which I believe summarize both of these projects: "Neither high-rise will bring much in the way of strong design to its outstanding location." Very true; furthermore, "...[in 2007] We saw nothing that forcefully embodies the liveliest and most creative tall building ideals of our time."

I'm really hoping that I'm wrong here. I want to like Aura and 1BE but I just can't help but be left wanting more.

(Both quotations from the Real Estate section of Friday's Globe and Mail)

I'm in strong agreement here but I do have to make one point. I live downtown and have a dramatic city view from my place. When people come to my home they always comment on "the view" but beyond that the most common comment is about Scotia Bank. Not the CN Tower, Scotia Bank. Always positive comments, sometimes something like "I love the design of that building", "that's my favorate building" etc. so I think it's fair to say that many people who are not architectural enthusiasts do have an eye for something that is well designed and visually pleasing.
Certainly some people will look up and not give 1BE more than a passing glance, but I do believe more people than we give credit for are basically aware of what is outstanding or mediocre architecture.

 

[HiRiser]

Given the "pominence" of the 1 BE & Aura sites, these buildings are indeed pretty mediochre. However, the buildings per se are not bad. They should be relocated. The one spot I have high hopes for a stunning supertall is the lot to the east of the ACC.

 

[adma]

I'm in strong agreement here but I do have to make one point. I live downtown and have a dramatic city view from my place. When people come to my home they always comment on "the view" but beyond that the most common comment is about Scotia Bank. Not the CN Tower, Scotia Bank. Always positive comments, sometimes something like "I love the design of that building", "that's my favorate building" etc. so I think it's fair to say that many people who are not architectural enthusiasts do have an eye for something that is well designed and visually pleasing.
Certainly some people will look up and not give 1BE more than a passing glance, but I do believe more people than we give credit for are basically aware of what is outstanding or mediocre architecture.

Where do you live? A certain view from a certain angle can highlight the aesthetic impression of a building, you know...

 

[Filip]

Given the "pominence" of the 1 BE & Aura sites, these buildings are indeed pretty mediochre. However, the buildings per se are not bad. They should be relocated. The one spot I have high hopes for a stunning supertall is the lot to the east of the ACC.

That has gone to SITQ. They have announced a possible 50 storey office tower.