[AlvinofDiaspar]

Bogtrotter:

The massing is fine, the materiality isn't. Something light and airy would have been significant improvements to the intersection - instead, we've got a doubling of bulk.

AoD

 

[Edward Skira]

Photos by Sir Novelty Fashion

Taken from his original thread to be found here:
http://urbantoronto.ca/showthread.php?t=5935

Mosaic, from moving streetcar

 

[casaguy]

Mosaic Construction Progress Aug 17, 2007

Overdue for an update...

Except for that brutal slab residing directly south, I think I love everything about this building. The gradual curves are great.

 

[Mike in TO]

Not happy with the dark windows and the overall feeling of "weight" that this condo brings to the area - There are so many aspects of it that are just awkward.

 

[interchange42]

Overdue for an update...

Except for that brutal slab residing directly south, I think I love everything about this building. The gradual curves are great.

I think they've done a pretty lousy job to the Spadina face - with the centreline moving to the left twice. It looks inelegant and bulky to me.

42

 

[alklay]

Thanks for the pics.

Well, that is certainly a lot of...grey panels.

The building appears to fit the site well enough but nevertheless looks large and heavy. A lighter bluish-grey would have been a better colour for all that cladding/panels but the building certainly looks a little lighter on top (lighter than its heavy base).

The pre-cast could have been worse, insofar as it could have been beige (a favourite colour in this city - see Spire, Pentages, District Lofts, etc.) or darker. If it gets decent glass balconies, and the retail at the base works, I would give it a B- (apologies to Hume).

 

[caltrane74]

This is a fantastic building; and a large improvement over the building directly next to it.

Funny thing is, I did'nt even know about it. Thanks for taking pictures and posting.

Great Great stuff.

 

[CapitalSeven]

Not that we should expect anything in this regard, but, to call it "mosaic" and build this ... ?

 

[urbandreamer]

It just dawned on me...

...but the "brutal slab" looks very Clewesian! Here's what they need to do: replace the balcony railings and windows with clear glass and you'd get a sort of 22 Wellesley-style building--the big wrap around concrete shell (sure it's facing the "wrong" way but so what!) with clear glass balcony/curtain wall. It suddenly--for the first time--appeals to me!

The real mess just might be Mosaic--ironic! (The lower portion of Mosaic is okay--it's the curvy "tower" portion that looks out of place--two buildings in one looks as bad as that one on Bellair.)

 

[adma]

Judging all that is humdrum and awkward about it, I'd stop short of deeming it a huge improvement on its S neighbour--relative to their respective times, they're about equal...

 

[scarberiankhatru]

The big question is: where's the mosaics? The lobby?

 

[casaguy]

At first I wasn't crazy about the thick grey panels either (especially on the lower balconies), but doesn't that help it fit in with its neighbours to the south and north?

 

[casaguy]

Just for comparison's sake... it does look much better in the rendering without the dark brown glass...

 

[simply Dan]

Wow what a hideous nightmare! I was expecting a lot more from this project – the potential was certainly there for a nice development. Reminiscent of downtown’s other monstrosity – SPACE on Richmond. Gross! The $5 windows are frightful – and just wait until the white precast starts getting stained and dirty – this will truly turn out to be a disaster. At least there is density at a TTC hub.

 

[maestro]

and just wait until the white precast starts getting stained and dirty

all that grey sprandrel will discolour into a fugly light grey/brown long before we need to worry about the pre-cast