There's a lot we can learn from Vancouver but, the core feels like a resort missing that hard edge of a downtown. Alot comes from the maximum floor plates sizes over a certain height and minimum tower distances. Also find the landscaping and water features overdone much like the tower designs. Many design have an awkwardness to the placement of stepbacks and shape of the floor plate that comes from engineering within stringent rules including those above and the view corridors as anexample. An offspring from a Vancouver tower and a Toronto tower would likely be exceptional though.

somuchwater said:
I agree, and I also wish there were more developments like the proposal at Front and Spadina in which there are covered "outdoor" areas. Far far too much of planning seems focused on the summer, when for 6 months of the year, there is no green, and being outside is unpleasant for most people. I'd like Toronto to actually incorporate winter into our urban fabric rather than pretending it is only something to endure until the next summer comes.

Anyway, OT. I'm a bit shocked at just how prominent Ice has become. It's a little funky looking, but overall, I like it. I just hope that area can develop a bit more warmth and character over time.
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maestro said:
There's a lot we can learn from Vancouver but, the core feels like a resort missing that hard edge of a downtown. Alot comes from the maximum floor plates sizes over a certain height and minimum tower distances. Also find the landscaping and water features overdone much like the tower designs. Many design have an awkwardness to the placement of stepbacks and shape of the floor plate that comes from engineering within stringent rules including those above and the view corridors as anexample.
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Downtown Vancouver (www.canurb.com/doc_download/21-vancouver) has a higher population density than downtown Toronto (www.canurb.com/doc_download/20-toronto). By the way, Canadian Urban Institute’s definition of downtown Vancouver does even not include the West End, one of the densest neighbourhoods in North America.

I would argue that the very condo design features that you critiqued have something to do with downtown Vancouver being perceived as a desirable place to live by a growing number of people, including families with children (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...school-in-downtown-vancouver/article13470220/).
 
somuchwater said:
Anyway, OT. I'm a bit shocked at just how prominent Ice has become. It's a little funky looking, but overall, I like it.
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Hopefully 10 York won't screw up this view too much.

Hypnotoad said:
View attachment 31516
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Jasonzed said:
33830c0e-12e4-4597-ae74-6b055b380f6b_zpsbaa6894b.jpg
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Ayan said:
Downtown Vancouver (www.canurb.com/doc_download/21-vancouver) has a higher population density than downtown Toronto (www.canurb.com/doc_download/20-toronto). By the way, Canadian Urban Institute’s definition of downtown Vancouver does even not include the West End, one of the densest neighbourhoods in North America.

I would argue that the very condo design features that you critiqued have something to do with downtown Vancouver being perceived as a desirable place to live by a growing number of people, including families with children (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...school-in-downtown-vancouver/article13470220/).
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The article makes it clear her choice was either to live downtown in a condo or to own a house in Surrey. As pleasant as downtown Vancouver is, a lot of those families live there in small condos because the Vancouver housing market is unaffordable & the commute to the outer suburbs, where it is still somewhat manageable, is unthinkable. Meanwhile, neighbourhoods like Kerrisdale (where she might have raised her family a generation ago) empty out as absentee Asian investors buy up all the single-family properties.
 
UrbanFervour said:
The article makes it clear her choice was either to live downtown in a condo or to own a house in Surrey. As pleasant as downtown Vancouver is, a lot of those families live there in small condos because the Vancouver housing market is unaffordable & the commute to the outer suburbs, where it is still somewhat manageable, is unthinkable. Meanwhile, neighbourhoods like Kerrisdale (where she might have raised her family a generation ago) empty out as absentee Asian investors buy up all the single-family properties.
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I guess you missed the part where the article stated:

"The life the Balls are choosing is a result of years of city efforts. Planners have insisted that a quarter of all new developments downtown be two bedrooms or larger to accommodate families, and that they have child-friendly amenities.

It’s been an unqualified success.

According to the 2011 census, the number of children under five doubled in the previous five years. There were 1,840 children counted downtown in the zero to four category, compared to 875 in the five to nine bracket – an unmistakable baby boom."

Metro Vancouver has been more successful in creating communities where people live AND work, cutting down on commuting times (http://www.vancouversun.com/Maps+reveal+Metro+Vancouver+commuting+habits/9360978/story.html).
 
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yyzhyd said:
Love that second shot, especially the green edge with all the trees.
Almost has a Chicago feel to the pic.
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+1. awesome shot with great visibility. one of the cooler skyline shots i've seen recently. it's nice to see the layers slowly being added. the mirvish towers alongside the Union Centre/156 buildings in the background will only add to the incredible view. These buildings among others will give Toronto a very unique skyline in contrast to other north american cities. It may never compete with New York of Chicago in terms of height or scale of the buildings, but it will certainly stand out from them. Our skyline will be dominated with glass and many 'experimental' / try-not-to-be-a-box architecture that will give our skyline a unique silhouette regardless of their actual build quality.
 
steveve said:
it's nice to see the layers slowly being added. the mirvish towers alongside the Union Centre/156 buildings in the background will only add to the incredible view. These buildings among others will give Toronto a very unique skyline in contrast to other north american cities. It may never compete with New York of Chicago in terms of height or scale of the buildings, but it will certainly stand out from them. Our skyline will be dominated with glass and many 'experimental' / try-not-to-be-a-box architecture that will give our skyline a unique silhouette regardless of their actual build quality.
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I agree with you. all these projects will add variety to Toronto's skyline and make it more unique among other cities.
that would be so cool if someone take that pic with cramptno's permission and photoshop all these projects in the skyline.
 
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