[Bayer]

The City Hall view corridor is only relevant because it is a growing city.

42

I am by no means well-versed in such matters, but I would like to understand why it is considered important in this particular case. Can we really say our "new" City Hall has a "view corridor" in the sense of, say, the Opéra Garnier, where you have a long street with the opera at its terminus? There is no way to see City Hall unless you are practically in front of it; it doesn't terminate any corridor, unlike Old City Hall.

 

[interchange42]

It's the views of City Hall's towers from within Nathan Phillips Square that the City Hall view corridor seeks to protect. The idea is that other towers shouldn't rise above City Hall and overpower it visually. The 480 and 481 towers on University at Dundas were capped where they were (55 storeys) so that they wouldn't compromise the City Hall view. As this proposal is farther north and shorter, my guess is that it must be the gap between the two towers that planners are concerned about. Maybe we will get a graphic showing that at the public consultation.

42

 

[AlbertC]

http://www.quadrangle.ca/our-projects/in-design/700-bay

 

[arvelomcquaig]

Wow. I like it. Amazing density, not 100% glass cladding, somewhat interesting-looking...

 

[Miscreant]

Yep, solid density. I like it too.

 

[salsa]

This doesn't appear to have been revised at all as per the recommendations of planning staff. It may still change.

 

[Benito]

Yes that does look promising.

 

[kris]

The vertical lines seem like they will be nice for the street wall.

 

[stjames2queenwest]

it is better than what is there now. I don't hate it, but it's not wow-ing me. sure.

 

[NBGtect]

Yea this meets the street correctly too

 

[Mongo]

Yea this meets the street correctly too

You mean the lack of a podium? Yes, I like that too. I've never been a big fan of podiums myself, preferring the clean look of a tower vertically descending all the way to street level.

 

[stjames2queenwest]

I do like the lack of a podium

 

[NBGtect]

Has a WTC vibe.

 

[Tewder]

It's perfectly fine. What's with the angled roof though? Why do we love this roofline so much these days? It feels a little 'couldn't think what else to do'.

 

[utwatch]

I wonder how much those concrete/precast vertical details were influenced by the new rules that allow only so much of a tower to be covered in glass. I've seen a lot of people mentioning that this new requirement will mean a lot more spandrel but if it's it turns out developers turn to different materials besides spandrel it could be a good thing.