The respect for the heritage structure for this project is remarkable. It should be the standard for all of Toronto. I do have mixed feelings however about projects that simply build on top of, read swallow, old buildings. There's also something critical to be said about completely gutting the inside of a heritage structure and only keeping its exterior. Still, I suppose this is the best it's going to get.
 
Urban Shocker said:
Other than the Sun Life towers at King and University ( and I believe there may be a development up at Yonge and Finch, or Steeles, that does much the same ... ) I can't think of another tower complex that straddles a major street like the Muranii-Burano family does on Bay Street.
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Do those wraparound-balcony Antibes towers sorta-straddle something? Otherwise, there's a lot that *seems* to straddle through twinning; but the closest in NY Centre I can think of it is the rather awkward Mona Lisa/Monet interplay along Doris' diagonal skew...
 
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Mike in TO's cool photo above has inspired me to unleash a small batch of higher res renderings of Murano than have been available before. Enjoy these, and visit the home page for a fuller story tying recent photos to these images.

To start, here's a tall drink of Burano, seen from the north...

BuranoFullView.jpg



but let's focus on that lobby atrium with the cafe outside...

BuranoNorthStreetView.jpg



and take a closer look at the landmark artwork hanging behind the glass. Its creator is Sandro Martini of Milan.

BuranoBistroDetail.jpg



If we turn to the left we take in the view down Bay Street, and get a look at the intersection of the modern podium and the restored facade of the 1925-built McLaughlin Motors Building.

BuranoBayAtriumDetail.jpg



At the south end of the complex we see the tower rising over the restored McLaughlin Motors Building, now acting as a retail podium.

BuranoRestorationView.jpg



This close-up gives us a better look at the detail of the restoration.

BuranoRestorationDetail.jpg
 
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What this project proves is that we truly can have our cake and eat it too!

We can preserve our Heritage buildings to a pristine condition while at the same time building a soaring and exhilarating new tower above.

This is the definition of a win-win.
 
I agree completely. Also, this project might hopefully set a trend along dry old Bay Street. Bay is a great 'downtown' residential street with lots of potential once the streetscaping is improved and if there were a few more Burano-type corners with commercial space that offers more interesting neighbourhoody amenities than a Subway shop or banks.
 
From University & College

Click on the thumbnail to enlarge, then click again on the image for full size.



From Wellesley & Bay

 
Peepers said:
What this project proves is that we truly can have our cake and eat it too!

We can preserve our Heritage buildings to a pristine condition while at the same time building a soaring and exhilarating new tower above.

This is the definition of a win-win.
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I hate to be a curmudgeon, and lord knows we've had this discussion enough, but I really don't believe that to be the case.

This isn't a preserved heritage building. It's a reconstructed facade - an empty shell. The building itself is gone. If you walk through that shell, you won't be in the same space that cars were sold in, in decades gone by. You'll never ask yourself who walked on this floor, what went on here, what the history of this space was, who went before - all the things that go through your mind when you enter a truly old building, the things that make history so personal and exciting. This is just a wall. Behind it, another new condo.

Is it better than nothing? Maybe, maybe not. Burano is a nice-looking building and this wall is a pleasant addition, and a reminder of our history. But let's not confuse it for an actual historic building. We have to remember that architecture is about insides as much as outsides - and so is heritage preservation. And as far as real history goes, facadism is just that - a false front.
 
To be honest, though the insides of the McLaughlin Building was fairly well preserved, in many other cases, renovations over the years have completely altered the interiors of other less fortunate buildings.

Facadism shouldn't be considered bad- obviously retaining the entire building would be the best option, but keeping the most visible portion of a building (the outside) is still better than a complete demolition.
 
jje1000 said:
To be honest, though the insides of the McLaughlin Building was fairly well preserved, in many other cases, renovations over the years have completely altered the interiors of other less fortunate buildings.

Facadism shouldn't be considered bad- obviously retaining the entire building would be the best option, but keeping the most visible portion of a building (the outside) is still better than a complete demolition.
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+1
 
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