From a 2007 perspective, may I say re 1 Poultry: now, there's one heck of a heritage landmark for its time (of design, at least).

Also makes for a surprising comparison with Montreal's Pointe-a-Calliere museum...
hanganu1.jpg
 
^That mtl building is over-rated: I used to live across the street from it and it was a cold barren place 90% of the time; an equally bad mistake as the highrises of the distillery district. Although a better comparison to old mtl would be old town (york) toronto. The distillery district reminds me more of griffintown to the west or even hochelaga-maisonneuve.
 
As Casaguy's photos demonstrate the juxtoposition of the modern with the old allows for some very interesting and - imo - appealing views in and around the district. I'm all in favour of the Distillery developing as a diverse neighbourhood of the city, architecturally speaking at least, rather than as a set museum piece. That said, I do believe they should keep their hands off the old buildings themselves.
 
I agree Tewder. The Distillery is not, nor should not be a static museum. Like any part of the city, it should change and evolve with the rest of the city, while maintaining the existing buildings. If modern glass wants to move into the edge of the District, then I am all for that. Just keep the buildings that already exist.
 
Newbie.

Hello all,

Well I wanna first say this is a great forum! I myself am a condo junkie and have purchased in the pure spirits condo in the loft part "podium".

My first post will be about the "Tentative Closing Date" originally and as per my documents I was to move in Dec 1st 2007, as per my mail I JUST opened! my new date is April 24th 2008!! Now I realize that there was a plumbers strike, but 5 months !!!

Anyhow, I just thought that this would be somewhat useful info for everyone and if anyone would like to add to this please do so, also are there any other purchasers of pure spirits here???. So I look forward to adding pics and updates in the upcoming months leading to my eventual move in date:p
 
Perhaps the temptation to try and understand the Distillery District design in relation to what has already been done in other parts of town, or what is planned for other parts of town, and thus to fit it into existing models or schemes, misses the point that what is actually being done here is creating something specific to a unique site. Hence my earlier comment that aA are building a historic district.
 
I thought aA designed buildings? The Distillery District is already there, and has been for a while.


Trump markets his building as "historic" as well.
 
I thought aA designed buildings? The Distillery District is already there, and has been for a while.

But the Distillery isn't all that Toronto, is it? Where are the tall buildings? Ah, here they come!

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All joking aside, and in regard to the 'historic' Trump comment as well, years into the future guides will be taking interested parties around the Distillery, and the topic of the early 21st century insertions into the 19th century fabric will come up. Some in the group will argue that the new buildings destroyed the Victorian Industrial ambiance, others will argue that cities change and grow, and that the clean-lined 21st century highrises complimented by contrasting with the grotty and funky brick lowrises, and that the highrises are both good examples of the best Toronto residential architecture of the time, and of the city's wishes to reintegrate the area into its expanded urban heart.
 
Any time you create something - a building for instance - you change the environment. Something that, on paper, is called a "historic district" is thus changed in reality by the addition of objects that exist in space, such as buildings, and by their uses, and by the renewal of existing spaces for new uses. History is being created all the time - the Distillery district is a unique environment and is being renewed in a unique way through the design process.
 
Neither would Shocker, and he didn't.

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Urban Shocker, then why the dislike of the Libeskind addition to the Hummingbird Centre?


All joking aside, and in regard to the 'historic' Trump comment as well, years into the future guides will be taking interested parties around the Distillery, and the topic of the early 21st century insertions into the 19th century fabric will come up. Some in the group will argue that the new buildings destroyed the Victorian Industrial ambiance, others will argue that cities change and grow, and that the clean-lined 21st century highrises complimented by contrasting with the grotty and funky brick lowrises, and that the highrises are both good examples of the best Toronto residential architecture of the time, and of the city's wishes to reintegrate the area into its expanded urban heart.

I don't think we have to wait for the future for that type of critique to be carried out; it is already underway. I am not opposed to building around the Distillery, I don't think that building right in it and directly around it is a great idea. It just might turn the area into an amenity block for all those condos. As I have pointed out earlier, the project might turn out just fine. But if this development does overwhelm the location, then that's that. No amount of post-development argument will undo what has been designed.
 
Mostly, with the "L" Hummingbird addition, I see an uneasy dialogue between two buildings, with two styles fighting for dominance, not well resolved. They're not really complementary design opposites, just a newer building shouting at a slightly older one. Though perhaps that's inevitable given the choice of Libeskind to design it - no egoless shrinking violet he! In this case I'd have preferred a polite Toronto style building, by KPMB maybe, with its visibly neo-Modernist roots inevitably showing, paying homage to the important Dickinson's Modernist building it would thus be an extension of. Sculptural sensationalism of the Libeskind variety seems a better design-opposite fit with old buildings such as the two original ROM wings that are from another era, encrusted with charmingly crafted historical decoration as befits the spirit of that distant age, as has risen at Bloor and Avenue Road.

I just re-read this whole thread. I can't help but conclude that simple fear of height is at the core of much of the opposition to what's going down ( or up ) at the Distillery District, couched in talk of how skyscrapers aren't the only way to create density, that these towers are out of context with the neighbourhood, aren't in keeping with the surroundings etc. The point is, surely, that this site is a clean slate and these buildings are creating a context to signpost the neighbourhood.

A fascinating discussion, and one of our best threads, I think.
 
We are getting off topic here. Lets get back on track and stay on topic with the Distillery:)

btw i noticed insulation going up on the podium today, I will post pics this weekend!
 

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