some update pictures...

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This has truly been among the greatest decades in Toronto for brilliant new public spaces with extraordinary architecture. Sure we got too many crappy condos but on the bright side (and I'm sure I'm missing a couple) we got The Gardiner Museum, AGO expansion, ROM Crystal expansion (with slightly flawed materials), The Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, Ontario College of Art & Design, The National Ballet School & Student Residences, The Royal Conservatory of Music reno/Koerner Hall, the West 8/Waterfront Toronto projects moving full speed forward and now TIFF which will open at the end of the decade. The Sony Centre retrofit almost made it.

Looking at the photos above gave me a sudden adrenaline rush and made me truly realize all of the good that has been accomplished in our city this decade.
 
dt_toronto_geek said:
This has truly been among the greatest decades in Toronto for brilliant new public spaces with extraordinary architecture. Sure we got too many crappy condos but on the bright side (and I'm sure I'm missing a couple) we got The Gardiner Museum, AGO expansion, ROM Crystal expansion (with slightly flawed materials), The Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, Ontario College of Art & Design, The National Ballet School & Student Residences, The Royal Conservatory of Music reno/Koerner Hall, the West 8/Waterfront Toronto projects moving full speed forward and now TIFF which will open at the end of the decade. The Sony Centre retrofit almost made it.

Looking at the photos above gave me a sudden adrenaline rush and made me truly realize all of the good that has been accomplished in our city this decade.
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"Extraordinary architecture" is a bit overstated.
 
dt_toronto_geek said:
This has truly been among the greatest decades in Toronto for brilliant new public spaces with extraordinary architecture. Sure we got too many crappy condos but on the bright side (and I'm sure I'm missing a couple) we got The Gardiner Museum, AGO expansion, ROM Crystal expansion (with slightly flawed materials), The Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, Ontario College of Art & Design, The National Ballet School & Student Residences, The Royal Conservatory of Music reno/Koerner Hall, the West 8/Waterfront Toronto projects moving full speed forward and now TIFF which will open at the end of the decade. The Sony Centre retrofit almost made it.

Looking at the photos above gave me a sudden adrenaline rush and made me truly realize all of the good that has been accomplished in our city this decade.
Click to expand...

I totally agree. What a change we've seen. My only hope is that developers and investors will take on some edgier designs. There have been a handful of nice ones, but I would love to see some designs that would make people's heads spin when they visit Toronto.
 
kdub333 said:
I totally agree. What a change we've seen. My only hope is that developers and investors will take on some edgier designs. There have been a handful of nice ones, but I would love to see some designs that would make people's heads spin when they visit Toronto.
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I think Robarts Library already achieves that response from tourists and citizens alike.
 
November 7

I love Robarts!

Sorry for the green tint, this is through a window. You can also see Crystal Blu off in the background in front of the CIBC building:
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/41002894@N07/4083799695/in/set-72157622756392786

From Mercer Street.
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/41002894@N07/4083780865/in/set-72157622756392786

From the elevated public courtyard at the Hilton on University Avenue. Festival Tower and Boutique both visible with Shangri-La in the foreground:
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/41002894@N07/4083781109/in/set-72157622756392786
 
Dugmor said:
"Extraordinary architecture" is a bit overstated.
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There's nothing ordinary about a building on stilts built over an open public space, a crystal-like structure dramatically bursting from a grand early 20th century museum, or the various sleek Modern cultural additions with their floor to ceiling glass and thorough restorations of beautiful heritage buildings.
 
Speaking of sitting on stilts above an older building... (sort of): the Festival Tower is so painfully ignorant of the Bell Lightbox beneath it :( ... the stressed vertical feature and gridiron glazing especially, which make no sense against the horizontal effects used extensively on the Lightbox. Sigh.

It's a cool project though, definitely exciting nonetheless.
 
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dt_toronto_geek said:
This has truly been among the greatest decades in Toronto for brilliant new public spaces with extraordinary architecture..........., ROM Crystal expansion (with slightly flawed materials).
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Sorry dude, but aluminum siding is more than "slightly flawed" its absolutely sad.
 
Big Daddy said:
Sorry dude, but aluminum siding is more than "slightly flawed" its absolutely sad.
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I was taken by the moment reviewing recent pics. posted of Bell Lightbox, in a very positive state of mind and trying to be "courteous" re: The Crystal exterior ;).
 
This is an exceptional project but I have one complaint: I wish the precast on the residential element was not beige (a colour that does not appear to fit in with the other colours of the building). I am sure they have the capacity to colour the stone somehow and I would have preferred to have a light grey stone.
 
Caltrane - I hope you don't mind - I have moved the flickr pic you posted over to the Ritz thread as it is much more prominent in the photo than the Lightbox is.

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