verticalvillage said:
One thing that always puzzled me about Gehry and his firm is that for an office so dependent on technology, why do they never produce any renderings?
The models are fabulous, but real images showing these buildings in their context would be far more interesting.

(I guess you could count the animation in the promotional video, but even that is limited to the general outlines of the towers…)
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yeah I have the same question because with these models one is not able to understand the shape, material and other things about the building. renderings give more details about the project.
 
Is it just me, or are the heights reduced in the new massing above?
 
as has been said before it sets a precedence the city isn't likely to want to set.
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What precedence might that be....something unbelievably great? I agree....setting the bar that high would make everything else look bad.

Let's stick with Aura (same size...just ugly and devoid of any cultural amenities), and saving a couple of whitewashed warehouses yet demolishing the Concourse Building.

Whatever....as long as everybody is happy....right?
 
freshcutgrass said:
What precedence might that be....something unbelievably great? I agree....setting the bar that high would make everything else look bad.
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Setting the bar high does not automatically translate into good. It just means high. The issue in this instance is not about the architecture, it's about the precedent-setting heights for the area and the heritage impact the development would have.
 
adma said:
However, you can also see where my road-trip vs "bored are-we-there-yet kid in the back seat" metaphor comes about. That is, reading my posts may very well be like that proverbial several-hour self-indulgent drudge to Niagara via back roads and sprawl vs. the quick one-hour QEW jaunt.
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In your case, I'll take the quick one-hour QEW jaunt. Thanks.
 
verticalvillage said:
The models are fabulous, but real images showing these buildings in their context would be far more interesting.
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ushahid said:
yeah I have the same question because with these models one is not able to understand the shape, material and other things about the building. renderings give more details about the project.
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Renders are fantasy masquerading as reality IMO. Both (models and renders) have their strengths, but if the design is still in flux why commit resources? Models are much more useful to the architect and his/her design process. I'm not expecting any new renders until the project receives approval (if it does at all).
 
argus said:
Setting the bar high does not automatically translate into good. It just means high. The issue in this instance is not about the architecture, it's about the precedent-setting heights for the area and the heritage impact the development would have.
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Sounds like some people remain unaware that this the core, a stone's throw from 1CP. and the site is completely surrounded by towers - Festival, Theatre Tower, Metro Hall. SO what if these towers are taller than other towers?
 
buildup said:
Sounds like some people remain unaware that this the core, a stone's throw from 1CP. and the site is completely surrounded by towers - Festival, Theatre Tower, Metro Hall. SO what if these towers are taller than other towers?
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I basically had the same reply but the forum ate my post. It baffles me that some so-called heritage warehouses of dubious architectural importance are more important than possibly the most interesting condos ever built, anywhere.
 
argus said:
Setting the bar high does not automatically translate into good. It just means high. The issue in this instance is not about the architecture, it's about the precedent-setting heights for the area and the heritage impact the development would have.
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Okay, so if this kind of height is inappropriate for the area, where else do you suggest it go?
 
Therion said:
I basically had the same reply but the forum ate my post. It baffles me that some so-called heritage warehouses of dubious architectural importance are more important than possibly the most interesting condos ever built, anywhere.
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What baffles me is how nobody is really batting an eye at Restaurant Row being under siege despite it bringing far more vibrancy and character to the area than this block. And there, all we're supposedly getting in return is three architectural clunkers.
 
Ramako said:
What baffles me is how nobody is really batting an eye at Restaurant Row being under siege despite it bringing far more vibrancy and character to the area than this block. And there, all we're supposedly getting in return is three architectural clunkers.
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For the record I don't think development on the south side of King should be permitted, at the same time Restaurant Row did benefit from Festival Tower. Personally, I don't find any of these restaurants interesting or authentic, but it is a vibrant area that should be protected.

I'm not familiar with the clunkers you're referring to - are they being built on the south side? Perhaps no-one is interested because its so much more thrilling to attack greatness. I recall sitting beside some drunk-ass at a Leaf game who rose up to yell "Gretzky! You're a bum" every time he touched the puck. Its was ironic because, obviously, every OTHER player on the ice was a bum.
 
buildup said:
For the record I don't think development on the south side of King should be permitted, at the same time Restaurant Row did benefit from Festival Tower. Personally, I don't find any of these restaurants interesting or authentic, but it is a vibrant area that should be protected.

I'm not familiar with the clunkers you're referring to - are they being built on the south side? Perhaps no-one is interested because its so much more thrilling to attack greatness. I recall sitting beside some drunk-ass at a Leaf game who rose up to yell "Gretzky! You're a bum" every time he touched the puck. Its was ironic because, obviously, every OTHER player on the ice was a bum.
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335-355 King Street West (aka King Blue, aka Page + Steele garbage)
321-333 King Street West (more Page + Steele garbage)
305-319 King Street West

The only block left is 289-303 King Street West. It'll go too, sooner or later. Restaurant Row will effectively be demolished in a few years.

I'm convinced that, to a significant degree, the reason people care to fight M+G so vigorously is tall poppy syndrome. If this same block, where M+G is proposed to go, was instead being attacked piecemeal with feeble Page+Steele designs behind token facedectomies, would the outcry be any louder than it is in the Restaurant Row threads?

The irony is, it's because of the vicious opposition to M+G that we're much more likely to end up with the hypothetical I've described above coming to fruition. I'm curious to see how loud the outcry will be then.

But let's just keep going in circles...
 
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Restaurant row should be preserved, but the stupid precedent set by festival tower makes it very difficult to successfully protect them from any redevelopment.

The reason why many are alarmed by the Mirvish proposal is that, if approved under the current planning regime, it would take stupid precedents to a whole other level. At the very least, we need to make sure that it addresses heritage concerns.
 
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