wopchop
Building Toronto
At one point, I saw them using the tower crane to install glass fins.
Last edited:
At one point, I saw them using the tower crane to install glass fins.
steveve
Senior Member
what's up with Four Seasons and that black brick sorta material???.. they did it on the opera house and now on this... i material isn't bad, but please not at street level/entrance.. There isn't enough glass/windows at base level?? isn't that where they want all the attention??? doesn't really make sense to me.
drum118
Superstar
Dec 03
urbandreamer
recession proof
Steve, that isn't brick but rather granite. If you'd been paying attention to this UT thread since 2006, the reason for the less glass coverage is to prevent terrorist attacks. Recall this tower was proposed c.2005, when possible terrorist attacks on NA soil were still being hyped in the media.
No matter--I think it looks faAntaAstic!
No matter--I think it looks faAntaAstic!
steveve
Senior Member
TERRORIST ATTACKS!?!?! are you serious!! LOL! that's crazy but cool at the same time!// funny why this would be viewed as a "terrorist target" lol!
ya, i have no problem with the granite, but just due to the fact that it is where it is,
agoraflaneur
Active Member
It is my view that the black granite is a sleek and sophisticated streetscape addition that offsets the predominance of the (admittedly beautiful) glass that dominates the tower's construction. A glass and stone combination is one of my favorite juxtapositions, and while I await the finished product, as it stands the base of the tower looks wonderful.
egotrippin
Senior Member
Unless their was earlier confirmation that I missed, I'd say the stone looks more like slate. I could be wrong though. Whatever it is, it looks great, and I agree that the stone and glass juxtaposition looks even better. aAnother winner.
ProjectEnd
Superstar
They're all winners egotrippin. But you aAlready knew that.
urbandreamer
recession proof
Another look at the real Ritzy Hotel:
SP!RE
°°°°°°
Back in the day we were so worried about the podium... but it does look quite dramatic, the black stone with the little slit windows and how it contrasts with the transparent glass of the tower. I think it's going to be really sharp, especially with the floral entrance glass to give a friendlier effect.
It's very very different from the original podium design that looked inspired by the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts and its transparent City Room, but I think what we got is, in its own very different way, a successful idea.
As for what urbandreamer said, you can tell just by looking at how the podium was constructed that it's not actually fortified in any way... I highly doubt there was really any concern about preventing bomb blasts here.
It's very very different from the original podium design that looked inspired by the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts and its transparent City Room, but I think what we got is, in its own very different way, a successful idea.
As for what urbandreamer said, you can tell just by looking at how the podium was constructed that it's not actually fortified in any way... I highly doubt there was really any concern about preventing bomb blasts here.
steveve
Senior Member
Lick this glass Aura!
See folks, the difference between architecture by engineers and the budget guys (G+C/Aura) vs those who take their art seriously (aA/4$) is obvious here.
for me, it's particularly the left side of this shot where there is a big wall with no glass.. the black portion on the right side where there are rectangular cut outs are fine, but the blank wall area is kinda out of place.. it's not balanced with the pattern they had going on the right
urbandreamer
recession proof
Steve, hope this photo explains why the blank wall is part of the whole aesthetic package--it serves as a nice break between the narrow strips of glass and the large expanse of glass to the north of the entrance. The vertical strips of glass surrounded by black slate/granite continues on the north facade, as you can see a work in progress:
Compare to Aura where the glazing is just thrown up without consideration of the concrete support structure--as seen in Caltrane's latest photos where the glass frames don't line up with the vertical support beams--very very cheap!
Compare to Aura where the glazing is just thrown up without consideration of the concrete support structure--as seen in Caltrane's latest photos where the glass frames don't line up with the vertical support beams--very very cheap!
steveve
Senior Member
it'll grow on me ^^^
but looking at that photo, i'm equally worried about the north side.. with those random cut outs of glass they have going there... kinda awkward.
but looking at that photo, i'm equally worried about the north side.. with those random cut outs of glass they have going there... kinda awkward.
urbandreamer
recession proof
^Why do you worry about buildings?
Don't worry, be haAppy.
Don't worry, be haAppy.
CanadianNational
Senior Member
By all accounts, so far an excellent looking building - finely honed, technologically savvy, airily and delicately proportioned, with inventive voids and niches to engender a sense of appropriate solidity where needed.
It's looking great on the skyline as well. The outsize amount of money poured into this particular resort for the wealthy seems to be paying off.
It's looking great on the skyline as well. The outsize amount of money poured into this particular resort for the wealthy seems to be paying off.