I love this so much. I really didn't expect any acknowledgement of the LGBTQ history of this site, so it means a lot to see them actually recognise that instead of just washing it away like the condo replacing Fly is going to do.
There's a plaque in front of the building (construction site) about the St Charles Tavern and harassment and threats against its gay clientele.
 
Clock tower this morning.
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That balcony railing pattern is growing on me. At least it's less plain than the transparent glass everywhere else.
 
We really need to expand our materials pallet in this city. Everything kind of looks the same.

Yes; but more than that.

We need to expand the ways in which we use materials, and the variation in styles with which we deploy them; and of course, be more willing to play w/colour.

Let's talk about balconies with old-school metal railings (no panels, and/or metalic panels rather than glass). Let's talk about balconies that are semi-circular, or parallelograms, or hexagonal.

Let's talk buildings with detailing added, not rococo level, please and thank you, but the idea of solid trim work and a secondary colour in a pattern between or around windows.

Let's talk different window shapes. I'm not saying make everything a porthole, though you could play w/that; but arches definitely work (in the right context).

Buildings in yes, stark black and white, and various natural brick tones, but also in burgundy, deep french blue, and sometimes trimmed in louder colours, selectively, where it works w/o too much garishness.
 
^^^ I follow a couple of random Swedish architecture feeds on Instagram. The diversity of materials, treatments, shapes, forms, colours in their contemporary architecture is mind-blowing. I'm sure the same can be said of any number of countries across the pond. I'm glad we're having a Danish Invasion now but it's not enough, as the pix above show. (I'm not criticizing the photographers, of course.)
 
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I love the firehouse clock tower and realize its previous location above the heritage buildings was awkward, but that new positioning is not much better. That clock tower would look a lot better a bit south at 429 Yonge Street where the pedestrian only section leads to Granby Street as shown here:

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Source: Google Streetview
 

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