B
building babel
Guest
A few of the Picasso pieces from that exhibition are in the small gallery of modern ceramics downstairs in the renovated Gardiner Museum.
T
The Burgher of TO
Guest
I hope it's kosher for me to intrude into the sculpture thread, but I thought it might be of interest that they've started the cladding on the South tower.
B
building babel
Guest
The two ROCP stainless steel mesh sculptures, which take their inspiration from the Northern Lights and have LED lights inside which reflect against embedded glass, are by Peter Powning. There will be one at each condo tower.
S
scarberiankhatru
Guest
"DarnDirtyApe's example shows how the style can "say something" with great panache."
ROCPI's roof portion says "sorry about the arches down at street level but this roof is the only way we can get you to ignore those for a while and complain about something else."
"I hope it's kosher for me to intrude into the sculpture thread"
Given the opportunity, everyone here jumps on tangents like a dog in heat. Surely you would have anticipated that your sculpture tidbit would do the same. Be glad that ROCPII isn't installing an opera house in the lobby
.
ROCPI's roof portion says "sorry about the arches down at street level but this roof is the only way we can get you to ignore those for a while and complain about something else."
"I hope it's kosher for me to intrude into the sculpture thread"
Given the opportunity, everyone here jumps on tangents like a dog in heat. Surely you would have anticipated that your sculpture tidbit would do the same. Be glad that ROCPII isn't installing an opera house in the lobby
.
A
alklay
Guest
Building Babel, thanks for that information. And of course I Googled him and some of his work is interesting (and some of it....well...not so interesting). Regardless, its nice to see some new artists and mediums up and around the city.
B
building babel
Guest
Yes, he hasn't had any work in Toronto before. I understand that it'll be turned on this coming Thursday. We'll have to wait for the second tower to be completed before we see the matching sculpture, which will be a mirror image of the first one.
A
alklay
Guest
Actually, here are some pics: www.powning.com/peter/selections9lightspiral.html
B
Bogtrotter
Guest
"The two ROCP stainless steel mesh sculptures, which take their inspiration from the Northern Lights and have LED lights inside which reflect against embedded glass, are by Peter Powning. There will be one at each condo tower."
Yes! I remember seeing some of his work in the Distillery District. Very evocative work and I loved the materials he uses- particularly the use of raw stone and melted glass. If I could afford it I would have bought one.
Is that what the architects were going for with this tower- a nod to the neo-gothic skyscrapers designs of the 20- 30's?
Yes! I remember seeing some of his work in the Distillery District. Very evocative work and I loved the materials he uses- particularly the use of raw stone and melted glass. If I could afford it I would have bought one.
Is that what the architects were going for with this tower- a nod to the neo-gothic skyscrapers designs of the 20- 30's?
B
building babel
Guest
Something like that, I guess, or early art deco. The only recent local example that I can think of that works is the tower BCE Place. Eb Zeidler's Morrison Hall residence tries to fit in with the early mock gothic university buildings, but ends up looking like a suburban insurance company head office.
C
Copper1212
Guest
Forget a sculpture, they should make a building out of this thing!
A
adma
Guest
Or, as I've said, like some suburban-state-college-modern 60s dormitory where the deteriorating concrete had to be clad in siding...
A
adma
Guest
BCE's almost more neo-constructivist, like a bamboo shoot out of Kharkov's Gosprom complex
S
scarberiankhatru
Guest
Morrison Hall is one building that is screaming for green glass and green siding to fit in with all the adjacent green roofs...clasharama.
A
AlvinofDiaspar
Guest
From the Star:
College Park gets sculptured borealis glow
Artist delivers finishing touch
Glass, steel, LED lights used
Nov. 4, 2006. 01:00 AM
SHELLY SANDERS GREER
SPECIAL TO THE STAR
Bay St. has acquired a new subtle glow that may remind some of the Northern Lights. A new glass and stainless steel sculpture with digital lighting, created by an award-winning Canadian artist, is part of a new luxury condominium just south of College St.
While developers from Canderel Stoneridge Equity Group and Tricon Capital Group Inc. were planning The Residences of College Park, they realized the height of the two future towers would make them city landmarks. The first phase, which is now built, is 51 storeys and the second phase, which will be ready for occupancy at the end of 2007, will be 45.
"We wanted to give something back to the city to show our appreciation for all the support we've received," says Riz Dhanji, vice-president, sales and marketing, Canderel Stoneridge Equity Group. "So we came up with the idea of having a sculpture made that would reflect the project, and we put a lot of thought into who would do this. It was not part of any art requirement by the city or any other community stakeholders."
A competition was held by the developers and New Brunswick-based artist Peter Powning was commissioned to create two sculptures — one for each tower. This is Powning's first public piece in Toronto in his 35-year career. He has created pieces for the Ritz Hotel in New York City and has had gallery showings in San Francisco, Washington D.C. and Florida.
"This was unusual for me because I've never done a competition before," Powning says in a phone interview.
"There was a different set of limitations. I was given some thematic suggestions about scale and guidelines and the sculptures had to fit the space."
The sculptures are each 3.9 metres tall and are made of stainless steel and recycled glass shards of various sizes.
They will be set in granite bases to give the sculptures elevation, adding just under a metre of height. Powning explains that the Northern Lights effect is created by three things: the form, which is a stainless steel mesh exterior, the glass which lies within the mesh, and the digitally-controlled lighting.
"The developers suggested a theme of Northern Lights," says Powning, who has been named the 30th recipient of the Saidye Bronfman Award for excellence in the crafts for 2006. "When the second tower is complete, the second sculpture will be unveiled and the pair will be mirrored reverse spirals. The two will look alike but there will be subtle differences. When we have both going they will relate visually and the lighting effects will have rapport.
"The piece is an elegant vessel for light spirals. I've used LED lights and there are programmed scripts that light the sculptures day and night," he says. "There is a simple elegance and the pieces tend to nod in the art nouveau direction. The recycled glass looks like ice to me, which again, is a Northern Lights reference."
Powning ended up getting the glass from Utah, where he hand-selected every piece. He also made a small number of pieces himself to fit into the form. These glass shards change as the natural light varies during the day, and again as the transmitted light shifts.
Dhanji likes the fact that both residents and passers-by will be able to enjoy this sculpture.
"We wanted to create communities and having something unique in the streetscape is a good way to do this,'' he says.
"Because the lighting reflects against the glass, different colours shine. It will light up the street at night with a classy, warm feel."
Powning says he is not aware of any sculpture similar to what he has created.
"My reference point for this sculpture comes out of my head," he says. "While it pushed my limits, it still came from the same source as any of my other work."
Powning's new sculpture is at 763 Bay St.
To learn more about Peter Powning and his work, visit www.powning.com.
Although the first phase of The Residences of College Park is sold out, there are two penthouses remaining in the second phase, which is now under construction. Both of these are three bedrooms and are available for occupancy in March 2008. Purchasers can still choose their finishings. One is 1,645 square feet and costs $799,900, and the other one is 2,370 square feet with a pricetag of $1.21 million.
For more information visit www.collegeparkcondos.com or call 416-962-8688.
_________________________________________________
Did anyone else find the piece rather pedestrian?
AoD
College Park gets sculptured borealis glow
Artist delivers finishing touch
Glass, steel, LED lights used
Nov. 4, 2006. 01:00 AM
SHELLY SANDERS GREER
SPECIAL TO THE STAR
Bay St. has acquired a new subtle glow that may remind some of the Northern Lights. A new glass and stainless steel sculpture with digital lighting, created by an award-winning Canadian artist, is part of a new luxury condominium just south of College St.
While developers from Canderel Stoneridge Equity Group and Tricon Capital Group Inc. were planning The Residences of College Park, they realized the height of the two future towers would make them city landmarks. The first phase, which is now built, is 51 storeys and the second phase, which will be ready for occupancy at the end of 2007, will be 45.
"We wanted to give something back to the city to show our appreciation for all the support we've received," says Riz Dhanji, vice-president, sales and marketing, Canderel Stoneridge Equity Group. "So we came up with the idea of having a sculpture made that would reflect the project, and we put a lot of thought into who would do this. It was not part of any art requirement by the city or any other community stakeholders."
A competition was held by the developers and New Brunswick-based artist Peter Powning was commissioned to create two sculptures — one for each tower. This is Powning's first public piece in Toronto in his 35-year career. He has created pieces for the Ritz Hotel in New York City and has had gallery showings in San Francisco, Washington D.C. and Florida.
"This was unusual for me because I've never done a competition before," Powning says in a phone interview.
"There was a different set of limitations. I was given some thematic suggestions about scale and guidelines and the sculptures had to fit the space."
The sculptures are each 3.9 metres tall and are made of stainless steel and recycled glass shards of various sizes.
They will be set in granite bases to give the sculptures elevation, adding just under a metre of height. Powning explains that the Northern Lights effect is created by three things: the form, which is a stainless steel mesh exterior, the glass which lies within the mesh, and the digitally-controlled lighting.
"The developers suggested a theme of Northern Lights," says Powning, who has been named the 30th recipient of the Saidye Bronfman Award for excellence in the crafts for 2006. "When the second tower is complete, the second sculpture will be unveiled and the pair will be mirrored reverse spirals. The two will look alike but there will be subtle differences. When we have both going they will relate visually and the lighting effects will have rapport.
"The piece is an elegant vessel for light spirals. I've used LED lights and there are programmed scripts that light the sculptures day and night," he says. "There is a simple elegance and the pieces tend to nod in the art nouveau direction. The recycled glass looks like ice to me, which again, is a Northern Lights reference."
Powning ended up getting the glass from Utah, where he hand-selected every piece. He also made a small number of pieces himself to fit into the form. These glass shards change as the natural light varies during the day, and again as the transmitted light shifts.
Dhanji likes the fact that both residents and passers-by will be able to enjoy this sculpture.
"We wanted to create communities and having something unique in the streetscape is a good way to do this,'' he says.
"Because the lighting reflects against the glass, different colours shine. It will light up the street at night with a classy, warm feel."
Powning says he is not aware of any sculpture similar to what he has created.
"My reference point for this sculpture comes out of my head," he says. "While it pushed my limits, it still came from the same source as any of my other work."
Powning's new sculpture is at 763 Bay St.
To learn more about Peter Powning and his work, visit www.powning.com.
Although the first phase of The Residences of College Park is sold out, there are two penthouses remaining in the second phase, which is now under construction. Both of these are three bedrooms and are available for occupancy in March 2008. Purchasers can still choose their finishings. One is 1,645 square feet and costs $799,900, and the other one is 2,370 square feet with a pricetag of $1.21 million.
For more information visit www.collegeparkcondos.com or call 416-962-8688.
_________________________________________________
Did anyone else find the piece rather pedestrian?
AoD
B
budboopriest
Guest
I walked by it on thursday, looked mighty impressive. I also noticed a large gathering, a lounge type crowd, in the middle of the podium between Rocp 1 and 2. Is there supposed to be a lounge overlooking college park up there?