[khris]

The doors definitely don't help with the look. Revolving doors would look far nicer.

 

[interchange42]

It could have been a grand new entrance, but it has been thoroughly watered down. The grey sign just doesn't stand out against the grey or neutral glass background. There should have been more at least two more doors, and taller ones at that. The large amount of grey framing around the doors looks cheap too.

...but it looks great at night:

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[interchange42]

Walking west into Telus House's PATH, another artwork has joined Michael Awad's Entire City Project, and it is Michael Awad and David Rokeby's 30,000 LED structure called The Pixel Matrix:

The light effects change constantly:

[video=youtube;cZiX7eAdUdQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZiX7eAdUdQ[/video]

[video=youtube;zQSuMMGJ9sc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQSuMMGJ9sc[/video]

[video=youtube;_6uOVpAXcjA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6uOVpAXcjA[/video]

pardon the background noise.

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[khris]

Hasn't that been up for a while now?

 

[whatever]

It's definitely been up for awhile, but the last time I saw it it was still scrolling the 3D letters spelling out Menkes

 

[Therion]

Never seen that before. Very funky. Thanks for the vids and pics.

 

[khris]

It's definitely been up for awhile, but the last time I saw it it was still scrolling the 3D letters spelling out Menkes

Oh, so it's actually doing what is intended for now. That's what's new

Love the photos and the video. It really is very cool!

 

[interchange42]

On Wednesday, 25 York Street became TELUS House Toronto, in a ceremony that brought Telus executives from across the country, together with the building's architects, federal politicians, workers from the building, an acrobatic dance troupe, and the media. We'll start with the ceremony, and bring you the building next.

It started with a dance troupe outside. You never know what you're going to see at a building opening in this city.

Back inside, the elevator core now proclaims where you are:

The group gathered.

The ceremony was opened by Joseph Natale, Executive Vice President and President of Consumer Solutions at Telus Communications.

Next to speak was Jim Prentice, Minister of the Environment. TELUS House is a particularly green building, and is targeting LEED Gold certification.

Following Mr. Prentice was Peter Menkes, president of Menkes Developments.

Darren Entwhistle, TELUS president and CEO then took to the stage.

Mr. Entwhistle's speech emphasized the green aspects of TELUS House, and Telus' corporate ethos of giving back to the community. The speeches culminated with a significant gift to the Hospital for Sick Children Foundation.

So that's our first quick report. Next, we'll take you up in elevators to tour the building's impressive facilities.

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[interchange42]

So, time to head up the elevators:

Principal Dermot Sweeny of Sweeny Sterling Finlayson & Company Architects, a.k.a &Co, led the tour:

The first stop is the 5th floor, which includes a large gourmet kitchen:

Off of the kitchen you will find a green roof/patio area on top of the podium box:

There are also indoor spaces to eat and meet on the floor. We stop for a while in one of them to hear about the building's windows:

[video=youtube;A04BW1CNvrc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A04BW1CNvrc[/video]


The 5th floor also features an innovative Telepresence conference room:

What is Telepresence? Watch the video below for the answer...

[video=youtube;PHR7hGz7kiQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHR7hGz7kiQ[/video]


Next, a visit to a typical office floor, the 27th to be exact. No offices sit right up against the windows; in fact the space along the window walls is reserved as circulation space. Columns holding up the building are 4 metres back from the windows, so they nestle in amongst workspaces.

Central areas on each floor provide space for employees to meet, and workspaces are flexible.

Of course, views from this building are pretty spectacular:

Next, we head back down to the 3rd and 4th floors, which read as the black box of the podium. Facilities inside the podium are numerous, and include a wellness centre, with physiotherapy, meditation, and prayer rooms, as well as fitness eqipment:

Another boardroom in the podium features large screen Telus television... which you can't get in Ontario yet. Someday...

At the back of the podium, is access to the largest of the green roofs at Telus, which features an herb garden overlooking Union Station and the financial core. The plants are just in the ground now, but should look spectacular, especially from the bank towers as they grow in.

Finally, back down to the lobby, and another look at Michael Awad & Daivd Rokeby's lovely light sculpture (sorry about the low res...)

[video=youtube;2eWS4zY6N7s]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eWS4zY6N7s[/video]


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[alklay]

A great tour. Thanks.

And Koodo(s) for the team pushing the envelope and developing decent architecture along with Leed requirements.

 

[p5connex]

Thanks for the tour - the building does look good, but I am so sick of grey. Yes, yes the never ending debate about colour again, but its like the only thing that works for anyone is some shade of grey or beige. My office does the same thing and its like pulling teeth to add colour - unless it is an accent wall panel. I am surprised they didn't try and weave in more of the colours of Telus into the office.

p5

 

[Woodbridge_Heights]

A wonderful project thanks for the tour. Looks like the Royal York is due for a clean up though, judging from the pictures.

I love the kitchen. I'm sure that beats the kitchens some of the workers have in their own homes. And the green roofs, spectacular!

 

[SP!RE]

Simply spectacular. It's colourful and bright and FUN-- yet an office tower. I don't really know where to begin on all my kudos for this project so just "WOW" will have to suffice for now.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

By far the most beautiful, well designed, thoughtful and overall inspiring modern office building in the city. Developers planning future office projects should be forced to tour this amazing structure.

Standing ovation.....

 

[Ramako]

Looks like the Royal York is due for a clean up though, judging from the pictures.

It always looks like that.