How could the bottom half of a building be so good and the top half be so bad? How could the city allow this to go up in such an important historic corner? It just boggles the mind. It seems like developers control just about everything in Toronto and are in fact, our real city planners. I am not happy at all, with this building. Why the hell would you put a big, grey, spandrel wall in the centre of your most prominent (and oldest) historic district? It just makes no sense to me. Nope, I'm not happy at all!
 
Concert may indeed be conservative, but they are not cheap. I know that from having done a deal with them.
 
Passed by today with my mother. She loved it. This thing looks way nicer in person. There's also nothing "cheap" about this project. No way.
 
Agreed. It is nicer in person. I think that when people don't like a project, they take very unflattering photos of it. Kinda like when a tabloid photographer takes horrible pictures of beautiful hollywood stars so people will think that they are ugly...when they aren't.

The people that don't like the Berczy will never like it and will never see what I see. It's a great addition to the neighbourhood. As soon as it's completed and retail and restaurants have moved in, it will be off everyone's radar. Maybe Aura will be topped out and clad by then, too haha :p
 
Just saw it in person, from a close and a far ...

I think those commenting just on the pictures really need to stop and check it out in person.

Granted the top floors won't win any awards but its a lot nicer ... particularly in the sun, overcast doesn't help this one out as well. Along with bad quality photos : )
I should be clear, all of you are great photographs, but take the one above on this page, its zoomed in / blurry, doesn't help and makes it look worse.
 
Youranthony1 said:
aA!? No thanks - we have enough of their boring uninspired design all around the city.
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Sterrrrriiiiiike.

swing-miss.jpg
 
RiverCity1 said:
Agreed. It is nicer in person. I think that when people don't like a project, they take very unflattering photos of it. Kinda like when a tabloid photographer takes horrible pictures of beautiful hollywood stars so people will think that they are ugly...when they aren't.
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oh yeah, that top half really reminds me of "beautiful Hollywood stars". whenever i see photos of Scarlett Johansson i think, wow she really reminds me of grey spandrel.

RiverCity1 said:
The people that don't like the Berczy will never like it and will never see what I see. It's a great addition to the neighbourhood. As soon as it's completed and retail and restaurants have moved in, it will be off everyone's radar...
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people aren't complaining about whether retail and restaurants are moving in. they are complaining about the fact that the condo developer has cheaped out on the top half of this building, and they are angry that we now have a hulking, dull, uninspired, bargain-basement carbuncle looming over one of the oldest and historically significant streets in the city.
 
"a hulking, dull, uninspired, bargain-basement carbuncle looming "..... wow, relax!, I think many of you are really exaggerating here. The top part does not look that bad. I agree it could have been better, but once it's completed with the balcony glass and blinds it is going to look much better and nicer. it's still a stunning building and a great addition to the neighbourhood.
 
"I agree it could have been better"

do you have any idea how many times we have heard these exact same sentiments on this site? hundreds, if not thousands of times.

and you know what? for some of us, it's not good enough.


 
carturo15 said:
"a hulking, dull, uninspired, bargain-basement carbuncle looming "..... wow, relax!, I think many of you are really exaggerating here. The top part does not look that bad. I agree it could have been better, but once it's completed with the balcony glass and blinds it is going to look much better and nicer. it's still a stunning building and a great addition to the neighbourhood.
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It's not. I'd hate to see what your idea of a 'stunning' human is. That poor Korean model who injected cooking oil into her face perhaps?

I think our dearly departed Shocker aptly described it as:

Urban Shocker said:
What a sad excuse for a building this thing is. A few floors of generic historical pastiche - with a top-heavy, hedge-your-bets, neo-Modernist upper section slapped on for good measure.
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...And the lazy, cheap over-application of spandrel only deepens his critique.

thedeepend said:
"I agree it could have been better"

do you have any idea how many times we have heard these exact same sentiments on this site? hundreds, if not thousands of times.

and you know what? for some of us, it's not good enough.
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I'll second that. 'Quantity-over-quality' buildings like this one only degrade the powerful and vibrant design culture that's been percolating in this city over the last decade or so. It's sad and somewhat telling that developers like Concert prefer quick, low cost, low quality, full service firms like IBI Group to the more considered and localized approach taken by our best local talent.

And that navel-gazers like carturo15 not only see the results as acceptable but 'stunning' is further evidence that they just don't have to care.
 
Remember, many people here are interested in development more than in the architecture itself. Many people like to see buildings go up, they like development, and they don't have as much of a discerning eye for quality architectural design. To them, any building going up is an advancement of the city as a whole. (Yikes.) I don't waste my energy getting upset about people's surprising (and often very contrary to my own) opinions anymore, since they are just opinions that have to be taken in that forum user's personal context. I don't agree with them or sympathize with their low standards for architectural design, but you can't truly change someone's opinions via a message board very easily.
 
SP!RE said:
Remember, many people here are interested in development more than in the architecture itself. Many people like to see buildings go up, they like development, and they don't have as much of a discerning eye for quality architectural design. To them, any building going up is an advancement of the city as a whole. (Yikes.) I don't waste my energy getting upset about people's surprising (and often very contrary to my own) opinions anymore, since they are just opinions that have to be taken in that forum user's personal context. I don't agree with them or sympathize with their low standards for architectural design, but you can't truly change someone's opinions via a message board very easily.
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That said, it was reading people's opinions on Urban Toronto (expert and otherwise) that made me learn about and appreciate good architecture. When I first got here, all I cared about was development. A lot has changed over the years.
 
We all come into these forums with established views and interests. Differing points of view, preferences, and priorities often jar with our own, but the important thing is to be respectful, listen, and be open to a shift in one's own position. Whether we agree or disagree, we gain a broader understanding of the issues at play when we do so.
 
ProjectEnd said:
It's not. I'd hate to see what your idea of a 'stunning' human is. That poor Korean model who injected cooking oil into her face perhaps?

I think our dearly departed Shocker aptly described it as:



...And the lazy, cheap over-application of spandrel only deepens his critique.



I'll second that. 'Quantity-over-quality' buildings like this one only degrade the powerful and vibrant design culture that's been percolating in this city over the last decade or so. It's sad and somewhat telling that developers like Concert prefer quick, low cost, low quality, full service firms like IBI Group to the more considered and localized approach taken by our best local talent.

And that navel-gazers like carturo15 not only see the results as acceptable but 'stunning' is further evidence that they just don't have to care.
Click to expand...

Well, Undoubtedly you are not even close to the idea that I have about what a "stunning" human is. What a disrespectful person you are! we all have different points of view and you should respect that and listen... shame on you
 
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