Nothing in the images above changes my mind.

Scale is wrong, landscape is awful.
 
Just catching up on reports from the U of T's Planning and Budget committee.

Found a couple of tidbits that I don't think have been posted in the thread.

This is the list of programs and departments the University wishes to relocate to the building:

The CCC wil ltotal 7,139 net assignable square metres (nasm),17,790 gross square metres (gsm), including 2 levels below grade and 9 levels plus Mechanical Penthouse above grade.
The CCC will accommodate the following:
Public Lobby/Atrium/Café
Conferencing facilities
4thfloor ROM program and bridge connection, approximately 1,300 usable sm
Faculty of Law program
Faculty of Arts & Science program including:
Department of Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations
Department of History
Institute of Islamic Studies
Advanced Institute for Jewish Studies
Global Religions in Society Initiative
Archaeology Centre
School of Cities
Urban Lab
250 seat Recital Hall
Instructional spaces


Also, here's the internal schedule as of April 2020:

CaPS Executive approval to engage consultants December 18, 2014 to proceed through schematic design
Consultant SelectionJanuary2015
Submission of zoning amendment application February 22, 2019
Completion of 50% Design DevelopmentAugust2019
100% Design Development completion April 2020
Construction DocumentsJuly2020–Feb 2021
Tender, NegotiationsApril –June 2021
Construction Letter of Award May 2021
Mobilization and Construction startJuly2021
Substantial PerformanceJanuary2025
Full Operational Occupancy May 2025
Completion of North forecourt August2025

Report here: https://governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/sites/default/files/agenda-items/20200402_PB_04.pdf
 
U of T article on this project from July 14th, 2020:


From the above, I spied what I believe to be an as yet unposted render of the Recital Hall interior.

Have to say, this does look rather nice:

1595593404061.png
 
It's almost unheard of to have windows in a performance space, let alone behind the stage. The glass will have to be some sort of multi-paned structure to keep out noise, and the light will be an issue as well. It's a fascinating project, and I hope someone will be able to get access to the architects to find out how they intend to meet the challenges.
 
That being said- this is facing south isn't it?

I'm hoping that it's not going to end up covered in shades all the time.

That's certainly what I would assume from the render.
 
It's almost unheard of to have windows in a performance space, let alone behind the stage. The glass will have to be some sort of multi-paned structure to keep out noise, and the light will be an issue as well. It's a fascinating project, and I hope someone will be able to get access to the architects to find out how they intend to meet the challenges.
I like to think that the light will be a less of an issue during the Winter months where the sun sets at an ungodly hour.

For the Summer though, I think they plan to save on the electrical bills as we see pictured, lol.
 
It's almost unheard of to have windows in a performance space, let alone behind the stage. The glass will have to be some sort of multi-paned structure to keep out noise, and the light will be an issue as well.

This is essentially precisely the condition of one of the nicer performance spaces I've been in -- the Appel Room in Columbus Circle (home to Jazz at Lincoln Center); it's east-, rather than south-facing, but the city whizzing by in the background is actually a rather lovely and unique condition.


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I like to think that the light will be a less of an issue during the Winter months where the sun sets at an ungodly hour.

For the Summer though, I think they plan to save on the electrical bills as we see pictured, lol.
I'd say that heat gain would be a far bigger issue IMO- the reason why they ended up adding shades to the Four Seasons Centre.
 
Toronto residents push back against U of T’s proposed 90 Queen’s Park facility

University aims to provide more space for students, faculty, opposition concerned about impact on surrounding area

August 11, 2020

In an interview with The Varsity, Scott Mabury, U of T’s Vice-President of Operations and Real Estate Partnerships, said that “the building has significantly evolved as a direct result of dozens of conversations that we’ve had with community members and others going back almost 10 years.”

He added that the university believes the building has an “exceptional design that will support the academic teaching and learning research and discovery activities that will go on in this building.”

On the topic of preservation of the McLaughlin Planetarium, which would be demolished to construct the new facility, Mabury stressed that the university “exhausted all possibilities” for keeping the planetarium, and noted that the university intends to build a new planetarium when they replace the existing astronomy building.

Mabury further justified the plan at the consultation on July 14 by explaining that as the university directs efforts to re-enter after the COVID-19 pandemic, it will need more space to meet academic needs. Moreover, he noted that the university currently has to rent space and it often has to turn down events that the government proposes because it does not have the space to host them.

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According to Jon Cummings, a sessional lecturer at the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design, construction of the new facility should begin approximately a year from now and take around 34–36 months.

 

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