LUVIT!
Senior Member
It looks exactly like a university building....anywhere.
- Thread starter greenleaf
- Start date
Patch
Active Member
ponyboy
Active Member
This building looks better than the renders because of quality materials, while most condos in Toronto look worse because of cheaper substitutions for the optimistic artist impression.
Northern Light
Superstar
Many here have posted my thoughts on this one.
But I'll sum up my own POV as it's largely inoffensive unto itself, if unremarkable; except is so far is its interference w/the ambiance of King's College Circle when one faces south or west.
It's too high at the rear, too bulky and too incongruous w/the front campus.
Thumbs down.
As an alumni I sympathize w/the need for new programming space. But the west campus (west of St. George) is filled w/forgettable architectural dreck which could be replaced w/more vertical and space-efficient building layouts.
No need to add height adjacent to front campus.
That's the post-card.
U of T has also already expanded main campus to the south, running down to Orde Street, and there are any number of good opportunities for intensified development there.
I still lament the regrettable med-sci building, which might have fit well at UTSC but never had any business near front campus.
We don't have that many amazing or 'old' spaces in Toronto. We really must stop molesting what little we have.
But I'll sum up my own POV as it's largely inoffensive unto itself, if unremarkable; except is so far is its interference w/the ambiance of King's College Circle when one faces south or west.
It's too high at the rear, too bulky and too incongruous w/the front campus.
Thumbs down.
As an alumni I sympathize w/the need for new programming space. But the west campus (west of St. George) is filled w/forgettable architectural dreck which could be replaced w/more vertical and space-efficient building layouts.
No need to add height adjacent to front campus.
That's the post-card.
U of T has also already expanded main campus to the south, running down to Orde Street, and there are any number of good opportunities for intensified development there.
I still lament the regrettable med-sci building, which might have fit well at UTSC but never had any business near front campus.
We don't have that many amazing or 'old' spaces in Toronto. We really must stop molesting what little we have.
ponyboy
Active Member
I agree that it would have been nice to taper the eastern edge of this new building to step it back from Kings College Circle.
However, I personally love the Med Sci building for its interesting facade. I like architectural variety on a university campus, and believe that the best campus is a campus that has styles from all periods of its history.
http://www.osm.utoronto.ca/i/Photos/website/BuildingPhoto/MS.JPG
https://www.utoronto.ca/sites/default/files/2015-04-08-med-scie-one.jpg
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_hAr4UcNoCRM/TR4aFJfQc9I/AAAAAAAAAoA/abwljKwNGjI/s1600/MedSciWall.jpg
However, I personally love the Med Sci building for its interesting facade. I like architectural variety on a university campus, and believe that the best campus is a campus that has styles from all periods of its history.
http://www.osm.utoronto.ca/i/Photos/website/BuildingPhoto/MS.JPG
https://www.utoronto.ca/sites/default/files/2015-04-08-med-scie-one.jpg
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_hAr4UcNoCRM/TR4aFJfQc9I/AAAAAAAAAoA/abwljKwNGjI/s1600/MedSciWall.jpg
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junctionist
Senior Member
I think the artistic pattern applied to the MedSci building was a great contextualist gesture. The idea was to create a Modern building that fit in with the stone facades of the neighbouring buildings along King's College Circle. To see such well-done contextualism and artistic patterns on a Modern building is exceptionally rare in Toronto. It's unfortunate, though, that the building is quite inwardly focused and somewhat sterile in spite of the creativity of the artistic patterns. The blank concrete walls don't do it any favours.
Northern Light
Superstar
I would gladly trade Med. Sci to get this back.
From Toronto Public Library images.
****
May I hasten to add, I had class in the 70s era building, it's as banal inside as it is out, and the walkway leading out to Queen's Park was windy, forlorn and often the subject of personal safety concerns.
From Toronto Public Library images.
****
May I hasten to add, I had class in the 70s era building, it's as banal inside as it is out, and the walkway leading out to Queen's Park was windy, forlorn and often the subject of personal safety concerns.
Northern Light
Superstar
I wouldn't quibble w/ have such a building on campus, I suppose, though I am not a fan of brutalism.
But it belonged on west campus.
Let one space reflect grandeur and history.
Patch
Active Member
Woops... was using the "Image" button but perhaps the links were bad. Attempt No.2!
Attachments
Thanks for doing that - I have edited your post to change the thumbnails to full images by clicking the appropriate button after the "Insert every image as a..." line.
Cheers!
42
Cheers!
42
AlvinofDiaspar
Moderator
Re: Photos - it is like the anonymous Institutional Modernist 60s (ala Ramsey Wright) is back again.
AoD
modernizt
Senior Member
In the case of this project, yes, but overall, postmodernism is making a really big comeback, just give it a couple more years.
But yeah, this thing is incredibly bland, and it lacks the detailing to make it a great example of neo-modernism. The precast brick is the biggest letdown for me - the panel gaps give it away and just make it feel disingenuous. When you're doing a building that is simple and rectilinear and expresses a sense of 'constructing', it feels like the worst time to use precast brick. This building isn't fooling anyone.
But yeah, this thing is incredibly bland, and it lacks the detailing to make it a great example of neo-modernism. The precast brick is the biggest letdown for me - the panel gaps give it away and just make it feel disingenuous. When you're doing a building that is simple and rectilinear and expresses a sense of 'constructing', it feels like the worst time to use precast brick. This building isn't fooling anyone.
ProjectEnd
Superstar
jnyyz
New Member
jnyyz
New Member
and here is the fancy promotional video for the building.