YO, 460 was inspired by that DRP rejection.
Main points:
Site Plan Design
Reduce proposed density and height to help create a more livable environment. Increase building setback along Yonge and Grenville, adding more space for pedestrians and trees. Design Luke Lane as an urban, pedestrian-first environment.
Well I increased the height but that could be reduced easily. Tower is setback from podium. Tower setbacks as it rises--(inspired by the pos that is Uptown & 88 Scott only done in a thoughtful inventive manner.) Green roofs/gardens make for it more liveable. Podium is setback from Yonge allowing for a wider sidewalk. A corner spot for a cafe at St Luke Lane & Grenville animates the lane.
Built Form and Articulation
- Develop a design strategy that visually connects tower and podium, creating calm and simplicity
Red brick cladding around the inset staggered balconys of some units ties tower to the red brick podium. White frosted curtain wall glazing for rest of tower ties into white coloured windows on the podium.
Podium
- visually differentiate between office and residential entries
Office uses above double-height CRU just like on classic century old Yonge Street retail units
- recess the office main entry creating a “reveal” condition between the existing Odd Fellows building and the new façade to the north
Podium is curved on the Yonge corners..."revealing" the historic Odd Fellows facade details.
- simplify podium elevations and reduce the number of individual façade expressions
Podium has two main treatments--negative and positive window punchouts for a simple yet crisp expression
- align new with existing Odd Fellows building as precedent in terms of datum lines, materiality, etc
Red brick, perhaps some inserted "sculptures" behind glazing at office level, podium roof line matches 4th floor roof top of Odd Fellows
- scale down and simplify canopies
See window "negative space"
- create visual difference between Yonge (main street) and Grenville (side street) elevations
Slight difference here but not radical because that creates visual clutter on a corner building
Tower
- reduce tower height and increase distance from adjacent tower to west.
Tower is set back from Karma
- rethink balcony and tower cap strategy to simplify tower expression, and create visual connection with podium.
DONE
Building Composition
- Disconnect between historicist base and curvilinear tower
- architectural relationship between tower and base needs greater cohesion/connection
- curvilinear balcony design doesn’t relate well to rectilinear tower
Accomplished? You decide.
Base
- The impulse to relate to heritage building is understood, but historical pastiche is troubling
- Duplication of facades (on Yonge St and Grenville St) is also troubling
- Base should be a complimentary, quality, memorable, contemporary design
- Size of Office lobby may be too large
- consider reduction in size to assist with street animation
- Increase relationship of residential lobby with neighbouring building (opp. St. Luke Lane).
Lobby off St Luke Lane, no need for office lobby
Protruding canopies
- Hesitant to support canopies without understanding their greater impact on Yonge Street
- Sense that this greater impact may be inappropriate for Yonge Street
- Instead, prefer to see wider sidewalk (increased setback) and consistent street trees
Done. Need to hire a quality landscape artist.
Btw, take a look at the 1960's apartment building across the street. Note the podium details. Yep inspiration for the distinctive inserted balcony pattern rising up the tower. NimbyTect--checking out the neighhourhood then designing the tower. Weird, eh?
(Oh, I get it. Some of you hate my recent NimbyTect proposals--too childish perhaps? Either way, yes I will from henceforth post the majority of them in my own fantasy renderings thread. But if you don't look at them there, I may be very sad. And thus occassionally pop into forum threads. Cheers.)