Canada's Tallest U/C #11 - #30

[caltrane74]

You guys seem to be forgetting that this building also has to accomodate a condo tower on top, barely got enough financing to get off the ground, and has to deal with the parking demands of the owners of the condo units which also partially financed construction.

[Coldrsx]

^well then that makes a mediocre podium acceptable then.

[Traynor]

The more you "excuse" a developer the more (or less) they will get away with. By being critical and vociferous of those critiques, you hold their feet to the fire and demand better from them.

It's the law of entropy in action here. The less they offer, the less we expect, the less we expect, the less they offer and so on. You end up with a whole lot of "indifference and complacency".

That is not good enough.

[Traynor]

These interiors are reminiscent of any number of museum interior designs from the 90's.

And what were they thinking with this?

I want to take a giant hammer and smash it, because the design of this building is a fashion emergency!

[Ramako]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

^well then that makes a mediocre podium acceptable then.

Do you really consider that podium medicore though? The massing may not be your cup of tea (though I happen to love massive streetwall forming podiums), but on pure aesthetics it has a lot going for it. It's probably one of the most visually engaging ever built in Toronto. I'm not just talking about the lighting, signage and scrolling ticker, but the various module components and textures, and the way they interact with sunlight.


By: current at UT


By: spaced at UT

[Coldrsx]

I should say the podium is not a disaster, but they could have relieved some of its midriff with some design choices.

[Coldrsx]

^I do... again not terrible by any stretch, but not that welcoming and grandiose. I would have loved to see a 2 storey glass wall rather than a large soffit overhang... and would it have killed them to incorporate some color or art on the front of the glazing? It is so grey cloud.

[Coldrsx]

I find it very similar to the Fairmont, not bad and hell i love the materials, but not inviting or well done at the street.

[caltrane74]

I happen to agree with your thinking in regards to the future of the Entertainment District. The Bell Lightbox is now the flat price of admission into this neighbourhood, and I suspect, that whilst development may overtake the restaurants on the otherside of the street, they may be somehow worked into the plans of any future highrise developments. Land values here are rising faster here it seems than anywhere else in Toronto.

[WhipperSnapper]

Not sure how they could be incorporated or even that should be. There are afterall mainly house forms that have been altered numerous times over the years. If I remember correctly, a 40ish storey proposal is already in to replace several lowrises on that block.

The approval of the Bell Lightbox set the tone for all future developments in the nabe. The once strict heights limits are all but obsolete. Even the planning department recognizes buildings disallowed five years are now an appropriate density and scale. This nabe will one day rival Yorkville. It's just too close to the CBD. It already has the highest concentration of the city's luxurious boutique hotels and the five star brands are just around the corner.

[caltrane74]

Originally Posted by interchange42

For our second instalment on TIFF Bell Lightbox, Urban Toronto does a swing of the exterior, starting at street level on King, up to the roof, back down again, and around to John St

Text by Doug Convoy Photos by Interchange42

A view of TIFF Bell Lightbox from across King St W. A broad canopy shelters the main King St entry and defines a generous arcade that wraps around the corner of the building to John Street.




An LED ticker embedded in the side of the canopy displays shifting patterns of light and colour, which are highly visible even in full sun.




Heading out to the rooftop terrace of TIFF Bell Lightbox containing the striking ‘Malaparte’ screening area.




The outdoor amphitheatre makes reference to the roof of the Villa Malaparte on the Island of Capri that is an icon of film and architecture.




On the left, Matthew Wilson, project architect for KPMB, takes in the view.




Looking east toward the Financial District from the top of the Malaparte Amphitheatre.






Heading back down to King St with M5V Condos poking up from behind.






The underside of the King St canopy is activated by successive light strips that glow and pulsate in alternating rhythms.




TIFF Bell Lightbox is designed to be highly animated at street level, with restaurants, galleries, theatres, and other gathering places ensuring lots of activity day and night.




A sequence of moving images on screens affixed to the building’s support columns beneath the canopy will enliven the sidewalk and draw the eye directly to the box office and two-storey lobby.




Rounding the corner to John St and the entrance to Festival Tower, glazed in red and still very much under construction, which brings us to the end of this report on TIFF Bell Lightbox. Next up, Urban Toronto takes you inside. So, stay tuned!

from interchange42 at UT

- Who would want this disaster building in their city..?

Sooooooooooooo disigusting and gross.

[Traynor]

Cal, it's not horrible, it's just not spectacular, as in 'spectacle' like a movie palace should be. It's architecture we've seen before.

This angle is vaguely reminiscent of One Dundas and the Eaton Centre as viewed from Yonge and Dundas. If you squint and imagine a blending of the two you can see it. And that design is approaching 40 years old. The Eaton Centre has always been criticized for being out of scale and turning it's back on Yonge Street, just as this behemoth seems to do.

[dleung]

Originally Posted by Caltrane74

If this is turning your back on a street, then I'd hate to see what a building does when it goes full frontal nude all up in my face..

As for the Out of Scale, like goodlookin' said. In another couple of years, this will be the small tower on the block. Remember 177 King will be across the street, 8 Mercer In front of this beast, and Pinnacle Tower will be directly behind this thing.

The little canteen on the corner and the little arcade covering the entrance is peanuts compared to the size of the podium and the significance of its function. The arcade could easily be twice as tall and deep. There's surprisingly little public space on ground level, given a project like this... for the most part it's pushed completely to the curb:

[caltrane74]

If this is turning your back on a street, then I'd hate to see what a building does when it goes full frontal nude all up in my face..



As for the Out of Scale, like goodlookin' said. In another couple of years, this will be the small tower on the block. Remember 177 King will be across the street, 8 Mercer In front of this beast, and Pinnacle Tower will be directly behind this thing.

[caltrane74]

EllisDon continues work on 18 York Street office building in Toronto



Glass work continues on a new office building at 18 York Street in Toronto. EllisDon Corp. is construction manager and Pivotal Projects Inc. is project manager for the 26-storey office, which includes three levels of below-grade parking and ground floor retail space.

Great West Life Realty Advisors are the owners and completion is scheduled for the end of 2011. The office was designed by KPMB Architects.

Consultants are: Halcrow Yolles (structural); The Mitchell Partnership (mechanical); Mulvey & Banani International Inc. (electrical); Halsall Associates Ltd. (LEED) and Corban & Goode Landscape Architects.

Subtrades include: Anpro Excavating & Grading Ltd.; Deep Foundations Contractors Inc.; Structform International Ltd. (formwork); Harris Rebar; St. Marys CBM; Camino Modular Systems Inc. (flooring); Modern Niagara Toronto Inc. (mechanical); Guild Electric Ltd.; Maple Terrazzo Marble & Tile Inc. (stone/ceramic/terrazzo); Antamex International Inc. (glass/glazing); and Bothwell-Accurate Co. Ltd. (waterproofing).


http://dcnonl.com/article/id40518

[steveve]

haha!! that terrace is EPIC!. those stairs are really really really really cool too! !

But what confuses me is the BIG stairs in the middle.. what are they there for???

[Coldrsx]

again not bad at all, but aren't places of art and design suppose to be dramatic, evocative, inspiring?

[caltrane74]

I'll make the assumption that the big wide stairs are there for setting up stadium (theater) style seating to show movies outdoors on the terrace. And then the narrow stairs are like the aisles in a Movie theater to walk between rows of seating.

Just guessing though.

[bulliver]

They should have hit up tiff's podium with some colour like Edmonton clinic:

http://www.edmontonclinic.ca/architecture.cfm

[caltrane74]

i think the no color thing is the Toronto Design style a la the ROM, AGO, and GARDINER MVSUEM.