The Great Canadian Skyline Thread! II

[Ramako]

Originally Posted by isaidso

WEST VIEW
My favourite view, by far, is from Etobicoke's Humber Bay. You get to see the whole length of the skyline, great layering down from the skyscrapers to the steadily shorter buildings, you still see the lake with a lovely green band of trees between the water and city, and it just looks 'balanced' if that makes any sense.


City by the Lake by Jack Landau, on Flickr

For the reasons you listed, the west is also my favourite view overall, though I do think the CBD, in particular, looks better from the east as the monumental nature of the bank towers are unobscured by condos.

Anyway, this is as good a time as any to re-post my future skyline rendering of that great photo by Jack Landau. All of these projects are under construction except for Massey Tower, which will start soon. Also I didn't include Harbour Plaza Residences because they'll be mostly behind Ice and Ten York from this angle. Finally, Aura should be just a smidgen taller:



Toronto Skyline - 2016 by Ramako, on Flickr


Toronto Skyline - 2016 (labelled) by Ramako, on Flickr

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by isaidso

Here's an extreme case of why I dislike the east view. Look how everything looks way smaller than it is. The CN Tower looks like it's 250m while FCP looks 100m tall.

I don't particularly like that angle either.

The view from the east as you descend the from the Gardiner to the DVP is a lot better. Also from the GO train - where the track curves north-south between Gerrard and Eastern Ave. it's elevated on an embankment and there are some nice views of the skyline (or at least there used to be, not sure if it's been getting blocked by new construction?)

[SignalHillHiker]

Thanks isaidso and Monkey.

I love the West view most. That looks like a big, dense city. I like the North view too because the mix of building styles is cool. But honestly I have no problem with the South view. Sure it has those flimsy new city - style towers in the foreground but is still cool. Almost looks coastal.

[Coldrsx]

Edmonton from the penthouse of my condo.

[SignalHillHiker]

You guys have just the right height range for your towers to be attractive. Many are short, but they're still visibly towers. Here, most of ours look wider than they do tall.

[suburbanite]

Not surprising that the east view looks stumpier when the examples of are pictures taken below the ground floor of most of the buildings.

To me this is the most imposing view of the city's core, nothing imbalanced about it.



From: http://urbantoronto.ca/sites/default/fil...2013/03/7179/urbantoronto-7179-24135.jpg

[caltrane74]

St. Lawrence Market would be a great neighborhood to expand or to replicate. It has a great vibe and urban texture. Great for walking around!! Excellent Pedestrian Scale!!

[bulliver]

[Coldrsx]

Nice shot, love the ATB lighting.

[WhipperSnapper]

If you're going to go Humber Bay, a much fairer comparison is the spit in the east end. I'm sure photos from Christie Pits are equally unimpressive.

Originally Posted by isaidso

WEST VIEW

My favourite view, by far, is from Etobicoke's Humber Bay. You get to see the whole length of the skyline, great layering down from the skyscrapers to the steadily shorter buildings, you still see the lake with a lovely green band of trees between the water and city, and it just looks 'balanced' if that makes any sense.


City by the Lake by Jack Landau, on Flickr

NORTH VIEW

This view from the north is still great because you see the the whole downtown, you can see city streets like Bay that give perspective, the CN Tower doesn't have a dwarfing effect because it's the distance rather than the forefront, there's great layering, and it looks balanced. The only negative is that you don't see any lake.


TO nights skyline by AlexanderAdams, on Flickr

SOUTH VIEW

The classic lake view is good, but it's gone down a few notches in my eyes since 2005 despite being much bigger. My eye is continually drawn to what I don't like: that terrible wall of 1970s 30 floor condos just west of the Westin Harbour Castle (on the right) and the sterile monotony of City Place (on the left). 80% of the city is blocked from view and the layering isn't as good as from the other angles. It's still good, but the views from the north and west are better.


Toronto Skyline by 태평양 과객, on Flickr

EAST VIEW

My least favourite view is from the east. Normally I love the juxtaposition of city and park, but in this case there's 3 km of 2-3 floor residential between the valley and the high rises. The result is that the city looks far smaller than it is, you don't get the fabulous layering one sees from the west, and the valley throws me off. Those 2 twins to the right of AURA are 50+ floors tall, but they look like stumps because they're so far away. The east view always looks unbalanced in my eyes.


Toronto at Dusk by akibamir9, on Flickr

Here's an extreme case of why I dislike the east view. Look how everything looks way smaller than it is. The CN Tower looks like it's 250m while FCP looks 100m tall.

EAST VIEW AGAIN

IMG_0627 by FollowF, on Flickr

[travis3000]

The south view is amazing, especially at night with all the lights. Plus it makes the ICE towers look huge, (it will be the same for Ten York and Harbour Plaza towers). It also shows an insane amount of density. Imagine this view if Union Center is built plus 156 Front... and the 1 Yonge project, Cityplace Signature Towers, etc. It will be beyond insane.

There is just something about the the lights of the towers gleaming onto an endless body of water. It's something that not many cities have... a huge body of water (lake or ocean), we might as well use it to our advantage. It gives the skyline a magical feel.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by isaidso

WEST VIEW


City by the Lake by Jack Landau, on Flickr

NORTH VIEW


TO nights skyline by AlexanderAdams, on Flickr

SOUTH VIEW


Toronto Skyline by 태평양 과객, on Flickr

EAST VIEW


Toronto at Dusk by akibamir9, on Flickr

EAST VIEW AGAIN

IMG_0627 by FollowF, on Flickr

West, awesome view, really shows how huge Toronto is. Sweeping view of skyscrapers, variations in height, the financial district as the undisputed core of the city...

North, my personal favourite. Ultra urban, different colours and architectural styles.

South, I agree was much better 10+ years ago. Now it's just too much of the same style and colour, and the new buildings by the lake take away from the financial district.

East1, I like it. Possibly because it's a night shot. Looks like a big, powerful city beyond a waste land.

East2, one word: Ottawa.

[SignalHillHiker]

Anyone have a really good picture of the South view from the water where the photographer is JUST far enough away that the ground isn't visible, but close enough that all of the towers are still prominent? I've seen from very far away on the water, and some close enough to see the ground/trees. I'm curious how cool it must look in between.

[Airboy]

Sorry about the quality but it's a cell phone photo.
Fort McMurray Skyline is in the middle left of the photo.
Steam rising in the distance is Syncrude and Suncore Plants. Far distance in the upper left is CNRL Horizon.

[GlassCity]

Such a cool city.

[Ramako]

Originally Posted by suburbanite

Not surprising that the east view looks stumpier when the examples of are pictures taken below the ground floor of most of the buildings.

To me this is the most imposing view of the city's core, nothing imbalanced about it.



From: http://urbantoronto.ca/sites/default/fil...2013/03/7179/urbantoronto-7179-24135.jpg

This shot shows what I mean about the east view. Because of the drop off in height to the St. Lawrence neighbourhood, the bank towers look monumental.

[middeljohn]

Weird, TD looks like a blue glass building in that shot. Kinda cool actually.

[suburbanite]

The windows on TD, Brookfield, and Commerce reflect whatever colour the sky is. I used to walk through the Commerce Court plaza on my way to Union at the end of the day when I worked there in the summer just to catch them in their best light. My favourite was on a clear day when the sun was setting, they would pick up a magnificent golden hue.

[Chadillaccc]

Holy Toronto! Time for some diversity!



http://www.saintgeorgemontreal.org/plc/temporary_announcement.htm


little NEW YORK CITY by zawaski, on Flickr


http://www.janelleweiss.com/local-info/mississauga


http://www.deviantart.com/morelikethis/50199324?view_mode=2#skins


http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2013/10/flickr-buzz-october-17-2013/

[suburbanite]

Nice set. Does anyone know the name of that rooftop patio (I'm assuming it's a restaurant) in the Montreal picture?