Telus Garden | 135m, 88m | 46fl res, 22fl office | 928,000sqft | Completed

[officedweller]

Here's the nicer west side of the condo tower:

Originally Posted by Built Form

All pix by Built Form

[mcminsen]

Originally Posted by Doodler

Not to be off topic, but what's going on with the glazing at the Westin Grand in the above photo?

It's been like that for a few weeks at least. I remember seeing a crew removing the windows on two different floors. I have no idea what they're doing or why it's taking so long.

I'm trying not to conclude that this side of the Telus Garden Condo Tower is ugly yet mainly because it will dominate my view forever. It will have some impressive height once it's done and I like the shifting mid-section. But that green glass spandrel…


March 24 '15, my pics

[mcminsen]

I've been wondering what these skinny floorplate protrusions (see centre of Jan.18 pic below) were going to be and now I know. They are making them into a green glass spandrel-like wall (see today's pics below). This is on the north facade of the condo tower overlooking the Kingston.


Jan.18 '15, my pic


March 24 '15, my pics

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Here's the nicer west side of the condo tower:

Couldn't agree more that the west side of the TELUS condo tower is nicer than the east side, which personally I find jarring, boxy, and not pleasing.
The west side design, if it been applied to both sides of the building, would have been not only more design-cohesive, but smoother, sleeker (with the rounded top floors)
and greener, with more trees at the top, as on the west side.
I know that this is a bit Politically Incorrect in that I'm supposed to dig the east side ...... but I don't. Sorry.

[Spork]

So much extra green spandrel available in the market that they have to make extra spandrel protrusions to take up the extra supply. Awesome.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by officedweller

It's not a clean design - it's Henriquez so it's busy with "clutter".
It no longer has the bold coloured fins or onyx panels, to distract from the lesser elements, so the clutter shows a lot.

As long as it's not photographed with Capitol in the background...

I think the west side of the condo tower (continuous balconies) will look better than the east side.

B-b-b-but we got a super cool glass box overhanging the street.

SSPers assured me it was the cutting edgiest thing ever and worth giving developers the right to intrude on the public realm.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by mcminsen

I've been wondering what these skinny floorplate protrusions (see centre of Jan.18 pic below) were going to be and now I know. They are making them into a green glass spandrel-like wall (see today's pics below). This is on the north facade of the condo tower overlooking the Kingston.
...

Why wouldn't they make that wall out of solid concrete like on the south side?
Will it be internally lit?
I could see it being a leaky disaster in 20 years.
It also suggests that they'll wrap the concrete wall on the south side in spandrel to make it the same width as on the north side.

[Prometheus]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Why wouldn't they make that wall out of solid concrete like on the south side? Will it be internally lit?

That's a plausible hypothesis. Early renders did depict a vertical lighting feature on the north side of the residential tower. Although later renders deleted this lighting feature, maybe an altered version of it has been resurrected. I think it would be a pleasant surprise if that is the case.

An early render:

Source: http://www.newasia.ca/real-estate/current-projects/telus-garden/

[officedweller]

I was told that the lighting in the ceiling of the "gap" floors of the condo tower shown below has been deleted
- so maybe the vertical blade is a replacement in a less obstrusive and less visible location.

And with the sale of the William Farrell Building to Avigilon, I expect the media screen at the Seymour & Robson corner has also been deleted.

Originally Posted by Built Form

Here's some more images from the presentation boards. I apologize in advance for the poor lighting. You may need to zoom in to read some text.

...

Illumination:







All pix by Built Form

[phesto]

Originally Posted by mcminsen

It's been like that for a few weeks at least. I remember seeing a crew removing the windows on two different floors. I have no idea what they're doing or why it's taking so long.

Apparently a post-tension cable snapped on one floor last fall and the floor inside one of the units literally cracked open with concrete falling out. Nobody was hurt, but obviously a serious building issue. I don't know if the current work is related to that incident, but wouldn't surprise me.

[mcminsen]

Originally Posted by phesto

Apparently a post-tension cable snapped on one floor last fall and the floor inside one of the units literally cracked open with concrete falling out. Nobody was hurt, but obviously a serious building issue. I don't know if the current work is related to that incident, but wouldn't surprise me.

Thanks for that info about the Westin Grande. Interesting stuff.

[logan5]

Are the onyx panels still happening I wonder.

When I first started with this forum, I was so enthusiastic about projects like this. Now after watching these developers in action for the last few years, I've become cynical. City building should be fun and exciting. These soulless developers have made it a disheartening exercise in futility.

[Doodler]

There will not be any glowing onyx panels on the lower level (this is where the new Glowbal restaurant will be located), instead it will be clad in white marble with a series of 2-sided fireplaces.

[dleung]

Kinda disappointing that the atrium glass in the cantilever doesn't line up with the office floor glass beside it

[officedweller]

So far, the white Carrera marble looks out of place. It may look better when the plaza is cleaned up.

[mcminsen]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Why wouldn't they make that wall out of solid concrete like on the south side?
Will it be internally lit?
I could see it being a leaky disaster in 20 years.
It also suggests that they'll wrap the concrete wall on the south side in spandrel to make it the same width as on the north side.

Here's look at the south side.


March 28 '15, my pics

[mcminsen]

Those units going up the centre of the south side will have a really good view of the large concrete wall to their left. Especially the units along the mid section. And the south facing unit in the transition floor has a huuuge overhang above them.


March 28 '15, my pic

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by mcminsen

Here's look at the south side.

Thanks!

It looks like the sliding glass door is set back from the concrete wall on the right, allowing clearance for cladding (to "frame" the boxes), whereas the concrete wall on the left has grooves - suggesting it has its finished appearance and will just be painted.

[darksolusion]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Thanks!

It looks like the sliding glass door is set back from the concrete wall on the right, allowing clearance for cladding (to "frame" the boxes), whereas the concrete wall on the left has grooves - suggesting it has its finished appearance and will just be painted.

Doesn't seem like there's any extra balcony room for planters as per initial model/render?

[officedweller]

Just noticed in McMinsen's pic I quoted above
- what's that black drain pipe running through the balconies behind the spandrel panel?