Building Boom Set to Vault Toronto Past Chicago in Skyscraper Rankings

[M II A II R II K]

Toronto on track to have more skyscrapers than Chicago, but will quality match quantity?

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toron...cago-1.5429816

.....

- John Straube, associate professor in the department of civil engineering and the school of architecture at University of Waterloo, says this is a milestone that's been on the horizon for a while. "Part of the reason we're getting a lot of skyscrapers is because we're a younger city, we're reaching our peak," Straube said. "Chicago did that more than 30 years ago."

- Sometimes referred to as the birthplace of the skyscraper, Chicago is known around the world for its wide array of iconic buildings in a variety of architectural styles, such as the Chicago School and art deco. It's a reputation that Toronto is hard-pressed to match, but Straube says that's because the two cities and the ways they've developed are different.

- "We are building skyscrapers in an age today where we know a lot more about skyscrapers," he said, adding that more architectural risks were taken from the 1940s to the 1960s in cities like Chicago and New York. "That means we start driving it not on iconic architecture but more pragmatic economics-driven architecture."

.....

[hipster duck]

Originally Posted by JAYNYC

Okay. What cultural significance does CN Tower have, from a "wider international context"? And FYI, "it was the tallest free standing structure in the world" does not = "cultural significance", not by a long shot.

It's the cover art for Drake's Views album, and featured prominently in his "Started from the Bottom" video (439 million views on Youtube), among others. They had to airbrush it out from Resident Evil Apocalypse, otherwise it would have been too much of a giveaway, but they still featured City Hall, which is Toronto's second most known landmark, and way down the list in terms of recognizability (I would say it has no international recognizability outside of some modern architecture enthusiasts)

But, anyway, I agree with lio. The CN tower isn't on the first rung of internationally-recognized landmarks, but it's on the second. The first rung is stuff like the Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty, ESB, Big Ben, Sydney Opera house, The Pyramids, the Acropolis, St. Basil's Cathedral (often mistaken as "the Kremlin"), the Golden Gate bridge, Hollywood Sign, the Coliseum, etc.

The second rung is stuff like the Brandenburg Gate, that gate in Seoul whose name I don't know, the CN tower, the Petronas Towers, Tokyo tower, Hagia Sophia, Shanghai Oriental Pearl TV tower, Sagrada Familia, etc.

There are bigger and/or more worldly and/or more historically important cities than Toronto that don't have an internationally recognized landmark on the same level as the CN tower. Madrid, Sao Paulo, Mumbai, Vienna, etc.

[dc_denizen]

a more interesting view of Chicago:

Chicago by Branden Frederick, on Flickr

Chicago (last in series) by Branden Frederick, on Flickr

Chicago by Branden Frederick, on Flickr

[lio45]

The Sears Tower is such a nice building, really good-looking and unique yet also timeless in a way. What a success.

[chris08876]

Originally Posted by JAYNYC

Towers only (not listing monuments, bridges, etc.)

First Tier ("iconic"):

ESB
Chrysler
Original WTC

Indeed! When the aliens come, they blow these up first. So with great icon nature, comes great destruction.

• Video Link


Not a good day for those tourists. Paying over $30 dollars for a crowded observation deck (top of the rock is better) and than getting vaporized.

I suppose the aliens were pissed when they blew up U.S. Bank Tower in LA, probally due to the plastic bag ban. Clearly they didn't want to pay 10 cents per bag.

On a side note, I suppose for Los Angeles, the U.S. Bank Tower is iconic, really because of how many movies its in or shown in.

Across on the East Coast, prior to 9/11, the WTC was always getting blown up in movies along with the rest of the city. Remember the events in Armageddon?


• Video Link


Poor dog!

But its quite accurate, because nobody going anywhere due to traffic!




The aliens never seem to attack Chicago or Toronto though. The aliens seem to ignore those places.

[Nouvellecosse]

In the US film industry, the aliens attack what the writers/producers consider to be the US's largest and most important sites. That's what the US film industry feels US audiences will find most entertaining. Are well really proposing that to be some measure of objective truth?

I mean, why would an advanced alien species not only enter the atmosphere but hover right above the city in order to attack, giving primitive earthlings ample opportunity to counter attack with their rudimentary weapons? There's no reason not to simply attack from orbit (or further) other than that US film producers know this wouldn't be as cinematically interesting for US audiences.

[mhays]

I don't think Toronto plays itself in movies much. Certainly not movies that are big in the US.

It's a fantastic city, and coming into its own in the Chicago/SF tier in NA. But it's a bit under the radar in the US. Being visually non-distinct is related to that.

[Northern Light]

Originally Posted by mhays

I don't think Toronto plays itself in movies much. Certainly not movies that are big in the US.

It's a fantastic city, and coming into its own in the Chicago/SF tier in NA. But it's a bit under the radar in the US. Being visually non-distinct is related to that.

To be fair, Americans see very few foreign films from any country and most major networks air zero TV shows set outside the United States.

While there are grand adventure movies (Mission Impossible, Bond etc.) that often take in world locales, these are largely exceptions, if rather high profile ones.

Canadian Cinema doesn't really produce blockbusters, with the odd exception, films made are more of the arthouse/festival circuit.

There is a lot of mainstream and fairly good Canadian television, though in the US its mostly relegated to cable/streaming services.

The funny thing with television in particular is how much US television is now shot in Toronto or Vancouver, but with those cities doubling for US locations.

Recent'ish US shows shot in Canada:

Smallville
Arrow
The Flash
Riverdale
Star Trek: Discovery

Slightly older

Battlestar Gallactica
X-Files

Current Canadian shows with some US profile

Schitt's Creek
Handmaid's Tale
Letterkenny
Working Moms

Of note, Toronto is fully booked for productions in existing studio space for the next couple of years such that its turning stuff away.

CBS television is building its own studio complex here, and at least 2 more are on the way.

[jtown,man]

That second picture of Chicago looks like it's where LA is located and oddly enough, it's skyline also seems smaller and more LA like.

[Centropolis]

Originally Posted by jtown,man

That second picture of Chicago looks like it's where LA is located and oddly enough, it's skyline also seems smaller and more LA like.

its just smaller because it’s cold. trust me its usually bigger than that.

[JAYNYC]

I would argue that the current view of the DTLA skyline while driving northbound on the 110 freeway actually looks more impressive than Chicago's skyline from this particular (weak) angle.

Originally Posted by dc_denizen

Chicago (last in series) by Branden Frederick, on Flickr

[JAYNYC]

Originally Posted by jtown,man

That second picture of Chicago looks like it's where LA is located and oddly enough, it's skyline also seems smaller and more LA like.

My bad - just saw this post.

[dc_denizen]

more can-splaining from northern light I see. How do you know what movies americans are watching?

[Northern Light]

Originally Posted by dc_denizen

more can-splaining from northern light I see. How do you know what movies americans are watching?

Uhh, because the North American Box office numbers are published every single week?

Because the Canadian numbers can be found in Playback, the Canadian Industry trade paper?

The N/A numbers are here:

https://www.boxofficemojo.com/date/2020-01-16/weekly/

That's how I know.

If you were more interested in being knowledgeable, rather than opinionated, less explanation would be required.

The 100 highest rated TV shows in the U.S. for 2018-2019 can be found here:

https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/mos...es-1203222287/

Without looking too closely, I see 1 non-U.S. show, the Canadian "Curse of Oak Island"

[Fresh]

Originally Posted by dc_denizen

more can-splaining from northern light I see. How do you know what movies americans are watching?

'Can-Splaining' haha this forum is too much sometimes.

In all honesty I think Toronto's density is coming to be somewhat of it's own icon amongst North American cities bar NYC, it just looks incredibly 'metropolitan' in a way that stands out from the rest of the pack.

I really hope there's some master-plan for that lakefront though, quite underwhelming.

[Northern Light]

Originally Posted by Fresh

I really hope there's some master-plan for that lakefront though, quite underwhelming.

There are several plans.

Waterfrontoronto is the lead agency for the central area.

The current mega-project is creating a new mouth for the Don River, just east of the downtown core, at a cost of around 350M CAD.

The river currently exits to the lake in a industrial, lifeless channel.

The restored river mouth will have around 30ha, or 75 acres of park space, most of it natural.

***

The downtown stretch will get a continuous waterfront promenade and boardwalk (for the most part), with connecting foot bridges.

Not a lot more green on the Lakefront, though a sliver here or there, but 3 new parks on the north side of Queen's Quay which is the last major street, parallel to the lake.

Outside the skyline shot area are the Western Beaches, which have their own masterplan (currently stalled); and on the eastern side is the Scarborough Bluffs which are due to get continuous park space and trails at their foot, with construction starting this fall, and probably lasting more than a decade.

Waterfrontoronto link is here:

https://www.waterfrontoronto.ca/nbe/...aterfront/Home

Project link for the new River Mouth is here:

https://www.waterfrontoronto.ca/nbe/...ood+protection

That agency's full project list is here:

https://www.waterfrontoronto.ca/nbe/...ublic%20Spaces

The Western Beaches project is here:

http://svn-ap.com/projects/western-w...t-master-plan/

The Scarborough Waterfront project is here:

https://trca.ca/conservation/green-i...front-project/

[skysoar]

Originally Posted by chris08876

Indeed! When the aliens come, they blow these up first. So with great icon nature, comes great destruction.

• Video Link


Not a good day for those tourists. Paying over $30 dollars for a crowded observation deck (top of the rock is better) and than getting vaporized.

I suppose the aliens were pissed when they blew up U.S. Bank Tower in LA, probally due to the plastic bag ban. Clearly they didn't want to pay 10 cents per bag.

On a side note, I suppose for Los Angeles, the U.S. Bank Tower is iconic, really because of how many movies its in or shown in.

Across on the East Coast, prior to 9/11, the WTC was always getting blown up in movies along with the rest of the city. Remember the events in Armageddon?


• Video Link


Poor dog!

But its quite accurate, because nobody going anywhere due to traffic!




The aliens never seem to attack Chicago or Toronto though. The aliens seem to ignore those places.

Their is no true iconic first tier list without Sears Tower. Sears tower stood out as the standard bearer of supertalls for decades along with the Empire State Building, each recognized the world over. The aliens know better than to attack Chicago, we don't play that..just kiddind..

[dc_denizen]

Originally Posted by Fresh

'Can-Splaining' haha this forum is too much sometimes.

In all honesty I think Toronto's density is coming to be somewhat of it's own icon amongst North American cities bar NYC, it just looks incredibly 'metropolitan' in a way that stands out from the rest of the pack.

I really hope there's some master-plan for that lakefront though, quite underwhelming.

Well..As an Australian you probably associate identical newly built condos catering for rich Asian foreign investors with cosmopolitanism and metropolitanism. How about you do your part for global warming and stop shipping coal to China by the way?

Great things are happening in american cities , on par with what’s going on in Toronto, but some of the Canadian contingent here would rather not be aware of or discuss these developments

For example

West loop in Chicago
Los Angeles downtown and west side investment and densification
DC and Seattle’s staggering growth and investment
Densification and infill in Dallas, Houston, etc
Gentrification in many cities
Record multifamily investments in urban areas

I encourage you to check this out. You will find that Chicago doesn’t look like the final scene in blues brothers anymore

And we don’t need Chinese money to accomplish it

[dc_denizen]

wow here is the the mother-lode of chicago high res pics

https://www.flickr.com/photos/yochic...h/37836796031/

[Northern Light]

Originally Posted by dc_denizen

Well..As an Australian you probably associate identical newly built condos catering for rich Asian foreign investors with cosmopolitanism and metropolitanism. How about you do your part for global warming and stop shipping coal to China by the way?

Notice how its not just Canada, but any country other than the United States you feel the need to disparage and in off-topic ways at that.

Great things are happening in american cities , on par with what’s going on in Toronto, but some of the Canadian contingent here would rather not be aware of or discuss these developments

First off, aren't you going to Capitalize American?

Second, not a single Canadian in this thread, so far as I'm aware, and certainly not I has had a single disparaging thing to say about the United States.

About you personally, sure.

But there are trolls in Canada too. We don't like them here either.