I was in Sydney a few weekends ago, and it struck me how much better Australian architecture seems to be. Their new condos don't all look the same like in Canada, and their office towers have a London-grade quality to it not seen in Canada, both in terms of architecture and luxurious use of space. Here are some of their more recent office towers:
1 Bligh: 30 storey atrium with curved glass...
8 Chifley square - By Richard Rogers -
111eaglestreet.jpg - Columns inspired by mangrove trees...
Richard Johnson Square... one third of the 200-meter tower's volume and height... is an atrium
By Renzo Piano, dating back to 2000.
163 castlereagh.jpg - This one is less about the tower than the complex urban treatment at grade
85 castlereagh.jpg
In Canada, only the Bow comes close.
Meanwhile in Toronto...
Vancouver:
The reason why I'm focusing on Sydney, rather than "why don't we have nice buildings like in London", is because Sydney is a smaller city than Toronto, with a smaller market, and still manages to do better.