Office tower envy - Page 8

caltrane74 · #**141** Posted **Jun 20, 2012, 7:19 PM**

One tower would look good in a standard skyline shot.

In combination it looks outrageous.

floobie · #**142** Posted **Jun 20, 2012, 8:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by caltrane74

One tower would look good in a standard skyline shot.

In combination it looks outrageous.

Upon first glance, I thought it was a joke someone had slapped together in Photoshop. They've effectively tried to make every building a signature building. A skyline composed of signature towers looks tacky as hell to me.

davidivivid · #**143** Posted **Jun 20, 2012, 8:31 PM**

Looks awfully tacky to me and shows a deep lack of cultural identity markers...

Metro-One · #**144** Posted **Jun 20, 2012, 10:21 PM**

The giant dildo tower is one of the worst I have ever seen.

Ramako · #**145** Posted **Jun 20, 2012, 11:02 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by floobie

Upon first glance, I thought it was a joke someone had slapped together in Photoshop. They've effectively tried to make every building a signature building. A skyline composed of signature towers looks tacky as hell to me.

Needs more boxes.

Innsertnamehere · #**146** Posted **Jun 20, 2012, 11:51 PM**

an update on 16 york (part of the Ice condos development)

this is being marketed at 800,000 square feet, with 30 office floors, and 2 mechanical floors, as well as the double height lobby level. (33 floors?) it will have 27,500 square feet of usable floorspace on each level..

some new renders:

all from the marketing website here:

http://www.16york.ca/index.php

caltrane74 · #**147** Posted **Jun 21, 2012, 1:05 AM**

And we get some updated ICE renders with that!

Nice!

DrNest · #**148** Posted **Jun 21, 2012, 1:07 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidivivid

Looks awfully tacky to me and shows a deep lack of cultural identity markers...

I was thinking the same. I wouldn't really want any of those in Toronto with perhaps the exception of the fingertrap one. In a few years all the others are going to look so tacky, and people will be looking at them thinking what on earth were they thinking constructing that hideous mess.

suburbanite · #**149** Posted **Jun 21, 2012, 1:43 AM**

I really hope that rendering doesn't signify that the cladding we've seen on Ice so far only goes up 15 stories.

Ramako · #**150** Posted **Jun 21, 2012, 2:17 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by suburbanite

I really hope that rendering doesn't signify that the cladding we've seen on Ice so far only goes up 15 stories.

What you're seeing is the condo towers appearing to rotate part way up:

someone123 · #**151** Posted **Jun 21, 2012, 2:29 AM**

The clump of office towers on the far side of the tracks in Toronto around York Street is disappointing. The existing buildings from the last couple years are sterile and it looks like they're adding more of the same. At this point the area below Front is pretty much a dumping ground for poorly-conceived urban plans.

The Doha skyline looks like Sim City cover art. The buildings were probably designed that way because the Emir's 14 year old kid thought it would look cool.

Ramako · #**152** Posted **Jun 21, 2012, 2:49 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by someone123

The clump of office towers on the far side of the tracks in Toronto around York Street is disappointing. The existing buildings from the last couple years are sterile and it looks like they're adding more of the same. At this point the area below Front is pretty much a dumping ground for poorly-conceived urban plans.

I agree that the lack of variety in terms of style and materials in the "Southcore" area is a disappointment. Individually the towers are elegant but without some warmer colours and materials to provide contrast, the beauty of the modern aesthetic doesn't really materialize and the area appears cold. Still, I wouldn't call it a "poorly conceived urban plan". It's got a great mix of uses that keeps the area bustling at all times of the day: hotels, convention space, offices, condos, retail, restaurants, several patios, plenty of green space and of course, all the tourist attractions (CN Tower, Aquarium, Train Museum/Roundhouse, Steamwhistle Brewery, SkyDome, Air Canada Centre). In short, Southcore is no CityPlace, which I would indeed call poorly conceived.

caltrane74 · #**153** Posted **Jun 21, 2012, 2:57 AM**

You think its bad now, you should have seen it before when it was all parking lots for the past 30 years.

Talk about Sterile!

There is still oppourtunity to dream big on the East Bayfront. Basically another downtown Toronto, but its empty. That and the endless supply of parking lots and under utilized parcels. Lots of facinating, projects coming down the pipe. As for Southcore, the 3 best of the built-U/C-proposed have yet to make their mark. (ICE/Delta Hotel)

As for the urban-planning aspect, Union Stations expanded capacity of 800,000 people a day will feed Southcore for people to go to Baseball, Basketball, Hockey and Concerts. In addition to the Patios which are and will continue to line both York and Bremner. Ice is also adding ground floor retail in addition to the tourist attractions its almost a perfect combination of urban form and function. Cherry on the cake, you can live and work there too!

Ramako · #**154** Posted **Jun 21, 2012, 2:57 AM**

More from http://www.16york.ca

someone123 · #**155** Posted **Jun 21, 2012, 3:02 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by caltrane74

You think its bad now, you should have seen it before when it was all parking lots for the past 30 years.

I did see it when it was parking lots. I remember when CityPlace or whatever around Spadina was still a golf course.

There are attractions in this area but I just find it's awful for pedestrians. It was handicapped by the Gardiner, rail lines, SkyDome, brutal waterfront buildings, etc. and the long, characterless stretches of glass are not much of an improvement.

I guess it's easy enough just to avoid going down there but it could have been much nicer. It would be nice to bury the rail lines and the Gardiner but that would cost a fortune. Then again, the land is worth a fortune.

WhipperSnapper · #**156** Posted **Jun 21, 2012, 9:01 AM**

Tearing down the Gardiner frees up very little land with Lake Shore Boulevard underneath. The rail lines are another matter. They have to remain in service. I have no doubt that one day they will be decked over though.

As usual, I think you're being awfully heavy handed by dismissing two communities that are largely construction zones and will take an additional ten to fifteen years to mature.

City Place provides much needed residential density and considering the density still provides enough outdoor space for residents. It's not a destination but, why should it be? Who knows. There's a lot of potential with the live work units in conjunction with the LRT as the standard chains will steer far away from them.