now that's what i call appropriate sidewalk treatment and street-level retail. very very impressed, given the location and expectations. i like that this one dumps the podium-style, and i like the impression of two buildings abutting each other as a means of neutralizing the impression of massiveness. and the blue is a nice touch too, unusual in vancouver towers. all in all, thumbs up.
Here's a dumb question -
From the pic above, it seems that the windows shaded by the wide balconies (on the left) have zero spandrel, while the windows not shaded by the wide balconies (on the right) have the spandrel (even when not blocking a concrete column).
Is the spandrel largely to comply with LEED requirements to reduce solar gain?
If so, does that mean a building with wrap-around balconies (Toronto-style) can be built with no spandrel?