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CATHEDRAL SQUARE - fictional piazza concept

Sorry to tease you LightArchitect, but it is very reassuring when a newbie gets it.

And light is the primary ingredient in the idea (not easily found on this scale in downtown).

For those of you who wonder if I've exaggerated the scale of this opportunity... take a walk to the site. It's 2 small blocks east of Yonge. It's huge.

FROM SHUTER:

shuter.jpg



INDENSE: here's the west to east gateway from Church... lines up with the Metropolitan's tower. Not the scale you imagined but pretty damn good nonetheless.

door.jpg




EDITORIAL NOTE: Toronto has evolved into a(n) European/Asian/South Asian (with a dash of Buenos Aires for good measure) hybrid meeting place. There are many thousands of folks (old and young) who will sip an espresso, shop for shoes and eat all night long here because I'm convinced this kind of place is embedded in the city DNA. It just doesn't exist yet.

Final comment... if we don't intervene, who will?
 
Great work as always 3D. As someone who once lived in 25 Mutual, I can't even fathom this happening, but wow would it be cool if it could!

If I were you I'd send this link to Kyle Rae, Spacing, BlogTo, Torontoist, Mayor Miller, your favourite architectural firms, the owner of that property, etc.
 
Definitely! You should look up who owns this property if you don't already know, and send it to them. It'll at least get them dreaming of what's actually possible. I'm sure they take vacations to Europe all the time and think about how beautiful it is, but couldn't fathom the idea that they could build something like that here.
 
Thanks for the advice... I've sent a pile of ideas to City Hall over the past 2 decades... never once heard back (though some seem to have been born in parallel).

Nonetheless, I'll send it off to the property owner.... imagine their crossed eyes, and head scratching! "What for? We can sell the condos... what's the point of the rest of it?".
 
There's already a great espresso shop on Cathedral Square. B-Cafe on Queen Street East!

Seriously though, at least send your idea to the folks at Spacing as I'm sure they'd be happy to put them on the wire. Or talk to UT's own Shawn Micalef, SeanTrans or Matt Blackett (who are all involved with Spacing).
 
Ive posted a number of items for consideration on role that the UT forumers can play in its influencing capacity as a X number member strong community engaged and interested in the built form of this city.

This is a spectacular potential contribution to the urban realm, and as such could really benefit from a goup pushing it within the appropriate channels for it to get notices.

How many times have sole suggestions/questions/requests gone to a level of government unanswered or simply ignored

What role could we play as a entity to assist, push influence?
 
lets speak to it in relation to this project..and keep it in this thread... If you look at traffic patterns on this site, whenever this subject arises and gets moved to Forum issues, it dies a quick death. It is not a heavily frequented section. Would be nice to see level of support by forummers on actually acting alongside posting, and what level of support/commitment we can engender
 
Amazing concept 3D! I also agree that we really lack these sort of squares in the city. It would be great to have a nice big open square with restaurants bordering it allowing restaurants to have massive patios in the summer and maybe some covered heated patios in the winter. Parents can sit and have a glass of wine while watching their children play in the fountains or it can be a great place for some sort of farmers market.
 
fantastic work! Is this just a hobby?

I think the idea is great, but I would be tempted to tear down the middle third of the row of buildings between St Michael's (you have it marked as St James', but google earth says its St Mike's... but I and GE are probably wrong) and the Square to allow for greater access to Church St and the Cathedral. Obviously this square will attract tourists, and to not have an entrance in the direction of the Yonge St limits its potential.

Also, I think an opening towards the Cathedral would entice tourists to check out the Cathedral. I don't know why churches aren't marketed as possible tourist destinations in this city (maybe ours aren't that great?), but they are typically the highlights of other cities. With two churches and this square in the area, tourists would flock to it, and you'd have a pretty vibrant area.

I would also love to see some sort of figure atop the glass structure. Perhaps something historical, or considering the religious theme of the square, a statue or monument to Toronto's Patron Saint.
 
/\ The only problem with creating extra entrances etc. is that it cuts into retail and living space...

One way to ensure that the surrounding streets aren't neglected and that pedestrians always have constant access would be to fit the stores with two facades - one looking in on the square and another facing the exterior street. That way access points could permeate all along the length of the structure instead of at a few key intersections.

Also, I believe that the fountain should be left alone in its glassy abstract glory.
 
Too bad none of 3D's ideas will ever see the light of day. You have some really cool concepts man. You should be a city planner. This city needs someone with imagination like yourself.
 
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