Toronto Eaton Centre (Ongoing Renewal) | ?m | ?s | Cadillac Fairview | Zeidler

[grey]

They're all the same "ugh this building sucks" "omg it's so bad" "i hate it", but no actual reasons.
Is it the design? The quality of the materials? The building job?

All of the above. It's a lazy, jumbled mess by almost any definition.

There are a number of obvious deficiencies, including (off the top of my head -- it's been a while):

- satellite screens that are unevenly spaced because someone didn't measure correctly
- "design" elements that were only partially completed, or cheapened to oblivion (the cylindrical thing on the north side, the roof elements)
- it lacks any real coherence as a building

And various regrettable "design decisions," such as:

- the huge blank corrugated walls on the east and north sides
- fake fans and vents
- the best outdoor lanterns Canadian Tire has to offer
- ineffective, pointless awnings along Yonge that just drip tons of water on pedestrians


They couldn't even do utilitarian right.


This seems way too short to do justice to anyone who appreciates design on any level, so here's a much better list by Sir Novelty Fashion.

 

[wyliepoon]

Scaffolding ruining my photos of the Eaton Centre Christmas Tree this year...

... and what message might Aritzia be sending with this picture of a skull next to the tree?

 

[sodapop]

... and what message might Aritzia be sending with this picture of a skull next to the tree?

how christmassy is that, they should forget the christmas tree and put up a giant 3d skull

 

[Tewder]

Actually, in an odd way those pictures do sort of sum up Toronto.

 

[adma]

... and what message might Aritzia be sending with this picture of a skull next to the tree?

Well, why not combine the two, Damien Hirst-style

 

[NIL OMNI]

... and what message might Aritzia be sending with this picture of a skull next to the tree?

Such festive imagery!

 

[androiduk]

You have to go up to the 3rd floor catwalk to get a relatively clear shot of the tree this year.

 

[Tewder]

Not to sound grinchy or anything but I wish they would retire that tree. Why not go for a real one? Also I'm curious if there is a real tree in the city decorations anywhere? There isn't one in Dundas Square but I can't remember if there is one in NPS or Queen's Park.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

There is one in NPS - the one at Dundas Square is fake contemporary - but works quite well for the square.

AoD

 

[NIL OMNI]

I think the one in Dundas Square looks kind of cheap for what purports to be the "centre" of downtown Toronto. I wish we had a real tree, Rockfeller Center on a smaller scale, but make it an event. This thing looks like it was put together from balls purchased at a craft store.

 

[Edward Skira]

^ We do have one like that at City Hall.

 

[taal]

^ We do have one like that at City Hall.

Furthering this point ... I think the NPS tree is even larger most years ... the one this year was a little smaller.

 

[NIL OMNI]

Furthering this point ... I think the NPS tree is even larger most years ... the one this year was a little smaller.

OK, but why can't DS have its own? Am I the only one that finds it a bit cheap looking? (I do like the polar bears though)

 

[adma]

Big deal; Y-D Square is already totally plastic, so a fake tree suits the occasion...

 

[NIL OMNI]

Fine. Let's not improve anything.