Toronto 22 Condominiums | ?m | 23s | Lanterra | architectsAlliance

vancouver can't be beat. Toronto, get your crap together!
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I understand what you are getting at, but it has nothing to do with the city. Blame the developers.

Concerning glass, I would agree that eventually it will acquire the reputation of precast - but only when we begin to see higher quality precast materials (and other materials) being successfully used more often in highrise construction.
 
Hydrogen said:
I understand what you are getting at, but it has nothing to do with the city. Blame the developers.
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Well Vancouvers condos cost nearly twice as much on average per square foot then in Toronto - so perhaps we should blame everyone who has bought a condo in Toronto for not paying twice as much.... Any developer will tell you that they could provide a much higher quality product with significant additional funds.

Having an affordable supply of housing is an important quality of life indicator in Toronto. Comparing Vancouvers condos to Torontos condos is like comparing apples to oranges given the product there is twice as expensive.
 
The undersides of the balconies at Spire were painted vs. another Context project, Radio City which were not. Makes a big difference from the street and even more of an impact when your sitting under an unpainted cement slab. It's pretty grim. Such a small detail can make a big difference.
 
Well Vancouvers condos cost nearly twice as much on average per square foot then in Toronto
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even the cheap pre-boom condos in Alberta receive treatment not to mention a light

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I imagine a lot has to do with the use of pre-cast here which doesn't need to be painted unlike the stucco or cast in place walls used elsewhere - the painting sub-contractor is already there
 
Well Vancouvers condos cost nearly twice as much on average per square foot then in Toronto - so perhaps we should blame everyone who has bought a condo in Toronto for not paying twice as much.... Any developer will tell you that they could provide a much higher quality product with significant additional funds.

Having an affordable supply of housing is an important quality of life indicator in Toronto. Comparing Vancouvers condos to Torontos condos is like comparing apples to oranges given the product there is twice as expensive.
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I wasn't making a comparison, I was responding to someone making a comparison. I'd imagine that the materials used in highrise construction in Vancouver and Toronto are almost the same (concrete, steel, glass, etc.). Yet the prices are double in Vancouver. I'd imagine that has something to do with details beyond materials. Besides, I doubt that painting the undersides of balconies would represent a massive price increase to prospective buyers, or a terrible imposition to developers.
 
The building isn't complete yet - I certainly hope they paint the undersides of the balconies... a rather unexpensive small job that goes a long way to improve the exterior of the structure - seems to be hit and miss with various condos.
 
Toronto is not an ugly city, just a sloppy city. We just don't finish stuff. I find this much more of a nuisance on the street level (eg: ashphalt paving, permanent spray paint markings for utilities) than in condos.

I'm not surprised that 22 Wellesley already got tagged with graffiti. In general, the more well-kept something is, the less likely it will be a target for vandalism.
 
Exposed crumbling concrete

Couldn't agree more with the slopiness of exposed concrete. The photo above from Alberta is how a balcony should look. I just walked by 22 Wellesley and couldn't believe how cheap the overhang looks over the main entrance. It appears bits of concrete have actually fallen off. (And yes it is awful about all of the graffiti... what are they going to do about that and how will they prevent more?)

Was also at a friend's condo in Radio City recently. I was surprised to see how shoddy all of their balconies were. It looks like the concrete on the ceilings is not only chipping but rusting as well. They also have dirty looking concrete for ceilings in the common hallways. I understand that this could be "cool" and "hip" but certainly not like this. It looks like the workers skipped out on the job before finishing. Concrete paint is relatively cheap. Why not do it right?
 
I have a feeling that we are just a little too picky on this forum.
If all balconies were capped like the photo of Calgary, then we would be complaining about how everything is covered in cheap siding.

One argument makes the point that CityPlace condos are cheap because they dont cover the concrete, but projects like Radio City are great.... but then as just noted - Radio City has rusting, chipping concrete.

Others would argue that Mozo is one of the best condos built in Toronto in the past 5 - 10 years.... but I have a friend in Mozo and can tell you for certain that they too have exposed concrete balconies (and ceilings within the units - going for that "industrial look"). Is Mozo cheap now?

What about the condo next to the Umbra Store? The entire thing is exposed concrete. It must be the WORST building in Toronto then.....

I am kind of sick of hearing how everything in Toronto is sub-par, and how we need to be more like X city or Y town.
 
I see nothing wrong with concrete looking like concrete.

If someone wants the underside of the balcony of the person living above them to resemble a faux Sistine Chapel, or painted a flat grey that simulates the concrete it already is, or looking like a grisaille Sistine Chapel even, let them do it themselves - assuming that the condo board gauleiters will permit it.
 
Depends largely on the design and the motivations of the architect and builders. Of course sometimes it is deliberate and part of the aesthetic, while other times it is left as a cost-cutting measure and quite frankly looks like a cheap-out.
 
casaguy said:
Couldn't agree more with the slopiness of exposed concrete. The photo above from Alberta is how a balcony should look. I just walked by 22 Wellesley and couldn't believe how cheap the overhang looks over the main entrance. It appears bits of concrete have actually fallen off. (And yes it is awful about all of the graffiti... what are they going to do about that and how will they prevent more?)

Was also at a friend's condo in Radio City recently. I was surprised to see how shoddy all of their balconies were. It looks like the concrete on the ceilings is not only chipping but rusting as well. They also have dirty looking concrete for ceilings in the common hallways. I understand that this could be "cool" and "hip" but certainly not like this. It looks like the workers skipped out on the job before finishing. Concrete paint is relatively cheap. Why not do it right?
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The overhang at 22 isn't pretty. Until it was flagged here I simply assumed it wasn't complete. I hope I'm correct!
When the tagging was done at 22 there was a climbable fence with standing area surrounding the east and west sides of the site, so it was easy to do at the time. It can be power sprayed with chemicals to remove it.
As for Radio City they promoted the project with loft style exposed concrete ceilings in the suites. Suite ceilings (a finished ceiling was an upgrade), support pilers etc was the standard. I would have thought the hallways and balconies would have been finished because the "concrete look" isn't pleasing to everyone but it appears not. Some of the lobby and recreation areas have some exposed concrete but thankfully it's used sparingly.
 
Considering how trendy the graffiti look is nowadays in some circles, with retailers asking-for-it-by-name to decorate the walls of their establishments, I'd have thought that by now someone would have figured out how to make a decent living adorning the underbellies of condo balconies in the gritty urban downtown core with their highly desirable and individualistic work.
 
"Let me take a view on your balcony. Oh, it's the top of the subway station. Nice....."
 
Jdot said:
I have a feeling that we are just a little too picky on this forum.
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Couldn't disagree more. I think we're all interested in Toronto buildings being the best they can be. Why are so many just willing to lie down and accept mediocre aspects of new developments? Why is crumbling, rusting concrete ok? Why is the "Crystal Age" turned aluminum (or whatever the hell it is) acceptable? Why are builders still placing the ugly grey fuse box in half million dollar condos right were everyone can see it as soon as they walk in? Little things count.
 
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