Toronto Smart House | 82.6m | 25s | Urban Capital | a—A

If only you guys knew just how little of a condo tower has actually been "designed" at the time it goes into marketing and sales...

What you see in those renderings is just the design as it stands at that point in time. It will continue to evolve long after that time because in schematic design, almost none of the details have been worked out. Even where changes are less perceptible, all of those renderings of amenity spaces, lobbies, exterior shots, suite images, etc., are created long before materials and hardware have been spec'd, lights and electrical have had their location determined, and before the exterior details have been resolved. At least, that's how it is for the majority of condo projects in Toronto.
 
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If only you guys knew just how little of a condo tower has actually been "designed" at the time it goes into marketing and sales...

What you see in those renderings is just the design as it stands at that point in time. It will continue to evolve long after that time because in schematic design, almost none of the details have been worked out. Even where changes are less perceptible, all of those renderings of amenity spaces, lobbies, exterior shots, suite images, etc., are created long before materials and hardware have been spec'd, lights and electrical have had their location determined, and before the exterior details have been resolved. At least, that's how it is for the majority of condo projects in Toronto.

While all that may be true, we're talking about the colour of the balcony glass here, not mechanical or engineering issues. I can't image there's anything stopping them from swapping the clear glass for red tomorrow if it so suited them to.
 
Oh noes ........... the building doesn't actually look like the marketing rendering version#1092
 
I think the forum actually carries the argument here, If anyone (aA apologists, I mean employees) can provide a rationale other than purely budgetary for the reduction then great.

We all now how this process works. It's disingenuous to claim there are other factors at play here when in most other design/reality shortcomings there actually are.
 
I think the forum actually carries the argument here, If anyone (aA apologists, I mean employees) can provide a rationale other than purely budgetary for the reduction then great.

We all now how this process works. It's disingenuous to claim there are other factors at play here when in most other design/reality shortcomings there actually are.

Why do you think the architect has any control over the budget of the project?
 
Why do you think the architect has any control over the budget of the project?

Oh I know they don't. And in general I like aA work. I think the issue here is that the big visual gesture was purely superficial. It was too easy to cut/reduce.

Architects do have the ability to safegaurd their designs by reinforcing aesthetic choices with other considerations. There are also building elements that are easier for architects to exert authority over. Balcony glass colour is not one of them.
 
Is it possible that we should wait even a little bit longer for reaching conclusions on this one?
Are you telling me that you think they are actually going to take down the clear glass already put up and change it to red glass, so it resembles the rendering? I find that hard to fathom!
 
He's saying that there's maybe 5% of the balcony glass installed on the building and that people need to chill out if it doesn't exactly look like a marketing rendering from 4 years ago.


Mods: is there anyway that when someone types the word "rendering" it automatically changes to the phrases "artist's conception of what the building may look like" ? ;)
 
Are you telling me that you think they are actually going to take down the clear glass already put up and change it to red glass, so it resembles the rendering? I find that hard to fathom!

I'm telling you that we can currently see cladding on parts of two floors of what will be a 25-storey building.
 
Balcony guards and other cladding elements are tested all the time before final decisions are made. Not saying that's happening here for sure, but I am saying that it's too early to be certain: @ADRM is right.

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Having it as per advertised was better for creating warmth, charm, Color, character, and made those balconies stand out show that they are shaped this way from a distance. The original actually showed it grading down from reds to pinks to white. In four sets of six panels each a set grade colour toned less towards the building. The ends of the red made sense this way creatively.
 

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