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The disassembling of the tower crane at Monarch Group and Goldman Group's Picasso Condos marks another milestone for the Teeple Architects-designed building, located at Richmond and Widmer Streets in the city's bustling Entertainment District. The structure's unique cubist form and collage of gray, white and red has drawn attention since construction began. While the exterior design has proven popular thus far, Picasso's interiors are just as distinct. UrbanToronto had the opportunity to tour the amenity areas and suites for the project as construction continues throughout much of the tower.
Future retail spaces will be positioned at the southern edge of the tower along Richmond Street. Depending on the eventual tenant(s), the space could be divided into several smaller commercial units or kept whole. For the moment, the ground floor is not yet sealed in from the elements, and is the temporary home for storing cinderblocks and other construction materials.
There are several amenity spaces in the building, designed by UNION31, including the "Pulse" Dynamic Fitness Room on the third floor. The area is a concrete shell for now, but will host cardio, yoga, aerobics, saunas, lockers, and showers in the near future.
With targeted occupancy in 2016, there's still quite a bit of work to be done, but we can get an idea of what the finished product will look like by visiting a unit on the fourth floor. Kitchen cabinetry has been installed and stainless steel appliances have been delivered. Quartz, granite and caeserstone countertops will complement the buyer's choice of a ceramic, porcelain or glass tile backsplash. Ceiling heights range from eight feet on podium floors, nine feet on tower floors and ten feet on the penthouse levels. Available floor plans range in size from 844 to 1,231 square feet and start at $540,990.
Up on the fifth floor, the individuality of each space becomes apparent. There are over 100 different suite types in the 402-unit building. The layout, composition, and materials used in the suite and the attaching balconies often differs from floor to floor. The unique form of Picasso results in a series of terraces atop the various multi-coloured cubes. One of these terraces, looking north toward Queen Street, is pictured below.
The view upward from the terrace demonstrates Picasso's striking gray and white pattern, with a touch of red adding further contrast. The underside of the projecting volumes await finishing.
Buyers will enjoy access to balconies or terraces. The fifth floor balcony pictured below accommodates the building's exterior series of aluminum-clad columns. These design features are still narrow enough to let in a significant amount of natural light. They also ensure the Queen Street view is unspoiled. Each unit will soon be differentiated with balcony dividers.
More amenities are located on the roof of the podium at the tenth floor, where the sports-themed "Cue Lounge" will contain billiards, a television, and seating areas.
A party room with caterer's kitchen and bar opens up to a spacious outdoor terrace, which will soon be outfitted with a barbecue area, lounge seating, cabanas, a fireplace, and a hot tub.
It is here that we get a closer look at Picasso's trademark trees and gardens, which will sit atop most of the structure's cubist volumes.
Some residents will have extra special views of both the neighbourhood and the treetops of Picasso's gardens. The 11th floor unit pictured below shows this interesting juxtaposition between nature and urbanity.
Shooting straight up to the windy 39th level, aluminum cladding panels can be found resting on the floor throughout the future penthouse space.
These panels, as well many of the trees, were too large to fit in the tower's external hoist. Before the crane was brought down, it needed to deliver these large panels to the corresponding floor.
One final level above, the mechanical penthouse, in addition to providing a space for the necessary heating and cooling systems of the tower, offers some great views of the city.
As cladding continues to climb the tower, the full impact Picasso's bold design will have on the skyline will be realized floor by floor. With Picasso piquing the interest of many, we will be sure to follow construction closely as it reaches its 2016 completion date.
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| Related Companies: | Flynn Group of Companies, Mattamy Homes, Peter McCann Architectural Models Inc., U31 |
