We have been keeping a close eye on the creation of an enormous new mural taking shape at Toronto’s Jarvis and Carlton intersection. Work on the 23-storey mural by Spanish street artist Okuda San Miguel started on June 18th, and over the past days, the colourful mural has rapidly materialized on the windowless east facade of the Parkside Student Residences.

Equilibrium mural, image by Forum contributor skycandy

At the time of our last update, about two weeks ago, the first signs of the mural's rainbow backdrop were apparent, with the upper four sections of blue, green, yellow, and orange bringing an initial shot of colour to the intersection. Red, pink, purple, and black fields were added below earlier this month, and last week, painting of the mural's foreground began.

Equilibrium mural, image by Forum contributor skycandy

A comparison between new photos and a rendering show that some changes were made to the initial plan. At the very top of the mural, a pride flag has been added, while the symbolic dove—originally planned as the uppermost element in the mural—has also been redesigned with spread wings. Other minor aesthetic changes are apparent in the comparison below.

Rendering (L) and reality (R) of the mural, images; Rascacielo/STEPS Initiative

With finishing touches now being applied, we can expect to see a time-lapse video of the mural's creation posted in the near future. In the meantime, a live webcam has been set up for the project, where you can watch the final elements take shape.

Equilibrium mural, image by Forum contributor skycandy

You can learn more about the Parkside Student Residence by visiting our database file for the project, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum thread, or leave a comment in the field provided at the bottom of this page.

Related Companies:  Diamond Schmitt Architects, entro, Multiplex