Toronto Union Station Revitalization | ?m | ?s | City of Toronto | NORR

[sikandar]

It's a shame they couldn't structure the lighting in such a way so that it attached to the vertical support columns instead of from cables hanging from the roof. Those cables are downright ugly.

Wait, the lights hanging from the cables is not the temporary lighting?

 

[raptor]

Wait, the lights hanging from the cables is not the temporary lighting?

the hanging lights are temporary.The permanent lights are affixed to the horizontal metal pieces hung from the atrium. those metal bars are running through the atrium supports

 

[DSC]

I wonder though.. will they sandblast again?

They did not sandblast in first place. They used laser cleaning and the dried areas seem to be fine, so far.

 

[steveintoronto]

It's a shame they couldn't structure the lighting in such a way so that it attached to the vertical support columns instead of from cables hanging from the roof. Those cables are downright ugly.

Ah, but you fail to appreciate the Heritage Soviet Railway Carriage Factory look.

It looks fffing disgusting. The whole shed.

 

[SunriseChampion]

Ah, but you fail to appreciate the Heritage Soviet Railway Carriage Factory look.

It looks fffing disgusting. The whole shed.

To be fair, during the day it's sort of ok, in a "fu** it, what choice do I have?" kind of way. At night though? Whoah, depressing, oppressive, soul-crushing misery.

 

[SunriseChampion]

I had dinner at Union Chicken yesterday. It was decent grub, but damn, I can't eat greasy food like that. Not sure I'd frequent the place, to be honest. Cool af staff and decor though. Really nice place, decent prices. I'm torn.
I love Amano though. That high bar by the south door. If you ever need me, I'm there, sipping on an espresso.

 

[steveintoronto]

Work on the permanent lighting under the atrium progresses
View attachment 153416

And here was the promise:

https://www.canadianarchitect.com/features/go-roof-union-station/

Regardez la différence!

Ever get fooled by the magnificent picture on the box of the item you ordered on-line from Joe's Emporium Design Clearing House, only to open it and find it's stamped plastic and the pieces don't fit together? ("Some assembly required").

For some odd reason, I actually believed the promo hype:

[...]
After many years of planning and design, the jewel box atrium is taking shape. Installation of the glass fascia and soffit panels began in mid-September 2012, and construction of the atrium is expected to run until late 2014. The overall work of the project is being phased over six years to minimize disruption to daily train service. When completed, the project will fully restore, repair and renovate all elements from the top of the roof down to track level, honour Union’s Station’s legacy as the most opulent railway station in Canada, and celebrate the nation’s busiest transportation hub.

DC: Its singularly monolithic gesture is pleasingly detailed in a decidedly restrained though refined way–which may do more to lessen the individuality of the project as a standalone feature, but is a welcome and true “last piece of the puzzle”–a piece that also reintroduces the nearly century-old Bush shed as a sophisticated and significant part of the overall composition of Union Station. Suddenly, the new glass-covered court space legitimizes the “back” into what may become a new “front”–particularly since it also becomes a navigable and highly identifiable floating (and by night, glowing) canopy reaffirming Toronto’s doorstep to the downtown district.

MCC: This project at Union Station reminds me of the monumentalism of 19th-century buildings like Gare du Nord or Gare de Lyon in Paris, seen in the lightness of the structure and the abundance of natural light. The proposal is very elegant and will provide Toronto with an interesting public space. The high-tech vocabulary is very appropriate and illustrates the challenges that we should be able to realize in this century–in a similar way that the architects of the 19th century did in the past.

BH: In a country where train station architecture has historically been underexpressed relative to the dramatic examples of great train stations in other parts of the world, the Union Station train shed provides an opportunity for large-scale urban intervention in the very difficult layered and grimy context of historic Union Station and its more recent sadder additions. The solution proposed has the potential to create a dramatic new public realm, while elevating the conversation about architecture for transportation.

https://www.canadianarchitect.com/features/go-roof-union-station/

"This project at Union Station reminds me of the monumentalism of 19th-century buildings like Gare du Nord or Gare de Lyon in Paris, seen in the lightness of the structure and the abundance of natural light. The proposal is very elegant and will provide Toronto with an interesting public space. The high-tech vocabulary is very appropriate and illustrates the challenges that we should be able to realize in this century–in a similar way that the architects of the 19th century did in the past. "

Clear proof that the drinking of Absinthe must not be confused with the product "Abs-Synth" from Joe's Emporium which arrived in the box for building mental muscle. I get the distinct feel of gristle in my gut.

 

[DonValleyRainbow]

The signals in the middle of the trainshed really jut out too, are those going to be part of the still unfinished USRC resignalling?

 

[Leo_Chan]

 

[DSC]

Noticed they have now put up signage along moat wall on Front saying Danger, construction, no admittence. I hope this is only there during construction as it should be obvious it's not good to walk on the glass. (OK, I forgot about the repeated cars in QQE streetcar tunnel.) It's like putting notices on boxes of matches saying "Caution, may cause fires".

 

[Richard White]

Noticed they have now put up signage along moat wall on Front saying Danger, construction, no admittence. I hope this is only there during construction as it should be obvious it's not good to walk on the glass. (OK, I forgot about the repeated cars in QQE streetcar tunnel.) It's like putting notices on boxes of matches saying "Caution, may cause fires".

People are stupid and will sue for anything. It's why they had to put "WARNING THIS BEVERAGE IS HOT" on coffee cups. Someone got scolded, played stupid and claimed she didn't know it was hot.

 

[Richard White]

So.. even though the pizza shop has closed years ago they still left the gate all these years.

 

[gweed123]

View attachment 153691

Will the moat adjacent to York St be extending all the way to the York East Teamway (covering the entire area shown in this photo)? Or is it stopping pretty much where the structure is currently in place? It would be nice to be able to walk from the East Teamway to the subway station without ever having to a) go outside and b) go through Union Station itself.

 

[DonValleyRainbow]

Will the moat adjacent to York St be extending all the way to the York East Teamway (covering the entire area shown in this photo)? Or is it stopping pretty much where the structure is currently in place? It would be nice to be able to walk from the East Teamway to the subway station without ever having to a) go outside and b) go through Union Station itself.

The plans suggest both Bay and York moats will be half covered, from the stairs over.

 

[raptor]

The plans suggest both Bay and York moats will be half covered, from the stairs over.

View attachment 153716

Your diagram clearly show that the moats will almost reach the York teamway, and will perfectly reach the Bay teamway.