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The skip-stop hallway arrangement alone makes for really interesting unit layouts. Seems to have been a great success in some Toronto projects, such as at 20 Niagara (and the new TCHC Block 32 in CityPlace)... in fact, I'm surprised we don't see it done more often! I wonder if they could market...

What do you mean by "demolish the exterior"? They will likely be redoing the building's envelope and include a new facade for Nordstrom., different from what Sears has currently. If you mean that they should demolish the entire structure, it doesn't make any sense. The bones of the building are...

That looks like the other pattern from the mock-up on Church Street, not the one shown in renderings. I was hoping they'd gone with the original pattern from the renderings but obviously it's just one panel up and I'll have to sit tight. Chances are this is just a test panel to make sure...

But... are there Spanish people there? ;)

Beautiful shots, as always, udo! That first one is especially crisp.

I think the remark about being condescending may have been directed at me. I try to bite my lip around here more these days, since it has become in many ways a mouthpiece for the development industry, which I am clearly frustrated by. That said, I think in this thread my comments are completely...

I hate to say it, but it's a mostly meaningless award. Look at who BILD and OHBA are. The OHBA, in fact, are known for lobbying to keep standards lower and costs down for homebuilders/developers. They're lobbyists. They represent the development INDUSTRY. BILD and OHBA both represent...

Many are investors, but many are people who just want/need to live downtown and will buy whatever is available that checks off their list of criteria. But to tell people "well you bought it, so it must be good enough!" is a meaningless statement is what I'm arguing. An even bigger part would be...

Because the building is years past its schematic design and curtain-wall was selected early on.

When did I say anything about creating bureaucracy or bringing unit designs before panels? Critique is its own realm; to want and create better by discussion and critique. Not settling for whatever developers will spit out. As for the rest of your response, I still stand in complete...

Private residential condominiums are not public art, regardless of how you want to twist it.

The public will buy any unit they can get their hands on, unfortunately. We need to set a higher standard for what is available, no? Isn't that a worthy goal, and isn't residential architecture in our city worthy of critique and a desire for better? If the standard for architecture we're...

Those are some pretty tight curves, so I can certainly see that being an issue. Hopefully they find a good solution. Either some sort of overlapping "fins" instead might work nicely, but it would be disappointing after drooling over those beautiful curves for a few years. I'm surprised that this...

Unfortunately, most people here are a lot more concerned with how a building looks than it functions.

Some sort of external sun-shading system (using red sunscreens, red louvres or red shutters) would have been much more appropriate for a residential building.

That precast pattern is interesting and very much of its time, but I doubt they will keep it, unfortunately.

Residential buildings have different arrangements on different floors though. The fins create vertical continuity that makes the spandrel less noticeable or distracting, and especially once curtains, etc., are up, it should look sleeker and more honest than an alternative "all glazed" approach...

Those massing models are pretty cool, thanks for sharing that. That said, this is a very small site and I can't imagine a round floorplate would be the best way to go here.

Exactly. Spandrel glass is not an inherently bad thing, in fact it's very useful as an architectural tool. In school, I use it on my own designs to achieve a positive effect on what would otherwise be blank walls. The fins indeed should overcome it. What bothers me is when spandrel is used in a...

Those shapely balconies are going to create a gorgeous effect.