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I agree. Philip Johnson saw the limits of Modernism and did indeed spearhead an architectural reaction to it. I thought with Ice condos that aA were moving into a more varied and interesting direction. For the most part, with a few exceptions, they haven’t. But that’s just who they are. Project...

And thus my comment above about hoping they don’t just ‘take the money and run’ on this one. Design standards have been improving in Toronto in the last few years. Here’s hoping this stale design is not the final iteration. And a sad comment that it’s ‘extremely tough’ to deliver a consistent...

Of course I understand that. But are you saying that architecture firms just have to accept that they are building in Toronto and many Toronto developers love bland designs with many insisting on cheap grey spandrel and window wall? No push back? By the way, I’m not saying this tower will...

Yes, it’s real estate, but that shouldn’t excuse lazy designs and the overuse of cheap materials. Look at the condo towers going up in other comparably sized cities; the use of curtain wall is much more prevalent. a-A, to their credit, use curtain wall much more often than most other firms in...

Agreed. What has happened to a-A? It looks like another design recycled from 15 years ago.

Nine Hours to Rama was released in 1963. So likely that year or 1964. Great image.

At least Herb wore colourful suits. This drab spandrel is the go to cladding choice for far too many condominium developers in this city. It’s so disappointing to witness one of the greatest building booms in this city’s history be populated by so much bland cheapness. While it happens in other...

I find this building to be one of the blandest of the recent a-A designs. Compared to the render, it really feels dumbed down. I understand that this is essentially the a-A style, but they can do much better. With the exception of HPA, the projects I most look forward to seeing completed are...

I’m currently on a trip with stops in both Sydney and Melbourne. The residential tower cladding in the two cities is generally far superior to what is done in Toronto. With the massive condo boom in Toronto in the last 2 decades, it really is a shame how low the design bar has fallen. Thankfully...

Your comments are fair, but that’s not really what my reply was about. Of course the designers of buildings need to assess all the issues you listed and there are some who couldn’t care less about those issues in the interest of height, but the post that I commented on made no mention of that...

There are skyscraper enthusiasts around the world and the term ‘super tall’ is definitely not limited to members of this forum. Why would you feel the need to insult those whose interest is in building heights, especially on a forum partly dedicated to skyscrapers? I’ve travelled to 54...

Shenzhen has 16 completed over 300 metres with 5 more to be completed this year and next. There are 120 buildings taller than 200 metres.

Everybody understands the idea of a concept car and few, if any, make the mistake that they might be able to drive around in one in a couple of years. The pattern in Toronto, for the most part, is to promote a flashy design, then value engineer it to death. Nobu is a good example among many...

The moon setting behind Aura this morning.

I wasn’t stereotyping an entire city’s blandness. Toronto has some great architecture. I was simply referring to those projects that have been rightly described as bland and the response was “would you rather have Dubai architecture’. I find THAT stereotyping an entire city’s architecture as...

I wasn’t referring to you directly with my comment as I mentioned that there have been a number of posters who use the ‘ would you rather Toronto be more like Dubai’ response when someone complains about the blandness of Toronto designs. I did however specifically take exception to your “I...

Why is the go to UT position on any criticism of bland, mediocre Toronto architecture a scornful reference to the architecture of Dubai and/or Shanghai? This trope has been used by a number of members over the years and is just lazy. I’ve been to both places multiple times and there are some...

I find it incredibly depressing that we have cynically accepted that we are being misled by the marketing materials of the local condo developers. I also realize there is nothing in place to stop the practice from happening. The absurd overuse of grey spandrel in this city is bewildering and...