EQ1, EQ2, Encore at Equinox (SCC, Monarch, 35 + 30s, G+C)

[cdr108]

well yes I understand builder's profit factor, but in this instance Monarch jammed the towers so close together its unreal ... if you compare this to downtown TO projects this site is still really tight ... you've gotta see it in person to be truly amazed

I've seen the site and I totally agree. You could literally spit across to your neighbours!

One would think city planners would have some sort of minimum standard and require them to be further apart.

 

[taal]

What happened to promoting density? : - )

 

[Solaris]

Being involved in the development process I am totally for promoting density ... but in planning terms density can not be provided 'at all costs' without considering the negative implications

in this instance, the problem I see with this project site layout is:
(1) lack of outdoor amenity space (as the site has extremely high buidling site coverage)
(2) high levels of cross shadow impacts between the three towers
(3) adverse wind conditions on ground level given the wind tunnels created by the jammed pack site
(4) very limited sky view from residential units, given the limited distance between towers its nearly impossible see anything but your neighbours in the building across

I though it was silly for Monarch to place the taller tower (Red @ 40 storeys) on the southern portion of the site instead of on the north end ... but thats just me

 

[interchange42]

Many of the same planning decisions were made for the Humber Bay Shores area, or Etobicoke Waterfront. The planners simply wanted density density density without looking at how the buildings would interact. The mistakes have been acknowledged at Humber Bay and the newest development there is being thought out more carefully. It looks like plans for the Consilium site just to the east of these buildings is being more heavily scrutinized now too.

42

 

[wyliepoon]

The issue of "screen towers" is huge in Hong Kong, where 50+ storey residential towers in one line up so closely together that they resemble a giant Chinese folding screen on the skyline. "Screen towers" is now a synonym for "bad planning".

Ironically, Hong Kong developer Henderson isn't committing that mistake across the street from the EQs with Centro. This is what Henderson typically builds in Hong Kong...

 

[scarberiankhatru]

If memory serves me correctly, Equinox was originally supposed to have 3 towers. There's ways to achieve higher densities without building screen towers, like building higher (none of this trio of identical 37 storey nonsense that gets built all over the place...what's wrong with one 24 storey, one 37, and one 48?) and fattening up the podium floors. A screen of towers isn't necessarily the worst thing in the world when placed along a street, but there's absolutely no need to build screens at STC.

 

[Evan]

I Disagree, they certainly aren’t anything special. But they are an improvement over the previous two buildings.
Now those two are fugly.

No I just made an ignorant comment

 

[cdr108]

OMG, those are horrendous ! ! !
I thought it was one tower originally.

 

[Solaris]

This is what Henderson typically builds in Hong Kong...

Thanks for the HK examples wylie ~ ironically my aunt lives in those older 13 storey buildings immediately to the right of those new towers shown in your picture

 

[Solaris]

Future SCC Cluster ?

since there isn't much activity lately in SCC threads ... here's a little something ~

thanks to Wylie's great SketchUp models, you can really see how jammed it will be in this one area of SCC when Monarch's EQ1+EQ2+Red and Henderson's Centro are all built ~

 

[Solaris]

these SketchUp models illustrate one point ... I would not want to be living in a south facing unit in Monarch's RED (aka EQ3), even though it has unobstructed views now overlooking the Scarborugh Civic Centre 2 level parking garage, this parking structure to the south will surely disappear eventually and the lands sold off for some other high density development ~

heck ... the City may have already be pre-zoned it lands for some sort of towers~

 

[marcus_a_j]

Jan 9, 2009

 

[Solaris]

thanks for the pics marcus_a_j ... a blue cold day huh?

 

[marcus_a_j]

Ya, it was a bit chilly. These buildings are actually a bit more green than seen in the photos. I was using my company's camera (which isn't the greatest) so I didn't bother to mess around with and get better images.

 

[gregv]

Feb 19