Toronto 89 Avenue Yorkville | 76.5m | 20s | Armour Heights | Richard Wengle

[interchange42]

I am ashamed of myself
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I suppose I could have gone a little more in depth—I just picked the handle that more members knew him as!

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[WislaHD]

Off-topic, but it sure is interesting to read these old threads and compare the level of architectural discourse then vs. today. Perhaps it was a bit pretentious, maybe a tad insufferable, but way more fun to read than most of the architectural discussions from the past five or so years I've been active here.

Also arguably less accessible to the layperson.

 

[smably]

Also arguably less accessible to the layperson.

For sure, and probably deliberately so. But underneath all that obfuscation and elitism, there were some good ideas...

 

[Automation Gallery]

89 AVENUE RD Ward 11 - Tor & E.York District​
	​
​	Site Plan Control Application to permit a 20 storey residential building (GFA 8207.40m2) with 4 levels of below grade parking containing 76 vehicle parking spaces and 43 bicycle parking spaces. Proposed Use ---​ # of Storeys ---​ # of Units ---​ Type​ Number​ Date Submitted​ Status​ Applications:​ Site Plan Approval​ 19 146963 STE 11 SA​ Apr 30, 2019​ Application Received​

 

[Downtown Toronto]

Looks like the Chinese buyer intends to build! Not surprising as they did no reno of the very dated budget hotel when they took over last year.

 

[Marcanadian]

Richard Wengle Architect:

Application Information Centre

Search for details about current planning applications and Minor variance and Consent applications. Application Information Centre For best results, please use the latest version of Microsoft IE/Edge, Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. As of July 30th, the Application Information Centre has...

app.toronto.ca

 

[Downtown Toronto]

I like it, why the hate?

 

[ADRM]

I like it, why the hate?

I won't speak for others, but personally, I hate most attempts at faux historicism, I don't think the style fits in well in this part of Yorkville, and if you're going to do it, you should probably hire Robert Stern.

 

[UrbanFervour]

I won't speak for others, but personally, I hate most attempts at faux historicism, I don't think the style fits in well in this part of Yorkville, and if you're going to do it, you should probably hire Robert Stern.

Few architects these days know anything about the traditional details, proportions, materials & building techniques that go into historic styles... so the ones who dare tread in that area usually miss the mark (Robert Stern's office is a notable exception). It's also often prohibitively expensive to get those details and materials right so it has to be a certain type of deep-pocketed client to get the right result.

That being said, there is also a snobby aversion to historic styles in the architectural community that comes straight from the academy. The argument is basically "buildings should represent the era in which they're built." This overlooks that many of our most beloved historic buildings were not "of their time" but are neoclassical, neogothic, and so forth.

There is a lot to learn from historic styles that can be brought forward to create proportionally pleasing, timeless design that's loved by laypeople - but architectural education long ago threw that baby out with the bath water.

 

[ADRM]

There is a lot to learn from historic styles that can be brought forward to create proportionally pleasing, timeless design that's loved by laypeople - but architectural education long ago threw that baby out with the bath water.

Most definitely; I just don't think Richard Wengle has undertaken such an education.

 

[maestro]

It's overwrought with details and a little too boxy and too tall to pull it off. I still find the design pretty benign thanks to the narrowness of the lot. I have low expectations on materials though.

Too tall refers only to the design.

 

[Hamiltonian]

Richard Wengle's work in this style is usually pretty good. His Kingsway project has great proportions but his Oakville project seems heavy.

 

[LMVDR]

I find it amusing that Wengle designs condos to look strikingly similar to his single family home projects.

This project is going to be a b*tch to build wedged between these two buildings with virtually no room to stage.

 

[ProjectEnd]

That's why it was so difficult for Freed to vend. It was on the market for years (first in 2015 or 16, I think) but noone wanted to touch it since there's no room to actually build the damn thing.

 

[LUVIT!]

I like it too..I agree why all the hate? Another mint green box instead?