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Darkstar416
Guest
I'd basically agree with Hume here. Viacom or CBS? I could live with either, but neither is superb. There's little I like about Clear Channel's though.
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bengaijin
Guest
Toronto Street furniture proposals
On the Star website there are links to full proposal pdfs and a "vote on your favorite design" link. Begin heated debate:
Toronto street furniture designers roll out the bins to win
Mar 29, 2007 04:30 AM
Paul Moloney
Donovan Vincent
City Hall Bureau
Proposals for the city's new "street furniture'' – litter bins, benches, transit shelters and newspaper boxes – have been released, and plans call for the winning design to be rolled out next spring.
The three firms bidding – Astral Media Outdoor, CBS Outdoor Canada and Clear Channel Outdoor Canada – had an opportunity to show off their products yesterday. The winner will place 25,000 items of street furniture on sidewalks. (View concepts and vote for your favourite.)
Designer Jeremy Kramer's team of six worked three months coming up with two lines for Astral. The TOstreetsmart 100 Series includes a bus shelter similar to one already on the streets, but this version has solar-powered lighting, low-glare glass, more seats and a thinner advertising display.
"Given the fact the city has 1,000 of those on the street, it seemed like a very viable direction for the city," Kramer said.
His litter bin has a foot pedal to open the flap, a hygienic idea first adopted in Madrid but a first for North America.
Kramer's design theme continues with bike racks he insists are unbreakable, bike lockers, public toilets (the city is contemplating installing up to 20), message centres for postering, information pillars and newspaper boxes.
Clear Channel and its Toronto partners, including Zeidler Partnership Architects and Rogers Communications, wanted to integrate a tree theme into its models, especially the bus shelters, said Paul Seaman, the company's vice-president of real estate and public affairs.
"Toronto is one of few cities in North America with a tremendous number of trees. The city wanted something iconic ... and we wanted a theme that best reflected Toronto."
A representative for CBS Outdoor Canada's bid could not be reached for comment.
Cost estimates for each of the proposals, along with evaluations by three independent judges, will be in a report next month to the city's executive committee.
On the Star website there are links to full proposal pdfs and a "vote on your favorite design" link. Begin heated debate:
Toronto street furniture designers roll out the bins to win
Mar 29, 2007 04:30 AM
Paul Moloney
Donovan Vincent
City Hall Bureau
Proposals for the city's new "street furniture'' – litter bins, benches, transit shelters and newspaper boxes – have been released, and plans call for the winning design to be rolled out next spring.
The three firms bidding – Astral Media Outdoor, CBS Outdoor Canada and Clear Channel Outdoor Canada – had an opportunity to show off their products yesterday. The winner will place 25,000 items of street furniture on sidewalks. (View concepts and vote for your favourite.)
Designer Jeremy Kramer's team of six worked three months coming up with two lines for Astral. The TOstreetsmart 100 Series includes a bus shelter similar to one already on the streets, but this version has solar-powered lighting, low-glare glass, more seats and a thinner advertising display.
"Given the fact the city has 1,000 of those on the street, it seemed like a very viable direction for the city," Kramer said.
His litter bin has a foot pedal to open the flap, a hygienic idea first adopted in Madrid but a first for North America.
Kramer's design theme continues with bike racks he insists are unbreakable, bike lockers, public toilets (the city is contemplating installing up to 20), message centres for postering, information pillars and newspaper boxes.
Clear Channel and its Toronto partners, including Zeidler Partnership Architects and Rogers Communications, wanted to integrate a tree theme into its models, especially the bus shelters, said Paul Seaman, the company's vice-president of real estate and public affairs.
"Toronto is one of few cities in North America with a tremendous number of trees. The city wanted something iconic ... and we wanted a theme that best reflected Toronto."
A representative for CBS Outdoor Canada's bid could not be reached for comment.
Cost estimates for each of the proposals, along with evaluations by three independent judges, will be in a report next month to the city's executive committee.
B
bengaijin
Guest
the links:
Astral Media
www.toronto.ca/involved/p...oor_lp.pdf
CBS
www.thestar.com/News/arti...canada.pdf
Clear Channel
www.thestar.com/News/arti...utdoor.pdf
Astral Media
www.toronto.ca/involved/p...oor_lp.pdf
CBS
www.thestar.com/News/arti...canada.pdf
Clear Channel
www.thestar.com/News/arti...utdoor.pdf
B
bengaijin
Guest
I'm going to give a vote for the Astral Media proposal.
Their furnishings offer a level of variety that none of the others do, while also (strangely) integrating best with some of our more elegant current fixtures, particularly the bus shelters.
On the basis of hands-free garbage bins alone they deserve our vote, but they seem to have a level of thoughtful functionality in many of their pieces - more seats in bus shelters, photovoltaic power for shelter and kiosk lights, adaptable modules for newspaper bins, etc.
I'm much more impressed with the '100' series than the '200' series, but both have more successes than failures.
I'm a bit sad to see our current bike ring design being replaced in all the proposals. There's something about their simplicity I've always liked. The new ones look like overwrought hood ornaments in comparison.
Much to my chagrin, the Clear Channel proposal (headed by the hackiest of hacks, Zeidler) is well in the lead in the Star poll. People can't get enough of his schtick. What's the deal?
Hopefully this will be a repeat of the NPS competition, where Zeidler leads the Star poll and then gets crushed by his vastly better competition.
Their furnishings offer a level of variety that none of the others do, while also (strangely) integrating best with some of our more elegant current fixtures, particularly the bus shelters.
On the basis of hands-free garbage bins alone they deserve our vote, but they seem to have a level of thoughtful functionality in many of their pieces - more seats in bus shelters, photovoltaic power for shelter and kiosk lights, adaptable modules for newspaper bins, etc.
I'm much more impressed with the '100' series than the '200' series, but both have more successes than failures.
I'm a bit sad to see our current bike ring design being replaced in all the proposals. There's something about their simplicity I've always liked. The new ones look like overwrought hood ornaments in comparison.
Much to my chagrin, the Clear Channel proposal (headed by the hackiest of hacks, Zeidler) is well in the lead in the Star poll. People can't get enough of his schtick. What's the deal?
Hopefully this will be a repeat of the NPS competition, where Zeidler leads the Star poll and then gets crushed by his vastly better competition.
B
bengaijin
Guest
whoops.
just started a parallel thread in the Toronto Issues section.
I didn't think to look here.
someday when i grow up to be a real forum member with thousands of posts to call my own i won't make mistakes like that anymore... someday...
but for now I'm going to cast my vote for Astral Media. Hands-free garbage cans, everybody! Aren't you all sick of doing that thing where you try to open the garbage lid with the item you're throwing away so as not to make any contact with your actual hand, but then the garbage doesn't go all the way in and gets lodged between the lid and the can?
I hate that.
But seriously, I thought there was a thoughtful functionality in many aspects of their proposal that outshone the competition.
just started a parallel thread in the Toronto Issues section.
I didn't think to look here.
someday when i grow up to be a real forum member with thousands of posts to call my own i won't make mistakes like that anymore... someday...
but for now I'm going to cast my vote for Astral Media. Hands-free garbage cans, everybody! Aren't you all sick of doing that thing where you try to open the garbage lid with the item you're throwing away so as not to make any contact with your actual hand, but then the garbage doesn't go all the way in and gets lodged between the lid and the can?
I hate that.
But seriously, I thought there was a thoughtful functionality in many aspects of their proposal that outshone the competition.
F
FutureMayor
Guest
bengaijin: you're hilarious.
I was at Toronto City Hall yesterday and stumbled upon the displays from three companies.
The panels on display showcased a few more items not listed on the website, including small and large stands to sell newspapers and flowers in.
My only concern about hands-free garbage cans is during the winter months. I suspect that the foot pedal will be covered in snow as it builds up around the bin.
I was also hoping that Toronto could get these Vancouver style litter bins with a solar panel on top that compressed the garbage in order to increase the capacity of the bins.
Otherwise I liked the each bin has the opportunity to be personalized according to BIA or district. The same goes with all of Astral's program, which also nicely contains the City of Toronto in the little details.
I'm not sure if this was part of the formal RFP, but Astral appears to be proposing to design new street poles and lights to match the program.
Louroz
I was at Toronto City Hall yesterday and stumbled upon the displays from three companies.
The panels on display showcased a few more items not listed on the website, including small and large stands to sell newspapers and flowers in.
My only concern about hands-free garbage cans is during the winter months. I suspect that the foot pedal will be covered in snow as it builds up around the bin.
I was also hoping that Toronto could get these Vancouver style litter bins with a solar panel on top that compressed the garbage in order to increase the capacity of the bins.
Otherwise I liked the each bin has the opportunity to be personalized according to BIA or district. The same goes with all of Astral's program, which also nicely contains the City of Toronto in the little details.
I'm not sure if this was part of the formal RFP, but Astral appears to be proposing to design new street poles and lights to match the program.
Louroz
A
AlvinofDiaspar
Guest
A
AlvinofDiaspar
Guest
Moved to Toronto Issues.
AoD
AoD
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SD2
Guest
None of them really blow me away. I like the Astral bus shelters, but their other stuff isn't as impressive.
Clear Channel wasn't bad either (relatively speaking) - I think I like their stuff better overall than Astral. It's definitely between the two of them. CBS was terrible.
I hope they can make them go back and modify some of these designs.
Clear Channel wasn't bad either (relatively speaking) - I think I like their stuff better overall than Astral. It's definitely between the two of them. CBS was terrible.
I hope they can make them go back and modify some of these designs.
S
scarberiankhatru
Guest
By the time the new design rolls out to all random suburban areas, they'll already have started the next competition.
W
wyliepoon
Guest
Globe
Link to article
Activists decry input on street furniture
JEFF GRAY
Activists concerned about Toronto's sweeping "street furniture" plan say the public is being denied a chance to comment on the proposed designs for new benches, garbage bins and transit shelters.
The city this week made public designs from the three firms bidding on a 20-year contract to install and maintain thousands of new fixtures -- at no cost to the city -- in exchange for the right to sell advertising on them. The municipal government would get a cut of the expected ad revenue.
Jonathan Goldsbie of the Toronto Public Space Committee -- an activist group that has opposed the plans as an "ad-driven privatization scheme" -- is critical of the fact that there is no formal mechanism to collect feedback from citizens on the bidders' designs. Instead, a committee of design experts and city bureaucrats will recommend a winner next month.
"They haven't been interested in what the public thinks of this at any stage, really," said Mr. Goldsbie, an undergraduate anthropology student at the University of Toronto. ". . . It was all a foregone conclusion at first. If anything, they're at least being honest now about the fact that they don't care what we think."
He points to a paragraph in the original request for proposals sent out to interested firms, which states: "Important notice: Public feedback to renderings will not be used in the evaluation of proposals. The sole intent is to . . . provide context for the eventual recommendations of the Selection Committee."
Andy Koropeski, director of the city's transportation department, said the city extensively consulted with citizens, activists and industry groups as it came up with the furniture plan.
"A strict set of criteria were put into the [request for proposals], and the proposals are being evaluated against those criteria, not just opinion," he said. He said the city's website has provision for people to comment. In fact, it offers only an e-mail address from which people can request "more information."
Mr. Koropeski also said concerned citizens could speak on the issue when the bureaucracy's recommendation is forwarded to Mayor David Miller's executive committee on April 30. Or they could contact their councillor, he said. The public may also get a chance to suggest improvements to the designs, he added.
Link to article
Activists decry input on street furniture
JEFF GRAY
Activists concerned about Toronto's sweeping "street furniture" plan say the public is being denied a chance to comment on the proposed designs for new benches, garbage bins and transit shelters.
The city this week made public designs from the three firms bidding on a 20-year contract to install and maintain thousands of new fixtures -- at no cost to the city -- in exchange for the right to sell advertising on them. The municipal government would get a cut of the expected ad revenue.
Jonathan Goldsbie of the Toronto Public Space Committee -- an activist group that has opposed the plans as an "ad-driven privatization scheme" -- is critical of the fact that there is no formal mechanism to collect feedback from citizens on the bidders' designs. Instead, a committee of design experts and city bureaucrats will recommend a winner next month.
"They haven't been interested in what the public thinks of this at any stage, really," said Mr. Goldsbie, an undergraduate anthropology student at the University of Toronto. ". . . It was all a foregone conclusion at first. If anything, they're at least being honest now about the fact that they don't care what we think."
He points to a paragraph in the original request for proposals sent out to interested firms, which states: "Important notice: Public feedback to renderings will not be used in the evaluation of proposals. The sole intent is to . . . provide context for the eventual recommendations of the Selection Committee."
Andy Koropeski, director of the city's transportation department, said the city extensively consulted with citizens, activists and industry groups as it came up with the furniture plan.
"A strict set of criteria were put into the [request for proposals], and the proposals are being evaluated against those criteria, not just opinion," he said. He said the city's website has provision for people to comment. In fact, it offers only an e-mail address from which people can request "more information."
Mr. Koropeski also said concerned citizens could speak on the issue when the bureaucracy's recommendation is forwarded to Mayor David Miller's executive committee on April 30. Or they could contact their councillor, he said. The public may also get a chance to suggest improvements to the designs, he added.
I
indense
Guest
In Amsterdam, the bike lockers are mostly located at commuter rail stations. You ride your bike, lock it up and take the train into the city. I'm not sure where they would go in Toronto. Possibly some of the dead space under the Gardiner could be used for giant bicycle parking lots.
My first reaction to Toronto installing them was that they would be turned into homeless shelters.
Before seeing the proposals, I thought that this whole process should also include the redesign of the subway entrances in order to create unity with the bus shelters. Now, I'm hoping for something a little better for the subway entrances.
My first reaction to Toronto installing them was that they would be turned into homeless shelters.
Before seeing the proposals, I thought that this whole process should also include the redesign of the subway entrances in order to create unity with the bus shelters. Now, I'm hoping for something a little better for the subway entrances.
W
wyliepoon
Guest
In Amsterdam, the bike lockers are mostly located at commuter rail stations.
I'd think that it would be no different here in Toronto. You'd see them put in front of a number of subway stations, where they have the bike posts now.
edit: Check out the Toronto bike locker pilot project... www.toronto.ca/cycling/locker.htm
A
allabootmatt
Guest
My vote is for Astral...but with one caveat: using the 200-series transit shelters but 100 for everything else.
Clear Channel is second with CBS a distant third, in my book.
Clear Channel is second with CBS a distant third, in my book.
F
FutureMayor
Guest
Models that illustrate the proposed street furniture designs submitted by the three firms will be on display for public viewing in the rotunda at Toronto City Hall on Wednesday, April 4 from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Louroz
Louroz