Toronto Aura at College Park | 271.87m | 78s | Canderel | Graziani + Corazza

[BrianSolo]

Ya... aren't we all joyful and open-minded bunch. Be happy people! Whether you love it or hate it or anything in between, Aura is a building... not a religion.

 

[adma]

Did New York suddenly become less of a city when the Met Life building(then called the Pan Am building) went up in 1963? It was initially hugely unpopular and even derided as an ugly behemoth by some. If so, then it must of been very difficult for them to wait almost a decade before another grander and more highly regarded project, the World Trade Center(s), gave it back what it supposedly lost when the Pan Am building went up.

Actually, if anything, the WTC was even *less* highly regarded than Pan Am, on architectural, urbanistic, and white-elephant grounds...

 

[adma]

Why has Yonge always been such a dead zone for mid rise/high rise buildings in downtown? It's perplexing considering how important Yonge is to North York. I hope when development finally does come this way, not every house/small building is preserved. I want the focus to remain on the true heritage gems, and on creating a nice tall street wall.

Downtown Yonge is to North York Yonge as Lena Dunham is to Paulina Gretzky. And that's not complimenting the latter, either.

 

[E.B.]

Its nothing that exciting. UrbanToronto automatically places that designation under a users name once they reach a certain number of posts. There are designations beyond that such as ’lives at UT’. I have no idea what number of posts are needed to attain any of those levels nor does it interest me.

And thank you for expanding on your previous statements in regards to Aura. Though there is an opinion of yours that I completely disagree with...



Because one large scale project does not necessarily meet everyone's expectations, does it suddenly becomes vitally important that another project rises up to counterbalance it or fill in some supposed void?

Did New York suddenly become less of a city when the Met Life building(then called the Pan Am building) went up in 1963? It was initially hugely unpopular and even derided as an ugly behemoth by some. If so, then it must of been very difficult for them to wait almost a decade before another grander and more highly regarded project, the World Trade Center(s), gave it back what it supposedly lost when the Pan Am building went up. I don't think so. And in a city with more than 140 buildings currently under construction, Aura is really just one small piece of a massive pie. Its not going to make or break us(imo).

Also, I'm going to go out on a limb and say this - most people here will be pleasantly surprised by how the upper section of the tower turns out.
Fell free to call me out if it doesn't happen.

You're amazing, you ignored all of my comments and only chose the one that was said in jest.

Why did you want to start an argument? khristopher seems to agree by saying.

"He didn't say he does not like it. He's saying other people don't. Are you trying to start an argument?"

Well at least we agree on one thing, you were wrong and I was right.

Regarding the Gehry & the casino/hotel/office towers, the recent renderings and models of the Gehry project, were even better than the first. They're different enough from the usual boxes but not so different that they look ridicules.

The Oxford renderings for the whole casino project smoothly balance the skyline. I'm also interested in seeing what MGM has for the exhibition grounds.

 

[Atlantis]

Was just at Yonge/Bloor. I think the floor plate's changing on the west side, but it's hard to be certain from ground level. Can anyone get a better closeup shot from the north west?

 

[vegeta_skyline]

You're amazing, you ignored all of my comments and only chose the one that was said in jest.

No you just missed it.

And said in jest? Perhaps, but I'd be more inclined to construed that as veiled attempt to be insulting. Because if you had any idea how that designation works you would have realized that little 'joke' of yours didn't make any sense. That is unless you like making nonsensical jokes.

 

[someMidTowner]

Was just at Yonge/Bloor. I think the floor plate's changing on the west side, but it's hard to be certain from ground level. Can anyone get a better closeup shot from the north west?

I think you are right. The webcam shows something similar.

Couldn't notice a thing from ground level today though:

Stone cladding on the west side of the podium is almost finished:

 

[ptbotrmpfn]

Yay We have curve! Took forever but finally the most attractive part of the tower is here. and growing here on out. It will be even better ten floors from now. When the curves appear on both sides. Thanks for the photo updates. Appreciate it Atlantis and SMT.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

Thanks for replying in that insulting tone, it is very appreciated. Placing your opinion high above mine, and dismissing what I said, because you view me as a "skyscraper geek" really wasn't necessary. Anyhow, you missed my question completely.

I'm sorry DtTO if you found my comments and my opinion insulting, I honestly didn't mean for it to be. I also don't think the term "skyscraper geeks" (note that it was plural and referring to a group in general that I sometimes don't agree with) is to suggest anything negative, it's just a silly terminology for folks who like tall buildings. I'm a tech geek, so what?

 

[Atlantis]

The best part is yet to come, can't wait to see the curved part rise.

By the way sMT, is that a tiny bit of balcony glass we see there on the seventh floor, far right closest to Gerrard? Maybe I'm just seeing things, but it looks like a couple panels of something different. I was just thinking that after 57 floors, we've yet to see any serious amount of anything on the balconies.

Couldn't notice a thing from ground level today though:

 

[E.B.]

No you just missed it.

And said in jest? Perhaps, but I'd be more inclined to construed that as veiled attempt to be insulting. Because if you had any idea how that designation works you would have realized that little 'joke' of yours didn't make any sense. That is unless you like making nonsensical jokes.

Really, you think I just missed it. I don’t think so.

Lets go back to my original, reasonable and opined posting.

“I've only seen Aura at night over the last few months, however, I'm waiting for the other half to be completed. I hope the top half, with a sleeker look will improve it. but from the posts I'm reading, it doesn't sound promising. I think its more important than ever to get the Gehry & casino projects done. Now everyone say this together, we need these projects, we need these project, we need them now. Can I get an Amen.”

You got all wound-up by these rather mild comments, which led into your diatribe about my not having an opinion, having a herd mentally etc. and it just being sad.

I asked you why you wanted to start an argument, which you haven’t answered. It was so obvious, that khristopher posted the following:

"He didn't say he does not like it. He's saying other people don't. Are you trying to start an argument?"

You also haven’t answered whether you agreed with "you being wrong and I being right."

My saying "is Senior_UT_Member your official title or did you make that up for yourself?" could be considered by some, as a slight. However, I think others may have seen the humour in your explanation, I did.

 

[condovo]

... No building going up in town has more to show than aura...

omg

 

[gristle]

I guess that depends on how the word "show" is being used.

I think of it as the million mullion mass.

 

[Transportfan]

Look how that smallish depression-era building looks so big in that shot! It's amazing how shorter buildings look so tall when newer, taller buildings are not yet there.

 

[Xray_Crystal_Junkie]

By the way sMT, is that a tiny bit of balcony glass we see there on the seventh floor, far right closest to Gerrard? Maybe I'm just seeing things, but it looks like a couple panels of something different. I was just thinking that after 57 floors, we've yet to see any serious amount of anything on the balconies.

I believe those are still just the test panels of glass we saw mentioned a few (dozen?) pages back. They weren't happy with the original panes and so a new design with etched stripes was selected.