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

[christiesplits]

Said it before, will say it again - the entire superblock is a giant mistep and an utter waste. Nevermind how bad RoCP 1&2 were; even 777 Bay and College Park suites are pretty wanting in terms of what it did to the site.

I maintain that RoCP 1 & 2 are the worst of the block. I recall someone from the old thread saying they "look like two old men squatting on the toilet."

 

[syn]

Said it before, will say it again - the entire superblock is a giant mistep and an utter waste. Nevermind how bad RoCP 1&2 were; even 777 Bay and College Park suites are pretty wanting in terms of what it did to the site.

Hideous? Wait 20, 30 years when all these buildings start to seriously age. The Liberty is slowly getting there (just look at the faded window claddings)

AoD

Agreed.

Personally I think Aura is the best of an awful bunch. At least it looks alright from a distance.

 

[Rascacielo]

This could've been our version of Rockefeller Center. As for Aura vs RoCP, I think Aura has better proportions but worse cladding (especially the lower 2/3s), whereas the RoCP twins have 'better' cladding (not great by any stretch) but totally wrong and unattractive proportions.

 

[.dwg]

The very idea that anything about this design references, complements, aligns with, or even deserves to be on the same block as College Park, shows how dangerously deluded G&C's team are about their own abilities.

 

[GenerationLee]

In all honesty, the 70's expansions to the mall are...yes unattractive, but all in all not too bad. They definitely could be better, but it works. The two Residences of College Park are hideous. Better clad than Aura, but goodness...they have some issues. I'm not sure whether I find the podium on Aura worse, or the twins....I'll say the twins are better considering they at least tried to have some kind of design language, where as Aura looks like a good ol bottom of the barrel generic big boxed package of unfortunate design. The actual massing is...pretty unfortunate on either project. Aura is clunky, imposing, boxy and ill fitting to the site in general, but the twins also have some issues, mainly the towers and their thickness...the podium could definotely have been refined more.

 

[yin_yang]

I agree with "this could have been our Rockefeller Center, if done in a certain way.

 

[Northern Light]

This could've been our version of Rockefeller Center. As for Aura vs RoCP, I think Aura has better proportions but worse cladding (especially the lower 2/3s), whereas the RoCP twins have 'better' cladding (not great by any stretch) but totally wrong and unattractive proportions.

What should have happened............

That time Eaton's planned the tallest tower in the world

Toronto has had its fair share of aborted construction projects and big development ideas brought low - enough to fill two fascinating books, in fa...

www.blogto.com

And no cheaping out...........original plans and material specs!

Then everything south of Hayter should have been the park, unencumbered, Yonge to Bay.

Hayter keeping the block size a bit less overwhelming.

 

[Northern Light]

I maintain that RoCP 1 & 2 are the worst of the block. I recall someone from the old thread saying they "look like two old men squatting on the toilet."

A picture I did not need in my head.................sigh.

But of course you made me look to see if I could get the reference..................

Sadly, I can ......

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

What should have happened............

View attachment 312359

That time Eaton's planned the tallest tower in the world

Toronto has had its fair share of aborted construction projects and big development ideas brought low - enough to fill two fascinating books, in fa...

www.blogto.com

And no cheaping out...........original plans and material specs!

Then everything south of Hayter should have been the park, unencumbered, Yonge to Bay.

Hayter keeping the block size a bit less overwhelming.

That wasn't going to happen - but we could have come up with something that at least wouldn't clash with the heritage structure that remained - while making its' own mark architecturally.

AoD

 

[Rascacielo]

What should have happened............

View attachment 312359

That time Eaton's planned the tallest tower in the world

Toronto has had its fair share of aborted construction projects and big development ideas brought low - enough to fill two fascinating books, in fa...

www.blogto.com

And no cheaping out...........original plans and material specs!

Then everything south of Hayter should have been the park, unencumbered, Yonge to Bay.

Hayter keeping the block size a bit less overwhelming.

Of course the Great Depression put an end to that. So Hayter is basically where the walkways leading to the park from Bay and Yonge are now. Interesting that a section of it survives west of Bay for just a short block.

 

[UtakataNoAnnex]

I'm not sure having a block sized Robert A. M. Stern edifice in place of everything else there would be the best way of addressing the hodgepodge of buildings there now with varying degrees of quality and tact (or lack thereof). Even though the temptation is likely there of tearing everything down and starting anew with it. /sigh

 

[Northern Light]

Of course the Great Depression put an end to that. So Hayter is basically where the walkways leading to the park from Bay and Yonge are now. Interesting that a section of it survives west of Bay for just a short block.

The path into the park from Bay Street is part of the original Hayter ROW, along with the adjacent parking entrance, so far as I know.

Looking north on Bay you can see the still open chunk of Hayter on the left, and the area above to your right:

 

[Northern Light]

I'm not sure having a block sized Robert A. M. Stern edifice in place of everything else there would be the best way of addressing the hodgepodge of buildings there now with varying degrees of quality and tact (or lack thereof). Even though the temptation is likely there of tearing everything down and starting anew with it. /sigh

LOL; that may be true; though I'm quite sure Stern wasn't born when the original College Park plans were drawn......

 

[ProjectEnd]

In all honesty, the 70's expansions to the mall are...yes unattractive, but all in all not too bad. They definitely could be better, but it works. The two Residences of College Park are hideous. Better clad than Aura, but goodness...they have some issues. I'm not sure whether I find the podium on Aura worse, or the twins....I'll say the twins are better considering they at least tried to have some kind of design language, where as Aura looks like a good ol bottom of the barrel generic big boxed package of unfortunate design. The actual massing is...pretty unfortunate on either project. Aura is clunky, imposing, boxy and ill fitting to the site in general, but the twins also have some issues, mainly the towers and their thickness...the podium could definotely have been refined more.

80s.

 

[yin_yang]

View attachment 312368

The path into the park from Bay Street is part of the original Hayter ROW, along with the adjacent parking entrance, so far as I know.

Looking north on Bay you can see the still open chunk of Hayter on the left, and the area above to your right:

View attachment 312369

I love that little walkway! Used to use it all the time to walk my girlfriend's dogs.