Toronto Bloor Street Neighbourhood Condos | ?m | 32s | Cresford | Northgrave

Truthfully, I think both BSN and Casa are both nice buildings that serve different demographics and tastes but a lot of people on this site are biased towards Casa. I just wanted to shed some light to people reading this thread that BSN and Casa both have their strengths and flaws and you can't really make arguments that one is better than the other. That is why I started making fun of Casa, I felt that this thread which was supposed to be about BSN has very few positive things to say about a really great condo project and I don't think it is reflective about most people's feelings about this great building!
 
Well your bias is towards BSN. Alot of people here are biased towards CASA because its architecture is simply a cut above BSN.

In terms of the real quality of the buildings and living in them compared to one another--- it's WAY too early to judge those factors.
 
pepper79 said:
you can't really make arguments that one is better than the other.
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Why not? Many on here know a fair amount about architecture and develoment and it seems to me to be fair game to contrast the two buildings (especially considering they are across the street from each other).

It's like saying you can't argue that Bruno or Borat is better because they both have their strengths and weaknesses.
 
SP!RE said:
Well your bias is towards BSN. Alot of people here are biased towards CASA because its architecture is simply a cut above BSN.

In terms of the real quality of the buildings and living in them compared to one another--- it's WAY too early to judge those factors.
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What makes Casa's architecture better? The fact that is uses more glass than BSN? The fact that it is taller than BSN?

Your arguments are based on opinion, not fact. So if we are getting into opinions - here is mine: Casa is just another boring glass tower like Spire, X and all those other monstosities of glass that are popping up in the city. BORING!!! Give credit to BSN for bucking this stupid trend!
 
You aren't allowing for the fact that some have acquired intelligently honed opinions on matters and that simply stating stuff like "no opinion is wrong" is equal to saying "there's no such thing as bad art."
 
pepper79, I study architecture. That's my bias.

I look past the fact that CASA is a glass box and that BSN is covered in tacky stucco detailing. ;)

No, but seriously--both have their merits. BSN is charming because it is so humane. But architecturally speaking, from my BIASED PRO-MODERNIST views, CASA is better. I am not against diversity, nor am I against the creation of buildings like BSN. They are important too.

But I would design something modernist and more in-line with CASA's vernacular.
 
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Which building will age better - BSN or Casa?

I think both will be fine. Casa captures the zeitgeist of architecture of the oughts (in my view, anyway), with the pure glass form and purity of the straight lines. For this, it will be viewed favourably as it ages.

As for BSN, its pre-casting isn't going to win any awards, but in terms of form, it treats the neighbourhood very kindly. The northside looks really good from Yonge & Bloor - very skinny and pleasing to the eye. The spandrels are framed really nicely by the precast along the edges. As for interiors, I also think the layouts here are much more distinct and use space better than most of the new units on the market now, including Casa. For example, it may seen odd, but I really like a window in the bathroom, and there are a good number of units here that have them. I haven't seen anyone else doing that for non-penthouse units.
 
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pepper79 said:
What makes Casa's architecture better? The fact that is uses more glass than BSN? The fact that it is taller than BSN?

Your arguments are based on opinion, not fact. So if we are getting into opinions - here is mine: Casa is just another boring glass tower like Spire, X and all those other monstosities of glass that are popping up in the city. BORING!!! Give credit to BSN for bucking this stupid trend!
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Everyone has opinions, but I think you make the mistake of assuming that they're all of equal merit merely because they're expressed.
 
The spandrels are framed really nicely by the precast along the edges.
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It's EIFS not precast. Give it 5 to 10 years and you'll see the difference.
 
maestro said:
It's EIFS not precast. Give it 5 to 10 years and you'll see the difference.
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Thanks Maestro, I've marked my calendar.

[I had no idea there was a difference. Cladding, precast, EIFS, whatever. For those like me who don't know the exact ins and outs: EIFS.]
 
For what it's worth, when I first saw the renderings for BSN a few years ago, I thought they were going to build an ugly 905 condo (vs a normal 905 condo, yes it was that bad) downtown. With most of the building's exterior complete now though, I have to admit it turned out vastly better than I thought it would. It fits in the neighbourhood fine even if it isn't anything special.
 
pepper79 said:
What makes Casa's architecture better? The fact that is uses more glass than BSN? The fact that it is taller than BSN?
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There are people who buy art because they feel some sort of indescribable emotional reaction from it and keep getting something new out of it everytime they look at it... and there are others who buy "art" because it matches the carpet.

Nothing wrong with either of these people. I hope you enjoy living at BSN. I'll wave to you from CASA.
 
pepper79 said:
What makes Casa's architecture better? The fact that is uses more glass than BSN? The fact that it is taller than BSN?

Your arguments are based on opinion, not fact. So if we are getting into opinions - here is mine: Casa is just another boring glass tower like Spire, X and all those other monstosities of glass that are popping up in the city. BORING!!! Give credit to BSN for bucking this stupid trend!
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Under the circumstances, your judgment is as witless as declaring that Mies' TD Bank Tower is "just another boring glass tower" and playing it off against John Lyle(once removed)'s Bank of Nova Scotia as being the truer exemplar of architectural greatness. (Not that BNS and BSN are architectural equals; just for the sake of argument.)
 
Took a look at BSN and Casa again last night. BSN wins hands down, not question about it! Casa has no colour or pop to it, it is probably the most boring condo building I have seen for a long time. I hope the interiors to Casa are nice because right now Casa is very unispired from the exterior. I know people on here are going to say "it is more modern so it is better". Following that logic, that would mean that if Loblaws were to build a new grocery store, it would must be better than the Eiffel Tower since it is more modern and newer, right? Not exactly, it is a dumb argument so stop using it!

The fact is that hate it or love it, you have to admit that BSN has way more character and personality than the dull tower of glass that Casa is. End of argument, I don't even want to hear everyone's nonsensical rebuttals as none of them to this point make any sense or logic. I am right and that is final.
 
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