Toronto Clear Spirit | 131.36m | 40s | Cityscape | a—A

[buildup]

"Uh, only one of the towers has been built so it's pretty hard to make that judgement right now."

uh, not if you have any imagination and can extrapolate.

"I can't think of a single old European city with a unified historic precinct in which buildings are demolished and replaced with multiple 30+ story towers in a three block area."

My point is many European cities have historic areas where 100, 200, 300 year-old buildings are mashed together. And are interesting because of it. At the time I am sure people complained about the new 200' catherdrals crowding out the old.

"I find the need to be reassured by modern towers when in an historic low rise neighbourhood to be a little bizarre."

Not in this case because its not really a low rise neighborhood. Its extremely tiny - about 4 square blocks. And not even a neighbourhood unless you consider a collection of bistros, galleries, and chocolate shops to be one. Unless people are living there and working there, its not a neighbourhood. The place was pure movie-set kitsch until the condos came along. You'll notice that no-one really visted the place until then.

 

[urbandreamer]

US is always going on about how Torontonians are frightened by unadorned blank walls. Wasn't Rack House M really just an unadorned blank wall?

 

[Urban Shocker]

You're confusing horror vacui - the irrational fear of unadorned space - with cacophobia, the intense and justified dislike of ugliness.

 

[buildup]

Honestly US,

The huge sums Ontario apparently invested in over-educating you could have given us 7 doctors.

 

[Tulse]

I think US's high-falutin' words add a certain tone to the place, myself.

 

[buildup]

I definately agree. I'm honoured when he acknowledges my posts.

 

[Urban Shocker]

Urban Shocker - accept no faux substitutes:

http://urbantoronto.ca/member.php?4009-Urbane-Schlocker

 

[Parkdalian]

^Urban Shocker is one of the Pure Spirits of urbantoronto: daring other people to think greatness is something you invent, not something you imitate from Europe.

I think my point regarding this discussion can best be summed up as this. The towers are like the spice in the curry of the Distillery District. Sure, it might be a little hot from some people's perspective. But part of the fun of experiencing the city in an aesthetic way is to open your eyes to things you might find distasteful at first. Trust me, it may seem painful now, but if you give yourself some time, it'll eventually grow on you. You'll wonder why you resisted the pleasure in the first place.

 

[unimaginative2]

Honestly US,

The huge sums Ontario apparently invested in over-educating you could have given us 7 doctors.

I definately agree. I'm honoured when he acknowledges my posts.

Oh, US! I'm so thrilled that your Mummy has joined the forum!

 

[unimaginative2]

^Urban Shocker is one of the Pure Spirits of urbantoronto: daring other people to think greatness is something you invent, not something you imitate from Europe.

Not something you imitate from Europe? Where you you think Modern architecture comes from?

 

[junctionist]

We are one the major high-rise cities of the world. If you see Modern high-rises going up in a revitalized historic district in Europe, it may very well be imitation of our city-building schemes.

 

[Parkdalian]

Not something you imitate from Europe? Where you you think Modern architecture comes from?

Not exclusively from Europe.

I'm talking more about the fact that all arguments against this project seem to be based on concerns that we won't have a historic district like European cities. City-building may have some foundations in Europe, but the best way to deal with this influence is to acknowledge it and move on.

(And don't take my comment to mean I completely agree with all or most of US' ideas. I don't like Corus Quay! But I prefer to read US' comments (even when I disagree) than the comments of people extolling all sorts of "common sense" about how cities should be designed, for instance.)

 

[Urban Shocker]

Not something you imitate from Europe? Where you you think Modern architecture comes from?

Yes, but I feel sure those wacky Europeans had Toronto in mind when they invented it.

 

[unimaginative2]

Not in this case because its not really a low rise neighborhood. Its extremely tiny - about 4 square blocks. And not even a neighbourhood unless you consider a collection of bistros, galleries, and chocolate shops to be one. Unless people are living there and working there, its not a neighbourhood. The place was pure movie-set kitsch until the condos came along.

Nobody works in bistros, galleries and chocolate shops?

You'll notice that no-one really visted the place until then.

Do you have any figures to back up that claim?

 

[UrbanFervour]

Not exclusively from Europe.

I'm talking more about the fact that all arguments against this project seem to be based on concerns that we won't have a historic district like European cities. City-building may have some foundations in Europe, but the best way to deal with this influence is to acknowledge it and move on.

(And don't take my comment to mean I completely agree with all or most of US' ideas. I don't like Corus Quay! But I prefer to read US' comments (even when I disagree) than the comments of people extolling all sorts of "common sense" about how cities should be designed, for instance.)

Well at least he's consistent in his convictions... I read him as a modern fundamentalist zealot. As with all fundamentalists, there is no arguing "common sense" with them. To me he's sorta the Pat Robertson of this forum. I don't necessarily mean that as a bad thing...