Toronto Concord Canada House | 231.97m | 74s | Concord Adex | Arcadis

I look forward to seeing their final thoughts on art before i rule judgement on this.

My one issue remains with the raised retail level. That's always a red flag unless the architects and landscape architects can get that done right. I dont doubt that retail will move in because there is a critical density of people here but It remains y hope that the quality of retail that this space can attract is not hampered by the raised level. On the other side of things, some restaurants and intimate retail may wish to be a little separated from the street so they can benefit from this.

Again in the end it all comes down to execution of the space.
 
The art idea at the top is nice and interesting but the problem is this unhealthy obsession with glass box towers. Its almost like the architects and developers haven't stepped outside Canada. There should be a rule where developers that want to build above 150m should think outside the box (pun definitely intended) and design a building that looks half decent and not just any blue glass box like many buildings in that area. It is possible my trip to Dubai has spoiled me and my expectations of a well designed skyscraper is too high.
 
Funny to see the words well designed and Dubai in the same sentence
 
P23 said:
Way too much whining here as usual. The towers don't do anything crazy but they're attractively slim yet significant and will make Spadina/Front feel huge once the other projects at this intersection are complete. And can anyone point to another building in this city, or maybe the world, that has a glass enclosed art wall at the crown? I've never seen that before and it could be very cool if the artwork is good. There's plenty of trashier stuff being built you can complain about, this is fine.
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I think the problem here is that your expectation or standards are too low. With all the money Concord has made in this city, there is no excuse for such poorly designed buildings. This was their last chance to build something interesting at CityPlace and they blew it.

I think any building over 40 stories is a landmark and the city needs to require more from them, in terms of design. Once a building is that tall, it becomes a local landmark that you can't avoid seeing. If a building is going to have that strong a impact on a neighbourhood and the city, it needs to rise to a higher standard in its design. This city lets developers get away with murder. If we demand better, we will get better. I blame city council and the province for seeming apathetic to architecture and making Toronto a better looking city. I hate to see good opportunities just squandered.
 
HarryHoudini said:
The art idea at the top is nice and interesting but the problem is this unhealthy obsession with glass box towers. Its almost like the architects and developers haven't stepped outside Canada. There should be a rule where developers that want to build above 150m should think outside the box (pun definitely intended) and design a building that looks half decent and not just any blue glass box like many buildings in that area. It is possible my trip to Dubai has spoiled me and my expectations of a well designed skyscraper is too high.
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'Design' aside, are you also going to import thousands of South-Asian migrant workers and confiscate their passports while they build your Disney Castle?

Torontovibe said:
I think the problem here is that your expectation or standards are too low. With all the money Concord has made in this city, there is no excuse for such poorly designed buildings. This was their last chance to build something interesting at CityPlace and they blew it.

I think any building over 40 stories is a landmark and the city needs to require more from them, in terms of design. Once a building is that tall, it becomes a local landmark that you can't avoid seeing. If a building is going to have that strong a impact on a neighbourhood and the city, it needs to rise to a higher standard in its design. This city lets developers get away with murder. If we demand better, we will get better. I blame city council and the province for seeming apathetic to architecture and making Toronto a better looking city. I hate to see good opportunities just squandered.
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I'd love to know how you'd codify that desire into law. And who becomes the arbiter of taste? Who's demanding better? Community groups who want every condo to be a railway hotel? Councillors cum armchair architects? The Brothers Ford? Kirkor?
 
ProjectEnd said:
I'd love to know how you'd codify that desire into law. And who becomes the arbiter of taste? Who's demanding better? Community groups who want every condo to be a railway hotel? Councillors cum armchair architects? The Brothers Ford? Kirkor?
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Why, DMW of course. Speaking of squandered opportunities for creating a better looking city - forget the design of the tower, few can even do ground level landscape design right.

AoD
 
AHK said:
From the Joe Cressy Ward 20 Residents' Newsletter:

Pre-application Development Consultation - Tuesday March 24, 6-9pm, Metro Hall, 55 John Street

This meeting will present development proposals for 30 Widmer St, 23 Spadina Ave, and 602-620 King St W. There will be an opportunity for questions and comments from the audience.
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Is anyone able to go to the consultation to lambaste this hunk of garbage?
 
Not unless they have a time machine
 
HarryHoudini said:
The art idea at the top is nice and interesting but the problem is this unhealthy obsession with glass box towers. Its almost like the architects and developers haven't stepped outside Canada. There should be a rule where developers that want to build above 150m should think outside the box (pun definitely intended) and design a building that looks half decent and not just any blue glass box like many buildings in that area. It is possible my trip to Dubai has spoiled me and my expectations of a well designed skyscraper is too high.
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They inside some box where there is nothing else going on in the world around them. All this repetitive designs from the architects in this city is getting tiresome. I mean the only times we can get something unique in this city is when firms from outside the city come in. With all their repetitive designs, it's no wonder why they only get jobs in Toronto where such mediocrity is tolerated. How many times do you see the architects from this city designing buildings in cities outside of Canada?
 
Plenty of Toronto architects do work in other countries

WZMH
Diamond Schmitt Architects
Moriyama and Teshima
Hariri Pontarini
KPMB

just to name a few
 
Zeidler Partnership
architectsAlliance
Saucier+Perrotte
Adamson Associates
Core

just to name more

42
 
Best? I don't consider Trump Tower even remotely decent by any measure. Residences at RMCI is not bad, and Torre Mayor is good, but that's from a long, long time ago.

AoD
 
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