Toronto Corus Quay | ?m | 8s | Waterfront Toronto | Diamond Schmitt

Judging from urbandreamer's photo, it looks like crap. :D

Terribly plain. Which, by the way, should be Toronto's slogan for high rises! Okay, okay, I'll stop. ;)
 
The Corus building is a plain and average design. If they want to keep them low by the waters edge, then have something more interesting.

2124Co-opUnveils16StoreyMancBuildin.jpg

Financial and retail giant the Co-operative Group has unveiled its new headquarters in Manchester.
Designed by 3D Reid the high-tech building is in essence an enormous donut with a slanting roof profile that offers 29,700 square metres of office space wrapped around a huge central atrium with glass elevator shafts running up it. At ground level a remodelled public square will be created.
 
I am with barrytron. It takes me a long time to adjust to a new building, context is important, and buildings that I once overlooked become beloved over time and I return to them again and again.

The only thing I am truly against is websearching architectural tourism, with laments of "why don't we have this here?". I have had too many keen disappointments when I actually arrive at the buildings in the glossy publications with photos taken in the right light carefully excluding questionable context.
 
Urban Shocker said:
I think what Diamond went for with his plan was more in keeping with the scale and variety of the back street Venetian canals, with their network of courts and walkways, than with the Big Hair effect of an ostentatious Grand Canal.

http://www.readingt.readingcities.com/index.php/toronto/comments/mistake_by_the_lake/

That said, of course, when the galley slaves row my golden Doge's bucentaure down the Don River and across the inner harbour in a few years time, I'll have a lovely view of the grand palazzi of Corus, and Pier 27, and George Brown from my raised throne, as we pull along the shore and head towards the Western Gap in all our glory.
Click to expand...

Perhaps in keeping with this grand ceremony, you might toss a ring into the water, thus wedding yourself to the semi-stagnant cesspool which Corus backer's tout as a 'waterfront.'

Seriously though, if one was aiming to recreate the magic and wonder that is the Venetian back street, then why make it conform to an 'X's and O's' grid? There are few if any districts in or around the lagoon which contain the grid which Jack sees as necessary to his plan. This is not to say that the current Koetter scheme is flawless - far from it. In fact, a number of its weaknesses were addressed in Diamond's scheme (keeping retail on major arteries, smaller buildings, etc.). For all the rhetoric though, Diamond's scheme still contains the same staid, uninspiring buildings he prefers and what superlatives his scheme offered are lost in a wash of beige brick and uniform mediocrity. Many of the structures offered in this beautifully rendered massing study have all the grace and charm of a suburban, 'new-build' elementary school.

Though barrytron3030 is right to note that the building is not even done yet, there are still indicators that costs have been cut and edges trimmed. The most egregious fault is the glass roof spanning the internal courtyard. Renders showed a light and airy bow truss system which seems to have been dropped in favor of the ridiculous, mullion heavy system seen in the latest round of update photos. Jack's Life Sciences Center at UBC is an excellent example of what can be done in this respect.
 
The conceptual rendering of Diamond's losing design didn't look that much different from the various conceptual renderings released by Waterfront Toronto of the winning proposals for the site, except that Diamond's scheme was more modest in scope, with less open space:

http://www.georgebrown.ca/releases/images/waterfront3.jpg

http://www.georgebrown.ca/releases/images/waterfront4.jpg

http://www.georgebrown.ca/releases/images/waterfront1.jpg

No indication that a few slightly 'off kilter roads' will be enough to wow the folks and draw them there, or nourish onlookers in ways they never imagined possible, or anything else that would make it a 'destination', really.
 
June 16 2009 update

Glazing's near complete on Corus ~

IMG_3931.jpg
 
well there is supposed to be somewhat of a park or greenspace next tot he building. unfortunately, i believe the outdoor stage has been scrapped. also, there will be significant waterfront enhancement.

i'm still disappointed.
 
Automation Gallery said:
TEDCO believes this building will be an icon on the Toronto waterfront.:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

And look what happened to them, they got split up into Build Toronto and Invest Toronto.

Design Wallah said:
Are those tractors in the foreground there because some other work will be occurring?
Click to expand...

Immediately to the east of the Corus building will be the new the George Brown College campus, and Sherbourne Park beside that. On the west side of Corus will be Sugar Beach.
 
^^Sorry for asking in this thread, but are there any plans for the George Brown campus at this location?

Also, I noticed a lot of work being done along Queens Quay and further down, where they have essentially ripped up all of the side of the road to lay sewers and water mains - I assume for GB campus and Corus and others to follow?

I also noticed on the other side of the street that a number of buildings (the one's with the rail cars stationed in front) have been torn down - any new plans surfaced for these sites?

p5
 
p5connex said:
Also, I noticed a lot of work being done along Queens Quay and further down, where they have essentially ripped up all of the side of the road to lay sewers and water mains - I assume for GB campus and Corus and others to follow?

I also noticed on the other side of the street that a number of buildings (the one's with the rail cars stationed in front) have been torn down - any new plans surfaced for these sites?

p5
Click to expand...

You assume correctly. The land is being readied for GB and company along with Sherbourne Park.
 
You must log in or register to post here.

Back
Top