Toronto Design Haus | 52.12m | 19s | Shiu Pong | Kirkor Architects

Heritage structure essentially destroyed except for two token elevations? Check.
Inelegant massing and design with no relationship to said heritage "structure"? Check.
Hot mess of spandrel, heavy-handed use of mullions and overall cheap plasticky appearance? Checkmate.

Another architectural failure from Kirkor, and general planning failure overall. At this rate we're going to become overrun with regrettable second-rate architecture, with the entirety of our Victorian street fronts reduced to nothing more than token facades worn like a creepy mask made out someone's skin. Grim.
 
Spandrel is an improvement; it involves the use of proper insulation as well as solar gain mitigation, which vision glazing does not.

Good point regarding solar gain. Forgot about that. But regarding insulation. Is it not the same insulation system used for other panes of glas? I figured one pane was just opaque versus the vision pane, but the brackets and mounting and insulating technology were identical.
 
no there is regular framing, drywall, and insulation behind spandrel. When you are in the unit it looks like a regular wall.
 
An update:

  • 2 of the 4 retailers at the podium closed on Wednesday
  • One retailer (the corner store) had its last day of business today
  • I'm unclear about the last shop; there were no signs indicating an upcoming closure, and it was occupied with the lights on when I passed by.
 
Taken yesterday. All the retailers have moved out now, and the entrances to the apartments upstairs appear to have been boarded up.

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Looks like there's movement on this:

Application: New Building Status: Not Started

Location: 233 COLLEGE ST
TORONTO ON M5T 1R4

Ward 20: Trinity-Spadina

Application#: 16 211134 BLD 00 NB Accepted Date: Aug 26, 2016

Project: Mixed Use/Res w Non Res New Building

Description: Proposal to construct a 17 storey condo and rental building with 142 units, ground floor commercial, and 2 levels of below grade parking. 231, 233, 233 A-D COLLEGE ST & 179, 181 HURON ST.
 

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