Toronto Eaton Centre (Ongoing Renewal) | ?m | ?s | Cadillac Fairview | Zeidler

AlvinofDiaspar said:
Quite frankly Y+D/Eaton Centre is the *last* place I would recommend tourist going. It's embarrassingly awful.

AoD
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I don’t get people who complain like this and still either live or work there. Cause as some one who rarely comes into the city it’s a nice treat to have a nice square sure it could use some help. But it’s hardly embarrassing. And many find those same places quite enjoyable. People go on about time square like it’s this amazing place. I’ve been there it’s just screens and advertising. At least Toronto thought to make there’s a more intimate square not surrounded by taxis or like your in a canyon. Eatons centre needs to pick a skin on the outside that will work for decades. And maybe refreshed the glass canopy thing. Sorry can’t think of what that’s called. As for people there well of course. It’s a major mall in the downtown of a city. If you live or choose to work in the city then you’d be mentally prepared for that lifestyle no?
 
isaidso said:
Upgrading the arched glass roof would be welcomed. Curved glass with a built in programmable LED system would be a showstopper. Think how over the top amazing it would be to have light shows streaming down its length. One could have special ones for Christmas, Canada Day, PrideWeek, Nuit Blanche, Halloween, etc. The current glass roof is wonderful but it could be elevated to that of an art installation.

I've heard many a first time tourist to the Eaton Centre just a little bit let down to discover that this hyped Toronto place is really just a big shopping mall. Perhaps it's time we help turn it into something more than just a mall.
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It's probably a case of resting on your laurals. It's a shame - the Centre was a big deal when it opened but over the years each succesive renovation seemed to cheapen and dull the place. They renovated the " there " right out of it. If this is still a tourist attraction, Toronto has really down shifted.
 
old boy said:
It's probably a case of resting on your laurals. It's a shame - the Centre was a big deal when it opened but over the years each succesive renovation seemed to cheapen and dull the place. They renovated the " there " right out of it. If this is still a tourist attraction, Toronto has really down shifted.
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Standardization is the enemy of originality.

Large-scale corporate ownership of similar real estate assets (be it offices, malls or apartments) is the friend of standardization.

The domination of retail by too few players likewise blands the list of retailers inhabiting a space; eliminating the unique choices of a more diverse web of businesses.

In books; WH Smith was not Coles; Chapters was not Indigo; now they are all one.

The same phenomenon in fashion, food and housewares leads to ever less interesting spaces.
 
Amare said:
That's what 10 Dundas was for...until well we saw what happened there.
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Well there's something to be said for execution. With 10 Dundas they forgot to design a proper building. They'll have to tear that thing down eventually. It's a dud.
 
AlvinofDiaspar said:
Quite frankly Y+D/Eaton Centre is the *last* place I would recommend tourist going. It's embarrassingly awful.

AoD
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The reality is that practically every tourist to Toronto ends up there at least once. It's become the heart of the city whether we want it to be or not. We need to accept what kind of a space it is (over the top commercialism, video screens, etc.) and ensure it's as best version of that it can be. Throwing in the towel isn't very helpful.

Besides, Toronto belongs to EVERYONE and Toronto's trump card is diversity. It would be an excruciatingly boring city if it all catered to the preferences of one segment of society. Dundas Square/Eaton Centre very much has a place in Toronto. It's arguably one of the most photographed spots in the whole country. Ignoring its popularity is rather pointless. If some people don't like this area that's fine and I can think of huge swaths of Toronto that are far more embarrassing. 95% of our arterial roads, for instance. Queen, Danforth, Yonge (north of Dundas), Bathurst, Parliament, Jarvis, Spadina, Eglinton, St.Clair, Bloor beyond the Mink Mile, etc.

They're interesting streets but extremely embarrassing at the same time. They're a ramshackle mess. Just gross.
 
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eltodesukane said:
Like Fremont Street in Las Vegas
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Not so crass, but one could use similar technology. The Vegas version is too vulgar but there are enough smart sophisticated people in this city that we could surely come up with something that's refined/artistic. Light is a fantastic medium. It wouldn't need to hit you over the head with it like that LV atrium does.
 
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eltodesukane said:
Like Fremont Street in Las Vegas
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Please, no...that would make me want to hurl if I had to walk under all that.

Pro tip to developers: The pedestrian experience should never feel like a bad 'shroom trip. So please keep the visuals to the bare minimum. Thnkx! >.<
 
First time seeing the new Apple store:

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Couple other views around the mall:


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