Toronto Eight Cumberland | 170m | 51s | Great Gulf | a—A

looks nice on sunny days. but im afraid the next 6-7 months are going to be mostly cloudy.
 
When the light is right, I think it looks better than the veiny metallic razor next door. I think it looks perfectly fine in Rascacielo's first two pics above.
 
^And there in lies the problems with most of the buildings constructed in this city over the past 20 years. *If* the light hits on the right angle, *if* the sun is out, *if* the cloud deck layer isnt too thick, *if* the solar eclipse is X days out, then the building looks half decent.

We shouldnt need all that; a building that is well designed should look good no matter what time of day/night for the most part.
 
Amare said:
^And there in lies the problems with most of the buildings constructed in this city over the past 20 years. *If* the light hits on the right angle, *if* the sun is out, *if* the cloud deck layer isnt too thick, *if* the solar eclipse is X days out, then the building looks half decent.

We shouldnt need all that; a building that is well designed should look good no matter what time of day/night for the most part.
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This building isn’t ugly or offensive, just boring. I guess that’s yet another excuse. Nothing wrong with a boring building, but when 70% of new condos in the city fall into this category, and another 20% are ugly/ offensive, we have a problem.
 
I really don't get the hate for this one. Is it an architectural marvel? not by any stretch. But a simple condo tower that'll be sandwiched between 4 towers covering each of its sides, with clean lines, and decent materials - can't say this about 70% of the new developments in the city.
 
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MoObserves said:
I really don't get the hate for this one. Is it an architectural marvel? no by any stretch. But a simple condo tower that'll be sandwiched between 4 towers covering each of its sides, with clean lines, and decent materials - can't this about 70% of the new developments in the city.
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I agree it's a decent building but I know my expectations were (misguidedly) higher because it's a Great Gulf project. Sometimes they've delivered not-so-Great Gulf.

Hit and miss: Monde turned out fine, albeit more spandrel and less masonry (particularly the podium) than Safdie's design. I love 1 Bloor East (wish the crown lights worked ;-) but projects like Pace are beyond disappointing imo. The neat little Lighthaus townhomes on Florence Street skipped some nice design promises and gets a shrug.

I think maybe I've drunk too much of the Great Gulf kool-aid, seduced by rendering dreams like East Harbour (sold to CF)... and often, in proper Pavlovian manner, drool when I first hear of a new offering from Great Gulf.

When it comes to execution (including this one), reality is definitely hit or miss.
 
August 24, 2022

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Esthetics aside, is it just me, or does this building appear to have uneven floor heights? I see it from my living room and it has been bothering me for months.
 
GG really dropped the ball here imo. I understand it's not terrible and if this was in the entertainment district for example it would be fine. This is Yorkville though, it is supposed to be arguably the most high end part of the city.

I'm not saying Toronto needs its own billionaires row, but filling what is supposed to be an upscale neighbourhood with this style of mediocre crap is equally unacceptable imo.
 
Bjays92 said:
GG really dropped the ball here imo. I understand it's not terrible and if this was in the entertainment district for example it would be fine. This is Yorkville though, it is supposed to be arguably the most high end part of the city.

I'm not saying Toronto needs its own billionaires row, but filling what is supposed to be an upscale neighbourhood with this style of mediocre crap is equally unacceptable imo.
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High-end retail doesn't mean high-end condos. Look at the recent builds: Cumberland @ Yorkville Plaza, Minto Yorkville, even 1 Yorkville next door. They may try to portray themselves as the height of luxury (I passed by this project the other day and noticed the word 'icon' on the hoarding), but in reality these towers are little better than the entertainment district ones, at least judging by the choice of cladding. Can't comment on the interior finishes.
 
Rascacielo said:
High-end retail doesn't mean high-end condos. Look at the recent builds: Cumberland @ Yorkville Plaza, Minto Yorkville, even 1 Yorkville next door. They may try to portray themselves as the height of luxury (I passed by this project the other day and noticed the word 'icon' on the hoarding), but in reality these towers are little better than the entertainment district ones, at least judging by the choice of cladding. Can't comment on the interior finishes.
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Agree completely, I have the same problem with neighbouring buildings as well, but I'm willing to give a project like 1 yorkville at least a little bit of credit for trying something a little more interesting and unique. It didn't pan out and there were still plenty of cheap materials used, but this building here doesn't even try.

Say what you will about 1BE, it is high quality when it comes to material and execution. That doesn't seem to be the case here.
 
Bjays92 said:
Agree completely, I have the same problem with neighbouring buildings as well, but I'm willing to give a project like 1 yorkville at least a little bit of credit for trying something a little more interesting and unique. It didn't pan out and there were still plenty of cheap materials used, but this building here doesn't even try.

Say what you will about 1BE, it is high quality when it comes to material and execution. That doesn't seem to be the case here.
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Yup, 1 Yorkville is a missed opportunity. Cumberland @yorkville Plaza is a dud, but it has fairly nice landscaping, including the water feature on Cumberland. Minto has ... Tokyo smoke as retail. Hopefully this will have nicely restored frontage on Yonge, similar to 1 Yorkville.
 
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