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

I think the podium and the tower look great here. When the facades are more than just the outer brick of one wall, it creates the sense that the tower is safely nestled behind the still intact heritage building. In contrast, the one wall ripped off and pasted on the side of a modern building (a la One Bedford) feels very Hannibal Lecter.

As for the comments about the heritage components outshining the modern parts: I do wonder if UT was somehow able to exist in 1950s Toronto that many of the people on here might be cheers-ing the destruction of this same heritage for the construction of more modern buildings. Yes, the buildings are attractive - but that attractiveness is not absolute - it's very historically mediated.

I could go on, but I'll just leave it this: in fifty years, when this condo is being torn down for a Torment Nexus/Hyperspatial mall, will the UT forum - now communicating entirely through neural joltings as we float in our hyperbaric sensory pods - lament the passing of a classic example of Peter Clewes commitment to elegant and clean design for the masses? Or will we all just bleep out the neural equivalent of a farting noise?
 
I think we slag when something deserves a slagging. And I've rarely seen anyone here slag something not deserving. Conversely, we also praise when it's done right. So that's not really bad thing. Nor should any of the darts and laurels be discouraged, IMO...

...more on topically though: Thumbs up for the heritage part here! Thumbs marginally down for the other bits.
 
Today:

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Dr. Snoot said:
When you build something that will exist for 100+ years ...
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Will more than a handful of modern concrete condominiums actually last more than 100 years? I would expect the concrete floors, elevator shafts, and supports to start to noticeably degrade starting around 70 years. The effort to rebuild floors and walls in place seems like it wouldn't be worth it aside for a few protected examples. Rebuilding balconies after 40 years is practical, completely gutting floors and rebuilding the core doesn't feel worth it.

I'd expect most of today's condos to be up for demolition and replacement by 2110.
 
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I think the plumbing will become a problem much earlier. Many of the 60s and 70s rental and condo towers are currently having plumbing issues with aging pipes that are difficult and costly to fix/replace.
 
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