Toronto Festival Tower and tiff Bell Lightbox | 156.96m | 42s | Daniels | KPMB

[interchange42]

Urban Toronto’s tour of Festival Tower moves up onto the roof and into the mechanical box and lantern. These are largely ornamental and will remain virtually empty but they bring the tower’s design to an emphatic conclusion and are key to the building’s profile on the skyline.

Text by Doug Convoy, Photos by Interchange42

A view toward the lantern, to the left of which is the mechanical penthouse.

Both lantern and mechanical box are clad in 100 % frit, low-iron glass curtain.

A view inside the mechanical penthouse. This impressive structure will remain mostly empty. Like the lantern, its main purpose is to complete the building’s architecture and give it presence on the skyline.

The fritted glazing panels for the lantern and mechanical box are set forward from the primary steel structure by about 10” to prevent shadow lines and ensure even glow from within. This is crucial for the lantern in particular which, outfitted in white LEDs, will serve as a major beacon in the city.

The soft glow inside the mechanical penthouse is most apparent in this shot taken with the sun behind the photographer.

Heading back outside looking westward.

This portion of the mechanical penthouse houses the building’s HVAC systems. It is clad in a window wall of grey, back-painted glazing panels. The tower’s window washing unit is in the foreground while in the background the temporary derrick used to remove the construction crane is still in place. It should be coming down shortly.

That’s it for the roof. Tomorrow, Urban Toronto takes you down to the amenities. So, stay tuned!

 

[neuhaus]

I love those railings. Looks very sleek and solid on the outside, and bright and transparent from the inside.
Money well spent and will be well appreciated.

Wow, I could live in that space! ...just give me a blackened capsule to sleep in.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

I wonder if there is any potential for the space to be actively used - it must have some interesting acoustic qualities, for one. And if the LED can be reprogrammed, it could make for an extremely atmospheric locale for events.

AoD

 

[Red Mars]

Great shots. Thanks.

This looks like it could be an ideal location for a secret lab for a TIFF superhero.

 

[BobBob]

In the dystopian cyberpunk future, street roaming youths will throw raves at the top of the abandoned building.

 

[Alex S]

I wonder if there is any potential for the space to be actively used - it must have some interesting acoustic qualities, for one. And if the LED can be reprogrammed, it could make for an extremely atmospheric locale for events.

AoD

All the mechanical units in there won't make the space too comfortable to be in (noise and heat).

 

[alklay]

I thought that the laterns were going to incorporate a Michael Snow light sculpture of some kind. Has that been eliminated?

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Alex S:

True if that's the case - but here is the statement re: the space

This impressive structure will remain mostly empty

AoD

 

[Traynor]

^ The misleading captions that Doug Convoy posted with the images supplied by i42 of the internal lantern-structure may be the source of confusion here.

The large open area shown, with the soft translucent walls, is the interior of the lantern, not the mechanical penthouse. The mechanical penthouse is the concrete walled structure shown abutting this structure in the images of the inside and the grey spandrel covered structure on the outside images. There will be no major machinery inside the lantern.

 

[interchange42]

Sorry Traynor, not quite right. The lantern and the east portion of the mechanical penthouse are both clad in the 100% frit low-iron glass. None of the photos show the interior of the lantern. The lantern is built similarly to the east portion of the mechanical box, but has no central open space, so photographs would have showed little other than steelwork. It's a tight space.

The western portion of the mechanical box which houses the elevator machinery and the HVAC units is covered in the back-painted gray glass.

The first of the photos above shows the 3 sections in relation.

Why not ask for clarification instead of making such bold assertions?

42

 

[steveve]

That mechanical box (interior) is really sick! i love the walkways they have and multiple layers! I wouldn't mind living there/hosting a party there. i'm sure with a bit of work you could make this thing habitable (but then again... it DOES have a purpose... mechanically speaking)

 

[Traynor]

Because i believe you are wrong, that is why.

As I understand the set-up, the lantern includes both sections that are to be lit up, including this large area that abuts the mechanical penthouse.

(Courtesy nicetommy post # 1836)

 

[Ramako]

Traynor, what you've labelled as the lantern, I42 has referred to as the eastern portion of the mechanical penthouse. The western portion is clad in gray. I42 is using "lantern" to refer only to the structure that lines up with the south facade, which cannot be seen in the picture you posted.

 

[caltrane74]

Here is the Lantern and Mechanical Penthouse..

Lantern on the right...

 

[Traynor]

Yes I understand this.. But as BOTH are to be lit up they are collectively known as the lantern.

Or when they are complete and illuminated is everyone looking up going to refer to them as the lantern and the other lighted part? Or perhaps the lantern and the lighted mechanical penthouse. Yes... That is certainly what people will call this.

I believe we are just arguing semantics here. I believe we will all be calling the entire lighted structure on the roof, "The Lantern", in a few months time.