Toronto First Parliament Site | ?m | ?s

Look: if I were visiting Toronto in the happily cheapo cheapo spirit of my past Euro-travels, I'd *love* the idea of a No Frills nearby...
 
Site and rough rendering.

271Front022511-1.jpg



271Front022511-2.jpg



271Front022511-3.jpg
 
Ed007Toronto said:
Site and rough rendering.
Click to expand...

Wow, impressive, it looks like they spent at least 10 whole minutes putting those 'renderings' together based on copy-and-pastes from various other Toronto condo developments. I also notice a superficial similarity to the Distillery dynamic -- low brown buildings sprouting tall glass towers. I guess it makes it harder for the city to deny zoning approval when a 'similar' thing exists right across the street, huh.

I understand that the land owners have a right to sell their land as they see fit, but this really does seem to be a bit of a smack in the face to the plans for the historic area surrounding it. I hope some reasonable accommodation can be worked out between these various uses.
 
Last edited:
My ideal outcome would be a minimalistic/classic designed square with a spectacular fountain in the middle, and have the square's east and west edges lined with trees. Perhaps cherry blossoms? On the site to the north, I'd like to see all of these great ideas of librarys, public buildings, museums, etc. put into one large landmark of a building. Call it parliament square. Instant magnet for tourists, locals and investment. "Luxury condos just steps from Parliament Square" :D

I also like the idea of the surface to be made of FCP's marble. Or maybe the fountain? Or have marble be an accent in a granite or slate surface.

Anyways, this is a great opportunity for an international design competition or perhaps in the mean time UT's second design charette?
 
MBS said:
My ideal outcome would be a minimalistic/classic designed square with a spectacular fountain in the middle, and have the square's east and west edges lined with trees. Perhaps cherry blossoms? On the site to the north, I'd like to see all of these great ideas of librarys, public buildings, museums, etc. put into one large landmark of a building. Call it parliament square. Instant magnet for tourists, locals and investment. "Luxury condos just steps from Parliament Square" :D

I also like the idea of the surface to be made of FCP's marble. Or maybe the fountain? Or have marble be an accent in a granite or slate surface.

Anyways, this is a great opportunity for an international design competition or perhaps in the mean time UT's second design charette?
Click to expand...

Youre dreaming or fantasizing, it just wont happen.
 
You're right that it just won't happen, but this city needs more dreamers. Best case scenario we get a nice public square. I'd settle for some public building with a tiny square, hopefully not as crappy as that vision shown earlier. But please, God(ford?), don't let there be a condo!
 
Automation Gallery said:
I sure hope so but not with all that bling.
Click to expand...

Maybe they could go the condo route to pay for it. Regardless, MBS' ideas don't suggest something that out of reach with some creativity towards making it happen. It's the discouragement of ambition and a culture of hastily turning to the most simple and dull approach that's perhaps the biggest thing we have to fear under a Rob Ford administration. We can't have someone jumping at every opportunity to say "that's impossible"; it's not constructive. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy as more people become discouraged from wanting something great and working towards it. Those that do become isolated and on the margin of popular attitude.
 
I don't think the attitude you speak of 'began' with Rob Ford. He is just pandering to it.
 
MBS said:
You're right that it just won't happen, but this city needs more dreamers. Best case scenario we get a nice public square. I'd settle for some public building with a tiny square, hopefully not as crappy as that vision shown earlier. But please, God(ford?), don't let there be a condo!
Click to expand...

This. Toronto lacks a good, decent-sized traditional square (YD Square doesn't really count). We likely had some in the past, but none now. I'd forgo any type of building on the site if we got this.
 
271 Front Street East,

A rezoning application has been submitted for a proposed mixed-use development, comprised of two residential towers of 57s and 20s built with a 6 storey podium. The proposal includes 702 Residential units and 5 levels of underground parking with 540 parking spaces and retail at grade. This property is part of the block that is the First Parliament Site - this site contains sub-surface archaeological remnants of Canada's First Parliament buildings from 1798.
 
You must log in or register to post here.

Back
Top