Toronto Forma | 308m | 84s | Great Gulf | Gehry Partners

Call me what you will but I'm going to reiterate my opinion that I would be quite content if this doesn't get built.

I also find it choice that Gehry would use the point that Toronto is a screwed up anywhere city as a sales pitch, as though having a Frank Gehry designed building isn't THE hallmark of being a screwed up anywhere city.
 
3Dementia said:
Yes please.

Can we break some rules this time and have this? If this squeaks through the myriad barriers and naysayers, it will do more than become an architectural curiosity and "destination".

It will help change the future of Toronto's future new built form. Corny, romantic to suggest this? Of course. But it will echo for years... this not a "one off", it's the teenager leaving home, paying rent and making his/her way into the world. ;-)
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This is my prime reason for wanting this to go ahead. The benefits go beyond the block.
 
A small concern I do have with Gehry's designs are that the wilder they go, the more likely they to encounter issues down the road, i.e. leaks, ice & snow. Here's hoping that anything going up here can avoid those problems.
 
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TrickyRicky said:
Call me what you will but I'm going to reiterate my opinion that I would be quite content if this doesn't get built.

I also find it choice that Gehry would use the point that Toronto is a screwed up anywhere city as a sales pitch, as though having a Frank Gehry designed building isn't THE hallmark of being a screwed up anywhere city.
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That's nice. Why?
 
TonyV said:
I'm just hoping that all of the "powers", be they the planners, Council, and developers / architects, seize the day. This project (height aside) has the power to make King/Simcoe into one enormous destination. Think about what's already there, RT Hall, a small theatre district, Pecaut Square. Not all of it is good architecture (expecially Metro Hall), but a remake of Pecaut Squre and the addition of the Gehry stuff on north side of King St. and MTCC can ultimately give Toronto one really big gathering point and a vista to go along with it. Vistas are not the big thing in Toronto, it's time to have one. So let's hope that the response from Toronto City Hall is slanted toward city-building rather than inside-the-box thinking.

Edit: I haven't revealed my mindset about the old brick building before this post. My opinion is that it's time to let it go. No qualms about he POW theatre, either. Move forward, move forward.
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My dream would be to have Metro Hall demolished and have a park bounded by King St W, Wellington St W, John St and Roy Thomson Hall. This would provide a decent amount of green space--which is badly needed--and give a much more generous area to relax and enjoy the surroundings. David Peacaut Square is just too small. Freeing up the land occupied by Metro Hall would make a world of difference. It would also create an uninterrupted vista of the Gehry towers, looking Northward from the park and Wellington St W.
 
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re: milky, translucent glass

If you want to have a feel of what it'd like visually, look up Gehry's Louis Vuitton Foundation for Creation in Paris or Fabrikstrasse 15 at the Novartis campus in Basel, Switzerland.

AoD
 
Love this new design. What is it about 50 stories that is so magical for council? Chopping these down would be a travesty.
 
Oliver Tweed said:
Love this new design. What is it about 50 stories that is so magical for council? Chopping these down would be a travesty.
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Chopping them down isn't just going to compromise on design, it'll get the project cancelled entirely. The density is needed to finance this kind of architectural ambition. You don't cut off 30-50% of the revenue and build the same thing using the same materials and the same engineering.
 
I actually don't mind if the two side towers have slightly shorter (and differing) heights, but the centre tower should be at least 70 storeys.
 
Tuscani01 said:
I too love the forms and cladding. Looks like ice melting away from the buildings. Very appropriate for a Canadian city :)
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Cannot be unseen. Pretty interesting interpretation, I like it.

RC8 said:
This project could respect the historic podiums and be limited to 50-60 stories and it would still be a fantastic addition to the city.
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See below.

MetroMan said:
Chopping them down isn't just going to compromise on design, it'll get the project cancelled entirely. The density is needed to finance this kind of architectural ambition. You don't cut off 30-50% of the revenue and build the same thing using the same materials and the same engineering.
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I'm surprised it took so many replies for someone to point this out. Even at 80 storeys, what would one guess the pricing would be for such "extravagance" when combined with the location, $900psf? $1000psf? The easternmost building (which would rise first, if any of them do) looks extremely complex and would no doubt take some creative and costly engineering to make a reality.

Overall, love the creativity and ambition. Hope it comes to pass without any dilution of Gehry's vision.
 
Interesting hearing all the concern regarding the planning department (note: they really don't have much of any leeway to recommed approval of a project that is well outside the zoning or the official plan - even if they love the project). OMB would face the same restrictions.

The most significant obsticle the project faces is selling 2700 premium condo units in a rapidly declining market - that is what could/will make or break the project should it or a modified version of it be approved by council.
 
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