Toronto Jack Layton Ferry Terminal and Harbour Square Park | ?m | ?s | Waterfront Toronto

P23 said:
It's a shame the slip bridge project seems to be dead, there are quite a few areas along the waterfront that are mostly deserted because people tend to stick along Queen's Quay or the more lively sections of the waterfront like at harbourfront centre.
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You can thank the TPA and certain condo residents for that.

AoD
 
I looked at the proposals again before I submitted my feedback and I have to say that KPMB has it right with this view right here:
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Seeing the lake in the distance as you walk from Bay St is almost an essential requirement to me and KPMB has addressed it in probably the most appealing way.

I also like how the architecture resembles the wave decks. The Diller Scofidio+Renfro design does as well but if you examine that proposal closely it doesn't seem realistic at all and I doubt it would look like the renders. Not to mention you will still get wet when it rains.
 
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modernizt said:
Finally getting a proper chance to look through these in detail.

The KPMB proposal blows the rest out of the water, in my opinion. The others, apart from Diller/aA, are very weak.
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P23 said:
I looked at the proposals again before I submitted my feedback and I have to say that KPMB has it right with this view right here
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The KPMB proposal is beautiful and well done, but to my mind it misses the point of this location and this brief.

The objective here was fairly explicit to create a landmark, but what they've created instead is essentially a park, a very contextual park. Even the pavilion is hidden under a grassy slope, barely perceptible as a destination from the lake or from further along the waterfront. This is misguided. This location should act as a beacon, drawing people to the waterfront and the islands. In other words, there is no 'there' there.

I agree that functionally it works, and it offers some real nice features (love the boardwalk and the connection with Bay), but ultimately it is so ideologically contextual that it fails to define a sense of uniqueness of place or project a sense of specialness of experience that should be here at the ground-zero point where our city connects with its lake and its islands. Instead, it underwhelms.
 
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Tewder said:
The KPMB proposal is beautiful and well done, but to my mind it misses the point of this location and this brief.

The objective here was fairly explicit to create a landmark, but what they've created instead is essentially a park, a very contextual park. Even the pavilion is hidden under a grassy slope, barely perceptible as a destination from the lake or from further along the waterfront. This is misguided. This location should act as a beacon, drawing people to the waterfront and the island. In other words, there is no 'there' there.

I agree that functionally it works, and it offers some real nice features (love the boardwalk and the connection with Bay), but ultimately it is so ideologically contextual that it fails to define a sense of uniqueness of place or project a sense of specialness of experience that should be here at the ground-zero point where our city connects with its lake and its island. Instead, it underwhelms.
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I know what you mean, an icon is desirable. However I don't feel any of the proposals are iconic in any way. A couple of them are just uninspiring all around.
 
P23 said:
I know what you mean, an icon is desirable. However I don't feel any of the proposals are iconic in any way. A couple of them are just uninspiring all around.
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The geyser clock idea is just about the most iconic of gestures i've seen among the proposals. I think if it is developed even further (aligned with the view corridor down Bay street, landscaped as a destination with seating etc, flood lit at night, synchronized with other elements) it could be a real draw in and of itself and create a sense of anticipation of the experience of travelling to the islands. It could also provide the sort of 'post-card' view/moment that the waterfront is begging for.

*I'm almost thinking of a more organic and geyser-like version of the Bellagio fountain in Las Vegas.
 
Citizens, I want to you to know that my day in San Francisco with Batkid was special, and I don't think that any offence was intended by including the image of us in this rendering for the KPMB plan, but I know that Bumble Bee is "super pissed off", not wording I can condone of course.

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Winner to be announced tomorrow

Joe Cressy ‏@joe_cressy 3m3 minutes ago
Winner of Jack Layton Ferry Terminal/Harbour Sq Park design competition announcement tomorrow 1:30p at the JL Terminal! @WaterfrontTO
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Not my favourite but it'll do. At least it'll mean consistency in design with the rest of the central waterfront.
 
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It's essentially a park with a boardwalk, no landmark at all really. Very nice but disappointing. Timid.
 
It looks like they went for the opposite of iconic. This proposal pretty much continues the waterfront much the same as it is now in Harbourfront or near Corus. The terminal is decent and has some enclosed areas, so that's a plus but there is nothing here that will impress. I like that little bridge over the Yonge Quay.

I wish the park was more interesting. It looks pretty much like it is right now.
 
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