Toronto Massey Tower Condos | 206.95m | 60s | MOD Developments | Hariri Pontarini

[Isotack]

I'm confused, are the air rights somehow considered heritage? How does the minimum setback to the heritage building apply to the balcony treatment on the tower above the heritage building?

If this is the case, I believe this is a legitimate example of our planning framework getting in the way of good design.

Someone said in an earlier post it would be too close to the flight path of the hospital

 

[interchange42]

It's also simply a design choice: contrast the north wall with the treatments of the other ones. It may not be to your taste (or mine) but that doesn't mean that it wasn't thought out or that it planning meddling in things.

42

 

[Keyz]

August 29th, 2018

 

[Rascacielo]

Today

 

[interchange42]

I'm confused, are the air rights somehow considered heritage? How does the minimum setback to the heritage building apply to the balcony treatment on the tower above the heritage building?

If this is the case, I believe this is a legitimate example of our planning framework getting in the way of good design.

This, from earlier today, from the project architect at Hariri Pontarini:

reading the forum over lunch.

Just an FYI…


The north face of massey is a site specific response to 3 elements –
​

• • The St Mike’s Helicopter flight path which drives through the north west corner of the site and does not allow built form to intrude into the this zone
  • Limiting distance setbacks to Northern property line west of St Enoch’s Square
  • Capitalizing on the loss of restrictions over St Enoch’s square allowed us to regain area for the north east corner suite.

We could not have balconies on the north face (and could not have provided openings in the wall large enough to access the balconies even if they were there)

(Thanks Michael!)

42

 

[jje1000]

At the same time, I would also say that design intent should be something apparent to the general populace (who don't know about the intricacies of zoning or flight paths).

The design intents of the north face are too subtle and perhaps esoteric- it might come off as undesigned/lacking continuity with the rest of the building to a bystander who wonders why 3/4ths of a building is one design, and the last 1/4 is different.

 

[thecharioteer]

 

[Razz]

7:00 am Sunrise:

 

[ProjectEnd]

At the same time, I would also say that design intent should be something apparent to the general populace (who don't know about the intricacies of zoning or flight paths).

The design intents of the north face are too subtle and perhaps esoteric- it might come off as undesigned/lacking continuity with the rest of the building to a bystander who wonders why 3/4ths of a building is one design, and the last 1/4 is different.

"Apparent"? How so? I wouldn't say that anyone is 'owed' anything. What kind of design would satisfy this condition?

 

[Jasonzed]

 

[thecharioteer]

 

[officedweller]

At the same time, I would also say that design intent should be something apparent to the general populace (who don't know about the intricacies of zoning or flight paths).

The design intents of the north face are too subtle and perhaps esoteric- it might come off as undesigned/lacking continuity with the rest of the building to a bystander who wonders why 3/4ths of a building is one design, and the last 1/4 is different.

I tend to agree.

The explanation explains the floorplate shape - but not the finished exterior façade.
There could have been white banding on the north facade to unify all four sides,
even if one side is curvey and the other side is not.
The way it is now, it's like someone took a knife and sliced through a layer cake to reveal a solid chocolate core.

 

[Benito]

Today.

 

[Jasonzed]

 

[stjames2queenwest]

I really don’t mind the north side. Makes the other sides sort of an exciting reveal when approaching/ passing from the north. It’s kind of nice that it is a darker glass, hate to say it but the city is starting to have more than enough white towers as well. I would have personally chosen a different colour for the north facade. I don’t hate it though.