First of all, University College is just as significant as our government buildings. It is the symbolic landmark of our most prominent academic institution. Academia carries on the humanist traditions which have developed our core ideals of government. Its buildings deserve utmost respect. Given the built form of Bloor, it just doesn't look like this tower will be joined by a large cluster of towers creating a unified urban background with the likes of the Gooderham House at St. George and Bloor the U of T midrise buildings, and also a park.
This caught me by surprise given the lack of complaints about this, but it has surely inspired the movement to protect the Queen's Park corridor from awkward intrusions. We should also have an inventory of view corridors.
Sorry to jump in a bit late to the discussion, but it's an interesting one. Junctionist, there is an inventory of view corridors. It was prepared by George Baird and his team for his seminal book On Building Downtown: Design guidelines for the core area. This book was published in 1974, only 36 years ago. In it, maps outlined such axial views as University Avenue, Spadina, Bay, John, Avenue Road, even Frederick and Bond Streets. If memory serves me correctly there was a photo of the Four Seasons (at that point the Hyatt) poking above Queens Park, with the label "Condition to be avoided". How many Official Plans, urban design studies, secondary plans and area studies have we had since then? The only example I can think of the planning department actively enforcing any such view "protection" was in its dealings with One City Hall. The lack of consciousness and consensus on the issue (21 Avenue Rd. notwithstanding) only re-affirms the ambivalency.
Now that sleek Clewes point towers with simple podiums and easy pedestrian access ( 18 yorkville, Radio City ... ) are the gold standard, encountering a Vu or a One Bedford - where the statement is less pared-down - is bound to disappoint.
Now that sleek Clewes point towers with simple podiums and easy pedestrian access ( 18 yorkville, Radio City ... ) are the gold standard, encountering a Vu or a One Bedford - where the statement is less pared-down - is bound to disappoint.