Toronto Pan Am Village in the West Don Lands | ?m | ?s | DundeeKilmer | KPMB

My previous photos were taken on a gloomy day, which certainly didn't help the perception of the neighbourhood as colourless, but I went back on Friday when the sun was out:


Pan Am Athletes Village by Marcanadian, on Flickr

Pan Am Athletes Village by Marcanadian, on Flickr

Pan Am Athletes Village by Marcanadian, on Flickr

Pan Am Athletes Village by Marcanadian, on Flickr

Pan Am Athletes Village by Marcanadian, on Flickr

Pan Am Athletes Village by Marcanadian, on Flickr

Pan Am Athletes Village by Marcanadian, on Flickr

Pan Am Athletes Village by Marcanadian, on Flickr

Pan Am Athletes Village by Marcanadian, on Flickr

Pan Am Athletes Village by Marcanadian, on Flickr

Pan Am Athletes Village by Marcanadian, on Flickr

Pan Am Athletes Village by Marcanadian, on Flickr
 
Marcanadian said:
My previous photos were taken on a gloomy day, which certainly didn't help the perception of the neighbourhood as colourless, but I went back on Friday when the sun was out:
Click to expand...

Ok fine, it's grey AND white. Still not lovely if you ask me. And holy crap that's a lot of spandrel.
 
The district looks pretty good covered in snow. The spandrel is executed pretty well in most places.

Are the giant numbers on the side of the building there for the fire department, or to help people walking up the stairs know the floor?

Do all the various lights on the tornado-streetlight sculpture light up?
 
…which is likely what will happen after a couple of years anyway if it's not actually designed to.

42
 
Pan Am Athletes Village by Marcanadian, on Flickr
Click to expand...


More color could have easily been added to this area to reduce the level of greyness. For example, in this photo, the grey rows of spandrel could have been red so that instead of just the base having elements of red (which look great), the building throughout would have elements of red. And the white with the red spandrels would look sharp!

Same thing with one of the other buildings that has green at its base and at the roof (mechanical?); if green (similar to what its at the base) was incorporated into the rest of the building, it would have made a big difference.

Such small details - had they been considered more thoroughly - would have been a big boost to the visual appeal of this area.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
CITY_LOVER said:
More color could have easily been added to this area to reduce the level of greyness. For example, in this photo, the grey rows of spandrel could have been red so that instead of just the base having elements of red (which look great), the building throughout would have elements of red. And the white with the red spandrels would look sharp!

Same thing with one of the other buildings that has green at its base and at the roof (mechanical?); if green (similar to what its at the base) was incorporated into the rest of the building, it would have made a big difference.

Such small details - had they been considered more thoroughly - would have been a big boost to the visual appeal of this area.
Click to expand...

Summer's greenery and the retail dynamic and colours which come with a variety of businesses will add colour at the pedestrian level undoubtedly.

However I do agree that a simple tweak as mentioned could have just added that extra bit of flourish and vibrancy in the upper level built form.

That said, the area as now provides two main coloured focal points, the green and spectacular Corktown Common, and the red bricked Canary and Police Buildings and further Distillery District, which together I think will help to stimulate pedestrian movement along Front as people walk from one to the other in a sense of discovery and arrival. The way that Front opens up to the vast park and narrows in on the cozy red brick history i think also helps to provide this sense of awe on one side and focus on the other.

Time will tell as the infill changes things up.
 
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