Toronto Pinnacle One Yonge | 345.5m | 105s | Pinnacle | Hariri Pontarini

I don't even think of that tower facade in terms of "cladding". It registers as "exposed concrete structure"--SOM-style International Style Brutalist "rationalism" c1970. Were it not so bunker-like at street level, esp. relative to Yonge + QQ (well, remember: at that time, QQ was still industrial, and most "foot commuters" would have arrived from the north). I even think the tower would be appreciated rather than knocked for its dreariness...
 
Indeed. When constructed, it was a pioneering outlier building for the office market - not unlike what Harbour Square was for the residential condo purchaser, of the renovated Terminal Warehouse was for mainstream retailers, down by the lake. The rather fortress-like form of 1 Yonge is to be treasured.
 
Well my dear, you must have been tippling a bit this weekend and fallen off your chair and hit your head. The only thing this would have in common with treasure would be if it was towed out to the middle of the lake and sunk!
 
Well, I think "treasure" is a bit far-fetched re the bunkerishness--but I do have a point re the "comprehensibility" of the existing architectural form. And as usual, with the qualifier: the replacement/makeover could be worse (cf. Sutton Place)
 
The gently-aged peanut brittle cladding of 1 Yonge's a keeper. Where else in Toronto do we see that material? It has held up considerably better than FCP's marble did.
 
Urban Shocker said:
The gently-aged peanut brittle cladding of 1 Yonge's a keeper. Where else in Toronto do we see that material? It has held up considerably better than FCP's marble did.
Click to expand...

Stone cladding does not seem to age well on modern buildings.

Edward Durrell Stone cladding especially :). FCP, Standard Oil, 2 Columbus Circle have all been reclad; Kennedy Center practically so. In many cases though, thank goodness. The recladding helped to take some of the frump out of Stone's original design. How did this guy get so famous?
 
Iconic ehh:)

Toronto Star office parking lot set to succumb to city’s condo craze

The Toronto Star parking lot is about to become the latest piece of land to succumb to the city’s condominium craze, according to multiple sources.

A deal is expected to close in the coming days that would see Vancouver-based Pinnacle International Realty Group develop the project which is expected to include up to three towers. The existing office tower at One Yonge St., home to the Toronto Star which has a long-term lease for its space, will not be impacted by the development.

“The actual Toronto Star building will not be touched,†said a source close to the deal, who did not want his name used. The newspaper has options which could extend its lease another 20 years.

“I’m sure it will be something iconic,†said a source. “They are planning multiple towers. It will be a major Yonge Street address with great water views.†The revitalization of the waterfront near Yonge has made the area ripe for development, said the source. “Investors are looking for more triple A projects than just run-of-the-mill projects. It makes sense to locate close to transit, close to the subway.â€

One industry developer said the land could be worth as much as $70 to $75 per buildable square foot in today’s real estate market. “It’s a big lot, so we are talking very big numbers,†said the developer.
http://business.financialpost.com/2...-set-to-succumb-to-citys-condo-craze-sources/
 
Last edited:
AlvinofDiaspar said:
Successes are hardly iconic.

AoD
Click to expand...

No kidding. But if you recall Pinnicale's marketing hype around Success 1 & 2, these were the most unique buildings ever built. That's why I laugh whenever the word iconic is used to describe a condo building in TO. Rarely, if ever, has there been one.
 
How many times have we heard the word "iconic" used by developers to describe bland and uninspired architecture? It has become meaningless.
 
You must log in or register to post here.

Back
Top