taal
Senior Member
Great picture! Thanks to 'Taller, Better' on SSC. This thread of his has some amazing pictures 'http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=334362&page=146
syn
Senior Member
I think people forget most of what was removed belonged to the Queen Elizabeth II Terrace Galleries addition...not the original building people cite when critiquing the Crystal.
ganjavih
Senior Member
Looking at that photo above makes me wonder how much more the Crystal would have been appreciated if the execution would have been better. As interesting as it looks, it still has a kind of 'cheap tin can' look to it.
picard102
Senior Member
Would have been better all glass for sure.
taal
Senior Member
The tin can look ... while that's not the first thing that comes to mind ... works here ... at least for me. Any argument can be made for having less variation in the colour not sure if I would like that better to be honest.
Here's something similar - but I prefer our panel look (although, again, I can see why some do not like the colour variation):
Here's something similar - but I prefer our panel look (although, again, I can see why some do not like the colour variation):
Epi
Active Member
These pictures are misleading. The only thing underneath the Louvre Pyramid is the area where you buy tickets.
Those sculptures are in a completely different part of the museum altogether and have nothing to do with the pyramids.
marcus_a_j
Senior Member
The tin can look ... while that's not the first thing that comes to mind ... works here ... at least for me. Any argument can be made for having less variation in the colour not sure if I would like that better to be honest.
Here's something similar - but I prefer our panel look (although, again, I can see why some do not like the colour variation):
Having seen the Denver Art Museum in person (although undergoing some sort of exterior renovations, which I was not quite sure what they were doing) I liked it a lot better than the ROM particularly because the execution was much better I thought. Unfortunately I didn't have time to go into the DAM.
Riverdale Rink Rat
Senior Member
Member Bio
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- Back to East York... Alas!
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/ten-years-one-huge-crystal-zero-regrets/article1679782/
Posted this here as it's the most recent ROM thread. Two hilarious letters to the editor today in the print edition, one from London and one from Vancouver, saying how ugly they think it is -- I'm hoping they've actually seen it in person.
FWIW, we're members and we love the Crystal and the museum. The many, many new galleries are the best part of the reno, but the dramatic impact of walking along Bloor to the museum, and seeing the Crystal punch the sky ahead of you, needs mention. As an entrance to the ROM, the Crystal announces the museum and shows glimpses of its most famous artifacts (the dinos) from the street. As I've mentioned before, it also makes the original museum itself an 'artifact' with the dramatic entrance galleria.
Posted this here as it's the most recent ROM thread. Two hilarious letters to the editor today in the print edition, one from London and one from Vancouver, saying how ugly they think it is -- I'm hoping they've actually seen it in person.
FWIW, we're members and we love the Crystal and the museum. The many, many new galleries are the best part of the reno, but the dramatic impact of walking along Bloor to the museum, and seeing the Crystal punch the sky ahead of you, needs mention. As an entrance to the ROM, the Crystal announces the museum and shows glimpses of its most famous artifacts (the dinos) from the street. As I've mentioned before, it also makes the original museum itself an 'artifact' with the dramatic entrance galleria.
taal
Senior Member
Honestly the above look has been done in a few locations ... so in that sense I do find the ROM is rather unique ... maybe all those imperfections is what makes it that way (no one ones to replicate it) 
Also, seeing how many don't like it and prefer the in my opinion safer / more sterile look above I think we'll see a lot more of the above in the next decade or so ... keeping the ROM unique ... perfect
Also, seeing how many don't like it and prefer the in my opinion safer / more sterile look above I think we'll see a lot more of the above in the next decade or so ... keeping the ROM unique ... perfect
marcus_a_j
Senior Member
To bring up the Denver Art Museum comparison again, this is where the ROM succeeds. RRR is on point, the ROM's impact on Bloor from right out front to several blocks in each direction along Bloor is impressive. I found that was not the case in Denver as many of the sightlines and viewpoints of the DAM were blocked by other buildings. That and it is not in a high pedestrian level area (compared to Bloor and Avenue/Queen's Park; it is Denver after all with limited pedestrian activity as it is).
old boy
Senior Member
Alas, the letters to the Globe are quite negative, as they incline to be about Toronto things. As for the ROM addition itself, maybe it's a blessing, safety-wise at least, that the gladding is so muted. If it had the attributes of a glistening crystal, and going where no building has gone before on Bloor, it might be blinding to motorists. Couldn't have that.
Earlscourt_Lad
Active Member
When the Crystal first went up, I thought that it was an abomination. Not that I’m any fan of the second-rate collegiate gothic that the original ROM is composed of, but I thought the Crystal was a bit too different for my taste. However, it has since grown on me, in a way a more mundane addition would not. Now as you come along Bloor, from the west in particular, I find the Crystal to be a great punctuation mark to the street; something that I enjoy spotting from a distance.
It was very unlikely from the start that we were ever going to get a sympathetic addition (in the strictest Poundbury sense). So rather, the danger was we would end up with some run of the mill “modern†rectilinear rubbish that would fade from memory as soon as you walked past. Instead, we’ve been presented something that, love it or hate it, is noteworthy. A plus, I would say.
As for the glazing, it appears to be laminated glass. It’d be very unlikely for it to break in any dangerous way.
It was very unlikely from the start that we were ever going to get a sympathetic addition (in the strictest Poundbury sense). So rather, the danger was we would end up with some run of the mill “modern†rectilinear rubbish that would fade from memory as soon as you walked past. Instead, we’ve been presented something that, love it or hate it, is noteworthy. A plus, I would say.
As for the glazing, it appears to be laminated glass. It’d be very unlikely for it to break in any dangerous way.
Urban Shocker
Doyenne
I want to know all about Janet Carding. I can hardly find any information on her and she's arriving soon. So much emphasis has been on Thorsell and the Crystal part of the revival of the Museum but I want to know what happens next!
adma
Superstar
Torontoist: In Defense of the Crystal
Complete with your usual cast of anti-architectural-quackery commentators.
Complete with your usual cast of anti-architectural-quackery commentators.
androiduk
Senior Member
They're finally getting around to fixing the glass panels and as you can see from image #2, it's badly needed. I asked the workman on site what was causing the cracks and he told me it was the fault of a film crew that was shooting a movie. Apparently they put their super hot lights right next to the glass and it was during the winter so the combination of hot and cold caused the glass to fail.
