Toronto The Well | 174.03m | 46s | RioCan | Hariri Pontarini

interchange42 said:
It's not a binary situation, there are shades of gray here that include a difference between cross bracing that has no effect other than aesthetic, and a cladding material that is a more attractive veneer covering a less appealing one: you still have to clad the building, so it might as well be pleasing to the eye (and the brick veneers should provide decades of maintenance-free wear).

Also in the shades of gray department: I used the word 'ribbing' which indicates a good-natured poke, not a full-on dressing down. I know the cross-bracing isn't a crime against humanity… it's just not functionally honest 'tis all!

42
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Totally fair! I'm not trying to come down on you or anyone who doesn't appreciate the cross bracing, nor do I really think brick veneers are a 1:1 comparison. Indeed the prevailing wisdom here seems to be that their functional dishonesty makes the bracing a poor design choice. I'm just trying to express an alternative view that, for me at least, the hi-tech adornment is still refreshing and welcome in a city where most contemporary office projects, though crisp, are architecturally restrained to a fault. So I counter your rib with one hearty pat on the back for our pals at HPA. =P
 
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Contra said:
It's very much turning into Lloyd's Building On a Budget. Still a handsome build though!
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Indeed!
ProjectEnd said:
Outside of a few design cues, they're really not similar at all. Lloyds was a statement head office for a 300+ year old insurance institution, and cost between $650-700 (2020 rates) / ft. due to extreme customization. The Well is a speculative office building, designed to make money for its developers and asset managers (Allied and RioCan). I would be surprised if it's being constructed for more than $350-400 / ft.

There's very little similarity outside of the fact that they're both 'buildings'...
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It's funny, as Covid raged, I kept thinking about the massive scale of this project and wondering if it made Riocan nervous.
Today they cut their dividend.
That said, the financials show them to be in excellent health with lots of liquidity, but it is interesting to see them making a move to conserve cash and be prudent.
 
Lyphe said:
It's funny, as Covid raged, I kept thinking about the massive scale of this project and wondering if it made Riocan nervous.
Today they cut their dividend.
That said, the financials show them to be in excellent health with lots of liquidity, but it is interesting to see them making a move to conserve cash and be prudent.
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I guess the cheap, green glass is part of their move to conserve cash. :rolleyes:
 
It's such a shame that they decided to use opaque panels at the intersection of the lines in the X's 😔

Overall, I still really like how this buildings looks. The massing and cladding are fantastic, IMO.
 
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