Toronto U of T: Landscape of Landmark Quality | ?m | 1s | U of T | MVVA

Guys.. the parking garage is open! Just chatted with a worker, said it’s open to walk around in. I couldn’t go in as I was late for my class. I’ll probably check it out around 12:30pm today

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Here is a very quick walk through:

Entering from North West entrance
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Looking towards North East entrance (car entrance)
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A look at the EV charging pads:
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Walking towards the elevator entrance (South East)
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It looks like these glass windows may be for the small lecture hall which is suppose to be integrated with the steam pipes. I recall reading about this as one of the civil/mechanical engineering courses requested some sort of lecture hall inside the steam pipe network lol
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And lastly, a look towards the parking garage entrance
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Oh and I can't forget, the awesome chemical smell from all the painting. Im sure it's awful for my brain but that "new car" smell was just delightful
 

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Rivenbourn said:
It looks like these glass windows may be for the small lecture hall which is suppose to be integrated with the steam pipes. I recall reading about this as one of the civil/mechanical engineering courses requested some sort of lecture hall inside the steam pipe network lol
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I'm sorry- what? That sounds absolutely bizarre.
When they were building it, that space looked to be full of piping, there wasn't anything open enough to be a classroom space. I also don't see any doors nearby of appropriate of "lecture hall" quality.

I initially hoped when they poured it, that it would be a protected bike room, but when it got filled with piping I realized the space was for mechanical purposes. I think that there would be health and safety issues with having a lecture hall here. There are also no washroom facilities here.

I think the windows are to "showcase" U of T's geothermal initiatives here; I wouldn't be surprised if there ends up being some sort of text-based display along with the view of the mechanics.
 
Student99 said:
I'm sorry- what? That sounds absolutely bizarre.
When they were building it, that space looked to be full of piping, there wasn't anything open enough to be a classroom space. I also don't see any doors nearby of appropriate of "lecture hall" quality.

I initially hoped when they poured it, that it would be a protected bike room, but when it got filled with piping I realized the space was for mechanical purposes. I think that there would be health and safety issues with having a lecture hall here. There are also no washroom facilities here.

I think the windows are to "showcase" U of T's geothermal initiatives here; I wouldn't be surprised if there ends up being some sort of text-based display along with the view of the mechanics.
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There is a teaching facility incorporated into the plan here. I'm not sure of the layout.
 
Student99 said:
I'm sorry- what? That sounds absolutely bizarre.
When they were building it, that space looked to be full of piping, there wasn't anything open enough to be a classroom space. I also don't see any doors nearby of appropriate of "lecture hall" quality.

I initially hoped when they poured it, that it would be a protected bike room, but when it got filled with piping I realized the space was for mechanical purposes. I think that there would be health and safety issues with having a lecture hall here. There are also no washroom facilities here.

I think the windows are to "showcase" U of T's geothermal initiatives here; I wouldn't be surprised if there ends up being some sort of text-based display along with the view of the mechanics.
Click to expand...
Northern Light said:
There is a teaching facility incorporated into the plan here. I'm not sure of the layout.
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From The Strand: "The geothermal field will also act as both a garage and a subterranean classroom, where engineering students can see the inner workings" . The covered window may just be a display for the pipes as you said, but there is definitely some sort of classroom or interactive space in the garage.

As an aside, the rest of that quote seems to have an editor's comment that was somehow not removed lol
 
Rivenbourn said:
From The Strand: "The geothermal field will also act as both a garage and a subterranean classroom, where engineering students can see the inner workings" . The covered window may just be a display for the pipes as you said, but there is definitely some sort of classroom or interactive space in the garage.

As an aside, the rest of that quote seems to have an editor's comment that was somehow not removed lol
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Hmm... I do wonder if they actually mean a literal classroom, or if they just mean that the viewing window allows for learning, making it serve like a "classroom" of sorts.

I am reading elsewhere that they do intend for experiential learning with the geothermal aspect, but I would assume it's just bringing in individual or small groups of engineering students into the mechanical room to learn about the equipment and its impact on the energy on the campus. I believe it is part of this: https://sustainability.utoronto.ca/ceccs-subcommittees/operations/campus-as-a-living-lab/


Other info here: https://www.nationalobserver.com/2022/04/19/news/buried-pipes-will-help-university-toronto-turn-carbon-positive
Once landscaping is completed, mechanical equipment will be installed underground in a glass structure adjacent to parking, with the system operational by the end of 2023.With its mechanics there for all to see, Saporta says the project is a learning tool that fits with its "Campus as a Living Lab"’ program.
“This project has been a focus of several courses ... in our engineering school as well as our business school,” he said, noting that students have presented designs to the project team in recent years, including a proposal that some wells be drilled at an angle, which has since been implemented.
https://www.nationalobserver.com/20...-help-university-toronto-turn-carbon-positive
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New pics taken yesterday, April 6th, 2024:

Lets start w/Front Campus getting a lot of use on really nice spring day, as social hangout:

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Now, lets go over to see how Hart House Park and Circle are coming along:


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Path open, but lots of work still to do......hey...wait a minute, what's that?

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OMG! Yes it is...........another style of lighting! The 5th style of lighting in this project!

Authentic Heritage: Hart House Lights
Authentic Heritage: University College Lights
Pseudo-Heritage: King's College Road and the alleys from the circle to St. George
Modern, ugly, non-sequitur light polluting sticks, most of the rest
Modern but pseudo-rustic, non-light polluting, Hart House Circle.

Just wow in a very bad way

***

Moving along, is that parking garage entrance buried yet?

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Nope!

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Over towards Temerty:

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^^^ at least the seating faces away from the building

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Ha! Finally an appropriate spot for one of these:

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Here lies Temerty's West Wing......soon to be no more, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

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Finally, no sign of a movie shoot................. I think they were back up in case of trouble w/the Anti-Israel protest on nearby University:

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7 police vehicles.
 
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Update on this mystery: They now have decal covering these. One of them reads "Soon we will be pulling back the curtains on our deepest secret. (Hint: Canada's largest urban geoexchange)".
 
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