Toronto Union Centre | 298m | 54s | Westbank | Bjarke Ingels Group

Automation Gallery said:
Yes elegant is always thinner and taller
, so chop 30 meters in width and up it 30 meters,,, whats the problem?
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I actually think a big issue is going to be elevators. They probably cant chop width without chopping height. The whole north wall is elevators. Each elevator they cut chops off ~40,000 SF of leasable area service.

I suppose they could move towards a traditional core on low-rise, but it is pretty narrow north-south.
 
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30 second scribble- lose one vertical volume, taller building, taller irregular setbacks

206181
 
Personally, I'd keep the width. Why should every building have the same profile? That said, I'd like to see one gesture added to the south-facing wall, but I'm not sure what. Something simple, elegant.

Regarding this University Avenue image: they faked it, and I think that did them in—Union Centre is pulled too far to the east in this image, over-emphasizing its effect on the University Avenue view.

UnionCtrLightsS1280.jpg


A pile of buildings have been PhotoChopped out of that (weirdly zoomed, artificially constructed) image so that they can move the building east to display the elevators.

If you note the buildings on the left above, framing the view, you have to go a long way north on University to add them to the picture.

UnivSouthChestnut.jpg


To have the Shangri-La and the Hilton dominate like they do in the rendering, you have to shoot from Queen…

UnivSouthQueen.jpg


And even there, to emphasize the buildings down at Front, I have to grab just the centre of that image…

UnivSouthQueenK.jpg


…where you see what's really behind the Shangri-La and what will block most of the University view of Union Centre, namely the glassy Sun Life Financial Centre. Union Centre wold wrap around it to the left and above—with a gap between the Citi Building and it. Not that big a deal from the north.

Thank you Google Street View for existing!

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interchange42 said:
Personally, I'd keep the width. Why should every building have the same profile? That said, I'd like to see one gesture added to the south-facing wall, but I'm not sure what. Something simple, elegant.

Regarding this University Avenue image: they faked it, and I think that did them in—Union Centre is pulled too far to the east in this image, over-emphasizing its effect on the University Avenue view.

View attachment 206186
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I was starting to think I was the only one that appreciated its girth. We need a few big heavy imposing buildings. They help anchor the places they exist in and give these areas a sense of permanence. It's imposing presence at the southern end of University Avenue is/was terrific. It unapologetically bookended this view corridor... and to great effect.
 
If this goes ahead soon, and I am judging the proximity of the site correctly, it might provide an imperative for moving the UPX lounge/platform as Metrolinx mused about this week; my assumption is that construction would be simpler if it could be dispensed with so that even if the space itself was not intruded upon, access routes would not have to be maintained.

As for 151 Front - nervous times indeed. Any unintended disruption there would be a massive pain point for business here and beyond.
 
dowlingm said:
If this goes ahead soon, and I am judging the proximity of the site correctly, it might provide an imperative for moving the UPX lounge/platform as Metrolinx mused about this week; my assumption is that construction would be simpler if it could be dispensed with so that even if the space itself was not intruded upon, access routes would not have to be maintained.

As for 151 Front - nervous times indeed. Any unintended disruption there would be a massive pain point for business here and beyond.
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Metrolinx has already come out and said that they're not moving UPX after all. It's too expensive and would have too much of an impact on boarding times. Union Centre will have to maintain access to the PATH anyway.
 
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