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Taipei is almost the exact same size as Toronto in terms of population, but to me feels like a smaller city. Could be partly because there is almost no skyline to speak of (when you can see it through the smog). There is currently only one supertall (101) there with another under construction, so I don't think it is a good example to use as a city building supertall boondoggles.

Having said that, I do agree with you that our city is growing taller on a much more sensible financial basis than most of Asia/mideast.
 
Bruvyman said:
Taipei is almost the exact same size as Toronto in terms of population, but to me feels like a smaller city. Could be partly because there is almost no skyline to speak of (when you can see it through the smog). There is currently only one supertall (101) there with another under construction, so I don't think it is a good example to use as a city building supertall boondoggles.

Having said that, I do agree with you that our city is growing taller on a much more sensible financial basis than most of Asia/mideast.
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You can't be more wrong. You probably get the idea from just an online skyline photo? Taipei feels much more urban and bigger because it doesn't have so much sparse suburb completely devoid of city life where you almost never have to go.

Taipei has similar city population, but on less than half the size of land (270km2 vs 630km2). This means that stripped of the entire land of Scarborough (187km2) and Etobicoke (123km2), where there is pretty much nothing to see or do, Toronto is still 50km sq larger than City of Taipei, which means Taipei is a lot denser and urban with much less sprawl.

Is Toronto a tall city? only south of Queen st or alonge Yonge st. The rest of the city is so flat.

And I don't understand why you said our city is growing at a much more sensible financial basis - what does that mean, that 50+ storey towers are more sensible or 2 storey houses outside downtown are more sensible than "Asian cities"?

I don't know what you mean by "big", you are right if you are referring to the distance you have to travel from one place to another, but in that case Texas cities are way larger. But our city is extremely downtown-centric, and outside downtown, not much is really happening except for a few transit centers.
 
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Bruvyman, I was actually using Taipei 101 as an example of a comparatively sane megatall structure. I also agree with you that our city is growing taller based on more sensible base of decision making, which is scary because I think conditions here are pretty dodgy as well. That said those Middle-eastern and East Asian megatalls may be back-stopped by people or a base of revenue that is more able to accept the fact that those structures are a complete waste of money. An argument could be made that white elephants have a potent symbolic force that can't be measured in the billions of dollars gone down the tube constructing them.
 
balenciaga said:
You can't be more wrong. You probably get the idea from just an online skyline photo? Taipei feels much more urban and bigger because it doesn't have so much sparse suburb completely devoid of city life where you almost never have to go.

Taipei has similar city population, but on less than half the size of land (270km2 vs 630km2). This means that stripped of the entire land of Scarborough (187km2) and Etobicoke (123km2), where there is pretty much nothing to see or do, Toronto is still 50km sq larger than City of Taipei, which means Taipei is a lot denser and urban with much less sprawl.

Is Toronto a tall city? only south of Queen st or alonge Yonge st. The rest of the city is so flat.

And I don't understand why you said our city is growing at a much more sensible financial basis - what does that mean, that 50+ storey towers are more sensible or 2 storey houses outside downtown are more sensible than "Asian cities"?

I don't know what you mean by "big", you are right if you are referring to the distance you have to travel from one place to another, but in that case Texas cities are way larger. But our city is extremely downtown-centric, and outside downtown, not much is really happening except for a few transit centers.
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You sound like you have something against Toronto or else you're just ignorant. You made a lot of false or exaggerated statements in that post to try and support a weak argument. you obviously need to get outside more as you seem to have completely forgotten about the fact that Toronto is a city of neighbourhoods, and downtown is just one of them. You completely underestimated the value of the Danforth, Kensington, Queen West, Little India, The Beaches, Yonge and Eglinton, High Park and countless other neighbourhoods that make Toronto great. Scarborough may be ugly in some areas but people who make minimum wage need to live somewhere, it has a national park and one of the largest zoos in the world, and tons of authentic restaurants which you have probably never taken the time to check out and never will. I could sit here all day and list all the things Toronto has that Taipei doesn't, the most important is a heterogenous population that isn't living in fear of being obliterated by 2000 missiles aimed at it from China.
 
Great render, 3D.

I roll my eyes when I read posts saying that Toronto not building as many megatalls (or whatever the term is) as a bunch of Asian cities combined is embarassing. Who cares? This isn't the 1930s, having a "megatall" doesn't make the city more important or impress anyone other than nerds on websites. Toronto has lots of things that need improvement but the height of its buildings isn't one of them.
 
The new Star Wars poster. Something looks familiar....

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my stab at a rendering... lol!


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I know, I messed up with the placement of Ten York, I'll fix it later, plus find a better rendering to match for Harbour Plaza.

... crooked CN Tower..blah, blah, blah.
 
^I wish the Harbour Square Condos will be demolished/replaced someday...They are easily the ugliest thing on the waterfront.
 
balenciaga said:
^I wish the Harbour Square Condos will be demolished/replaced someday...They are easily the ugliest thing on the waterfront.
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They are also the most expensive thing on the waterfront. Not going to happen. Maybe one day they will reclad them in glass.
 
Some notes from the Sands casino proposal happening right now - it seems that they will be part of this project.
 
balenciaga said:
^I wish the Harbour Square Condos will be demolished/replaced someday...They are easily the ugliest thing on the waterfront.
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Agree, but we're likely stuck with them for at least the next 60-70 years. I consider them one of Toronto's worst urban planning mistakes.
 
isaidso said:
Agree, but we're likely stuck with them for at least the next 60-70 years. I consider them one of Toronto's worst urban planning mistakes.
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They may look like a mistake now, but remember that when they were built, they had their north sides facing industrial wasteland and railway tracks. Think Waterlink when the sugar factory is gone in some distant future. People will wonder why that large blank "blast wall" is there.
 
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