Toronto YC Condos -- Yonge at College | 198.42m | 62s | Canderel | Graziani + Corazza

[rpeters]

i challenge someone to name a single building in Toronto that has benefited architecturally from adding significant balconies. Let's see...Shangri-la? It looks good but would look better without balconies. L-tower? amazing, and it doesn't have balconies. MLS? absolute trash. Four seasons? looks great, and guess what? almost no balconies! The only ones I can possibly think of are the marilyn monroe towers and even those balconies will eventually get dirty and ugly. the balconies on aura are looking pretty bad so far as well, and it's only the top of the building that will allow it to redeem itself. Look at 33 Bay(Pinnacle) for christ's sake!
Instead of allowing a building to proclaim itself as a monument of human ingenuity and artistic beauty, balconies make a building messy, cheap, and blatantly commercial. They remind the observer of how tiny a condo actually is and how the building is essentially a filing cabinet jampacked with people. The balcony spaces are so tiny that they're likely only used for smoking and raining butts down on passers by below.

 

[someMidTowner]

L tower has balconies..

 

[Xray_Crystal_Junkie]

... and when the people finally get sick of living in a tiny box they can then jump off their private balcony and expect everyone else to clean them up.

You started off debating the aesthetics of balconies, a worthy debate on an architecture forum. I then thought you a little close-minded by maligning a significant segment of the population of this city and painting them with a very broad brush (implying that all condo dwellers are inconsiderate). I wouldn't have cared much but this statement at the end is quite offensive. Without trying to sound preachy, it's best for all and the quality of the forum if we refrain from such hyperbole.

 

[WiddleBittyKitty]

i challenge someone to name a single building in Toronto that has benefited architecturally from adding significant balconies.

Market Wharf. Clear Spirit. Looking like Ãce. Casa. Reve. 10 and 20 Avoca. A number of Uno Prii's buildings. SIX50 King West. Parc. Festival Tower. One12 St. Clair West. 155 Cumberland. Willing to bet on Exhibit. And on and on.

Let's see...Shangri-la? It looks good but would look better without balconies. L-tower? amazing, and it doesn't have balconies. MLS? absolute trash. Four seasons? looks great, and guess what? almost no balconies! The only ones I can possibly think of are the marilyn monroe towers and even those balconies will eventually get dirty and ugly. the balconies on aura are looking pretty bad so far as well, and it's only the top of the building that will allow it to redeem itself. Look at 33 Bay(Pinnacle) for christ's sake!

If you only see buildings as sculpture, and not as places for people to live in, then I suppose that makes some sense… but not much. Most condos come with balconies because most purchasers want balconies. Beyond all that, your sample size above is far too tiny to prove your point.

Instead of allowing a building to proclaim itself as a monument of human ingenuity and artistic beauty, balconies make a building messy, cheap, and blatantly commercial. They remind the observer of how tiny a condo actually is and how the building is essentially a filing cabinet jampacked with people. The balcony spaces are so tiny that they're likely only used for smoking and raining butts down on passers by below, and when the people finally get sick of living in a tiny box they can then jump off their private balcony and expect everyone else to clean them up.

Blatantly commercial? They emphasize how tiny the units are? All the balcony spaces are tiny? None of your suppositions are proven. Some are so general they can be easily dismissed. Others are entirely subjective. Your conclusion is hyperbolic beyond reason.

You might want to move somewhere entirely low-rise: less for you to stress about than here in balconied Toronto.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

i challenge someone to name a single building in Toronto that has benefited architecturally from adding significant balconies....blah, blah, blah

No back yard for you.

 

[GenericUser]

i challenge someone to name a single building in Toronto that has benefited architecturally from adding significant balconies. Let's see...Shangri-la? It looks good but would look better without balconies. L-tower? amazing, and it doesn't have balconies. MLS? absolute trash. Four seasons? looks great, and guess what? almost no balconies! The only ones I can possibly think of are the marilyn monroe towers and even those balconies will eventually get dirty and ugly. the balconies on aura are looking pretty bad so far as well, and it's only the top of the building that will allow it to redeem itself. Look at 33 Bay(Pinnacle) for christ's sake!
Instead of allowing a building to proclaim itself as a monument of human ingenuity and artistic beauty, balconies make a building messy, cheap, and blatantly commercial. They remind the observer of how tiny a condo actually is and how the building is essentially a filing cabinet jampacked with people. The balcony spaces are so tiny that they're likely only used for smoking and raining butts down on passers by below, and when the people finally get sick of living in a tiny box they can then jump off their private balcony and expect everyone else to clean them up.

+1. I disagree with some of your opinions, but agree with the overall conclusion that balconies harm a building's aesthetics; especially when occupied.

 

[buildup]

1 Bloor East, 5 St Joseph, Massey, 1 St Thomas.

 

[Big Daddy]

+1. I disagree with some of your opinions, but agree with the overall conclusion that balconies harm a building's aesthetics; especially when occupied.

Agree totally - especially in tiny units, balconies simply become storage.

 

[Thernan]

Agree totally - especially in tiny units, balconies simply become storage.

Actually, in most cases, teh condo's property management is on top of that problem because it is strictly forbidden in either the declaration or the by-laws. It's only in rental buildings where that is a major issue or low-income housing.

 

[Big Daddy]

Actually, in most cases, teh condo's property management is on top of that problem because it is strictly forbidden in either the declaration or the by-laws. It's only in rental buildings where that is a major issue or low-income housing.

Forbidden or not it will become storage. Whether it happens now or in four or five years from now, it will happen.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

It really depends on how good the Board of Directors are, and the Property Manager/Administrator to enforce the condo corp. rules & regulations.

 

[GenericUser]

Forbidden or not it will become storage. Whether it happens now or in four or five years from now, it will happen.

Exactly...

 

[marsh]

I think it is important for buildings to have balconies and I think it is something that most buyers wants -but I've seen some balconies that were simply too small to be really functionable. I think the other problem is the current style of doing everything in glass - glass balconies let everyone see people's stuff which can look messy - whereas brick/concrete would hide clutter and give an overall neater appearance if designed correctly. I personally don't understand the appeal of glass buildings but I don't expect the trend to die any time soon.

 

[CityPlaceN1]

Forbidden or not it will become storage. Whether it happens now or in four or five years from now, it will happen.

Exactly...

Not if the condo board does its job.

 

[67Cup]

Balconies are indeed an aesthetic challenge, just as garages are for houses. But most people want one.