6.4K 
It's been roughly five months since we checked in on the Downtown Toronto construction site for Yonge & Rich Condominiums from developer Great Gulf, named in a cheeky nod to the nearby intersection of Yonge Street and Richmond Street East. Substantial progress has been recorded for the 46-storey architectsAlliance and Graziani + Corazza Architects-designed project in the months since, including the project's conjoined tower volumes having topped off.
Now standing 156 metres tall, the completed structure of the two connected tower volumes are each being clad in their own unique treatment, breaking up the massing and articulating the building to appear as two separate towers from some angles. The simpler northwest volume is being finished with white-tinted wraparound balcony guards, behind which is hidden a minimalist window wall with white spandrel panels covering vertical wall sections. Cladding installation is now ongoing for the final two residential floors. The white underpainting of balconies follows several levels behind.
The southeast volume sets itself apart with a randomized geometric pattern evocative of a crossword puzzle. This look is being executed with a mix of clear glass balcony guards and perforated aluminum panels with a white powder coat, set against the same window wall finishes seen on the northwest volume. Window wall finishes for the southeast volume are now in place up to just shy of the mechanical penthouse level, while the distinctive balcony design currently rises about mid-way up the tower.
At street level, the podium's muted grey precast concrete and glazing along Richmond Street is designed to take a back seat to the more colourful heritage walls of both an adjacent heritage building on Victoria and an integrated heritage frontage on Lombard Street. Additional finishes will soon further define the building's interaction with the pedestrian realm, while the existing precast finishes will eventually get a thorough refreshing from the washing off of construction dust and debris.
Additional information and images can be found in our Database file for the project, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum thread, or leave a comment below.
* * *
UrbanToronto has a new way you can track projects through the planning process on a daily basis. Sign up for a free trial of our New Development Insider here.
