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Rising in Toronto’s Entertainment District, the 73-storey East Tower of Forma continues to climb while its distinctive facade adds ever more glitter as sections are installed. Designed by Gehry Partners with Adamson Associates as Architect of Record, UrbanToronto last checked in on the Great Gulf, Dream Unlimited, and Westdale Properties project in October, 2025, when early stages of cladding installation had begun.
Looking northwest from Roy Thomson Hall this month, cladding installation can be seen advancing across the south and east elevations. The stainless steel panels are being installed in a stepped sequence up the east face, with upper levels showing staggered progress as crews work floor-by-floor to align the sculpted units. Each stainless steel-clad panel sports one of eight folding patterns (also varying by floor height), creating a glittering surface as light catches the angles.
At the leading edge of cladding installation at the southeast corner, one worker is repositioning a shoring post along the perimeter to the right in advance of receiving another panel, while another three crew members wait on the south side (at left) for a more imminent hoist. The panels are seen in close detail, the stainless steel folded at varying angles. Regularly spaced clips are fastened to the slab edges, while panel edges meet where the metal is flat, maintaining alignment despite the randomized geometry.
A close-up view captures a curtain wall panel — integrated window panes with decorative steel framing above — being hoisted into position using a crane-suspended lifting beam, as crews guide the prefabricated unit into alignment at the slab edge. If you look closely, you'll see regularly spaced rivets securing the stainless steel to the hidden structure underneath.
Looking southeast across Duncan Street later this month, we see a second, flat section of cladding. The two facade systems meet at the northwest corner, both as high as the 12th floor, with the folded panels projecting beyond the fully glazed plane and catching light differently throughout the day.
A close-up view highlights the flat, unitized curtain wall system, with a regular grid of windows and spandrel panels defining each level. At the upper right corner, a worker is engaged in perimeter sealing, applying caulking along the edge of the curtain wall to complete the weather barrier. The presence of construction residue and streaking on the glass is typical at this stage and will be addressed during final cleaning.
Looking northwest from across David Pecaut Square, Forma's East Tower has risen to roughly 30 storeys. The metal panels read as a continuous, faceted surface. Above, the reinforced concrete structure continues to climb, with the crane in operation at the top. At this distance, the varying reflectivity of both the glazing and metal panels produces a shifting pattern across the facade, reinforcing Frank Gehry’s intent of a dynamic, light-responsive exterior.
Upon completion, the East Tower will stand 262.8m with 864 residential units, while the planned West Tower would rise as a ‘supertall’ at 308m.
UrbanToronto will continue to follow progress on this development, but in the meantime, you can learn more about it from our Database file, linked below. If you'd like, you can join in on the conversation in the associated Project Forum thread or leave a comment in the space provided on this page.
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UrbanToronto's research and data service, UTPro, provides comprehensive data on construction projects in the Greater Golden Horseshoe—from proposal through to completion. Other services include Instant Reports, downloadable snapshots based on location, and a daily subscription newsletter, New Development Insider, that tracks projects from initial application.
