Photo Update 2006.04.15 (ROM/RCM/1 St. Thomas/CAS/Met)

[AlvinofDiaspar]

ROM:

Closeup of panels.

Overhang from the 1912 wing.

Slit-windows.

From the corner of Avenue Rd. and Bloor

Close up of black window frames for the large glass window at the future gift shop.

Context.

Ditto.

South side of the staircase crystal - no cladding yet.

RCM:

Ongoing concrete work.

1 St. Thomas

Glazing on the St. Thomas St. facade.

And Charles St.

CAS:

Mostly completed - pleasant institutional look, though the ground level is a little wanting.

The Met:

On College looking west. Very nice terminius effect with streetwall flow. Beautifully done.

On the 10+ floor - proceeding rather rapidly.

AoD

 

[alklay]

As always, great photos that are much appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Suicidal Gingerbread Man]

I actually think the windows and precast on 1 St. Thomas look pretty good.

So sue me.

 

[Crazy Canuck07]

I see it on a daily basis, and it does look rather good( St.Thomas). The glass and the cladding do look pretty good together.

 

[allabootmatt]

Thanks for those. Is ayone aware of whether the parking lot between Varsity Stadium and the RCM is being eliminated as a result of the renovation? It looks in the renderings like it is, but I'm not sure...thanks

 

[thenay]

Thanks for the photo update
Met Encore is lookin good.

 

[mark simpson]

Thanks for the update

 

[sam95ta]

Is there anyone else who thinks ROM is a disaster.Beautiful historical building crashing into some type of glass and steel crap.

 

[jayomatic]

Um. No. Better than what was there before.

 

[maxy505]

I'm undecided... yeah, the 70's (60's?) crap that was there before won't be missed, but I hope the historical building isn't overshadowed. The crystal may end up looking decent but I don't think it'll be outstanding. Something understated in limestone and glass, similar in height and shape to the existing wings, might have looked better to my eyes. I'm not complaining though... I think it'll be at minimum an interesting and not-disastrous addition.

 

[cdl42]

"70's (60's?) crap that was there before won't be missed"

80s. The last wing up was the first one down.

 

[scarberiankhatru]

Even if the Crystal itself ends up disappointing, I'm sure the interior renovation of the galleries will more than make up for it.

 

[maxy505]

The galleries will be much improved but for $200 million, gallery space is barely increasing (something like 20% larger when all said and done, but I couldn't find a firm number). For that much money -- my preference is a handsome limestone addition, not faux-anything, increasing display space by up to 50%.

If the crystal was going to be truly spectacular I'd sell function down the river, but from most of the renderings, it looks like it'll just be "nice".

addendum: I always liked buildings growing out of trees... it looks good in this rendering:

 

[3Dementia]

It does look good... maybe we can plant more trees to minimize our "disappointment".

Gimmmmmmmmme a break... this building will be the most important building in the country (design-wise).

Shut-up please and wait for it.

 

[buildup]

Gimmmmmmmmme a break... this building will be the most important building in the country (design-wise).

Shut-up please and wait for it.

I think we need a counterpart for the acronym "NIMBY"; something like "BI96IWEWBWABWHNTALTBGIPD" standing for "back in '96 I was estatic when Bellagio was announced because we had nothing - today anything less than Bibloa Guggenheim is profoundly dissapointing..."

Any suggestions?