The Weston Skyscraper

[wyliepoon]

The latest of my series of Google Sketchup/Earth models depicting unbuilt Toronto skyscrapers (not a huge collection, but it has the old 1 Bloor East, the Maryon Tower, Sapphire Tower and Eaton's College Street) is the Weston Skyscraper. It's a rough model since it only shows a simple podium, and does not cover the other wacky buildings proposed for the Avondale area along with the tower.

Here are the graphics that I used to develop my model... from TO Built:

http://www.tobuilt.ca/php/tobuildings_more.php?search_fd0=1927

... and here's the model.

http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=6f91674a234adf71e2a20aa8f70f2d53

A photo rendering of the Weston tower placed in a photo I took at Yonge and Sheppard. The rendering was done in Kerkythea (I was testing it today).

When was this design proposed again? I think that after so many years, the design of the Weston Tower is still valid today. I can see traces of other supertall designs, like the Shanghai World Financial Center and New York's Freedom Tower in its design. Maybe it's time to resurrect the Weston Skyscraper design at a downtown parking lot site!

 

[Towered]

A truly bizarre location for a skyscraper of that magnitude.

 

[spaced]

Great work as usual 'poon.
Does anyone know where the Weston's have their head office now?

 

[Art Vandelay]

Wow.The building is gorgeous. I would love to see it constructed on Bay Street across from the Air Canada Centre in the gold colour you have depicted in the first picture.

 

[deerparker]

Great work as usual 'poon.
Does anyone know where the Weston's have their head office now?

22 St. Clair Avenue East.

 

[taal]

Has anyone been to St. Clair before ... silly question but it's really an amazing street! with some beautiful buildings! need some pictures!

 

[p5connex]

Good work wylie- but it looks a little squat in comparison to the model photos- then again, I assume you are the one who modeled it, so you must've counted...

p5

 

[interchange42]

Very interesting to see that placed into photos and satellite mapping of the area - and I'm glad it never got built. To me it's a hulking, inelegant monster.

Thanks for your work on this Wylie!

42

 

[Hydrogen]

The rendering posted on the Royal Connaught Hotel and Tower thread looks vaguely reminiscent of this. Does Harry S. liken his efforts to those of the Westons? Will it suffer the same fate?

 

[Prometheus The Supremo]

there's something eerily familiar and sinister about this photo...

 

[Hydrogen]

Sinister? Hmmm.

The big rays of light look like they are coming from the north. That might be creepyish.

That, or the deity of retail is looking upon the Westons with great satisfaction.

 

[Prometheus The Supremo]

reductio ad hitlerum

Sinister? Hmmm.

The big rays of light look like they are coming from the north. That might be creepyish.

That, or the deity of retail is looking upon the Westons with great satisfaction.

LOL!

the cloudy sky with the rays of light shining through, replace the tower with a guy and a flag and yikes!

just a coincidence but if weston bakeries ever comes out with a bread called "Gott Mit Pumpernickel" or "VolksWeißbrot; the peoples white bread" it might be cause for some concern, just saying.

 

[Hydrogen]

Now that you mention it, there is a kind of Albert Speer quality to the rendering. There's even an autobahn, too.

 

[urbanboyto]

it DOES look 1930's..either Fascist Germany or Soviet Constructivist.

Was this really a proposal for Y and Sheppard?

 

[Prometheus The Supremo]

it DOES look 1930's..either Fascist Germany or Soviet Constructivist.

Was this really a proposal for Y and Sheppard?

i think it was. the rendering must have cursed the project.