Toronto 950 King West | 60.5m | 18s | Intentional Capital | Sweeny &Co

It's almost if they should simply restore the heritage structure and build that new addition some where else, but not there....
 
The new owners have paid enough for this site that they have to densify to get a return on the investment, but they now have a bit of a no-win situation here, architecturally. The base building is ornate enough that anything clean and modern rising behind it is going to contrast. If they keep playing with it, they may come up with a plan that more will like, but there's no way they'll end up with one that everyone will like. To go the other route and fake up something to look old behind it, like the tower of the Chateau Frontenac rising behind its lower arms, would be preferable to some, and that idea amuses me a bit, but they'd never pull off something fully satisfying that way either. You'd have to have Robert AM Stern on that, and that's not happening.

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interchange42 said:
The new owners have paid enough for this site that they have to densify to get a return on the investment, but they now have a bit of a no-win situation here, architecturally. The base building is ornate enough that anything clean and modern rising behind it is going to contrast. If they keep playing with it, they may come up with a plan that more will like, but there's no way they'll end up with one that everyone will like. To go the other route and fake up something to look old behind it, like the tower of the Chateau Frontenac rising behind its lower arms, would be preferable to some, and that idea amuses me a bit, but they'd never pull off something fully satisfying that way either. You'd have to have Robert AM Stern on that, and that's not happening.

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New rule; no densifying heritage properties unless MOD is the developer or Stern is the architect.
 
interchange42 said:
To go the other route and fake up something to look old behind it, like the tower of the Chateau Frontenac rising behind its lower arms, would be preferable to some, and that idea amuses me a bit, but they'd never pull off something fully satisfying that way either. You'd have to have Robert AM Stern on that, and that's not happening.

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Maybe keep it local and go a bit taller/narrower with a Richard Wengle (Stern-ish) limestone. Work in partnership with Sweeny for a new/old hybrid design result (bit more glass than Mr. Wengle uses).
🏛
 
I think you can extend and repeat the same elements.. It's not fakery to build something referencing the same style. So it's a little Chateau Frontenac-y.. I think the new built should not be a complete contrast. They tried that in the first iteration. It was an nsult to the existing building. A little effort and imagination is required.
 
SilverSurfer said:
New plans submitted, 14 storeys of mediocrity

Development Applications

City Planning COA Application Information Center
app.toronto.ca
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From the above:

1611175802613.png


From the Revisions List letter:

1611175927047.png


Height increase to 49.95M (inc. Mech. Penthouse)
Floor Count +1 to 14
 
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Sometimes it's just not workable and that needs to be acknowledged. Move the heritage building to a park and make it into a recreation/visitor centre. Trying to incorporate it into a new building is unlikely to result in a good outcome.
 
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