Toronto Accolade Condo | ?m | 34s | Tridel | Burka

[maestro]

I've seen it three times and still think it looks like a tower made out of vapour barrier. Just far, far too much spandrel glass.

While we were all nutso for the over the counter blue glass during the green glass era, I think I actually prefer the look of the green. The blue glass just doesn't blend as well with the most commonly used colours and materials. (save aluminum)

 

[Solaris]

First time I'd been by this site, and I must say: ugly! I think Murano-style buildings would be better suited to this area, instead of cheesy crap like this blue condo.

I'll beg to differ ... it may simply be a difference in opinion though

I don't seek how Murano-style building is any better here, typical clear glass + steel is not the solution to everything ... Accolade hardly deserves to be called 'cheesy crap', like it or not ... it's definitely a focal point in the area, the colour has served its purpose well (unlike the grey buildings around it)

 

[confusion]

I agree, and I actually find the blue colour (as much as I don't like it) complements the Home Depot building (which I love) nearby.

Additionally this building has a towering presence over the DVP while driving on it. Just looking at pictures I do not like this building, but seeing it in real life I enjoy it a lot.

 

[vegeta_skyline]

Agreed, it's a welcome addition to a dreary area. The design is not outstanding, but it does stand out and in a good way amongst the sea of gray and beige concrete or green glass buildings in this city.
Change is good.

instead of cheesy crap like this blue condo.

One can say the same thing about your posts.
The same ‘cheesy crap’ about how you hate ‘this’ or ‘that’ development without ever so much as a decent reason why.

 

[urbandreamer]

My photos should explain my reasons....you either "get it" or you don't, sorry to be an aesthetic snob.

Accolade tries to stand out using blue glass, but because it's your basic precast/concrete c.2005 Toronto condo by B.Varacalli (a mediocre "architect"), it ends up being a cheap attempt at something different.

I have the feeling that if aA/Nomade/Saucier+Perotte designed a blue glass condo tower, it would be an entirely different ballgame.

From a snobby pov, Accolade is an F while Murano is an A. (Accolade is to Home Depot what Murano is to Alessi....)

And btw, I had never been to Don Mills and Eglinton area before, so I was surprised: it is not dreary and in fact has tons of potential! Which is why I found Accolade so depressingly wrong! DM/E area needs lower rise Rezen/Mozo/Ideal massing/architecture/buildings, not suburban towers-with-a-driveway like it's getting now.

 

[Solaris]

my apologies UD ... but I will nominate myself as one of those that don't "get it"

I have been generally quite satisifed with Burka Varacalli's work thus far, at least his building designs are unique to each site's context ... unlike aA's ctrl-V & ctrl-C attemp (just compare Casa, Murano, Spire, Four Seasons, Pure Spirit, 18 Yorkville, Clear Spirit, Gooderham, MYCondo, NXT, Theatre Park and U condos)

btw it is precast, not concrete on the Accolade ~ have you even drive up close to the tower and looked at the precast? my guess is not, your judgement has been based on your perception of the building from a far ... frankly precast is precast (what is 'basic' precast anyways?), and the builder seems to have used it selectively here to create a 'podium' feature for this building ... rather than plastering the entire structure with precast slabs

 

[interchange42]

There is no architectural practice in town called Aa. aA, however, blows (former or any permutation of) Burka Varacalli out of the water time and time again. Calling what Peter Clewes does "cut and paste" is a fundamental oversimplification of applying modernist principles in architectural work.

42

 

[ProjectEnd]

FYI, its Roy Varacalli who works for the firm Burka Varacalli. There is no B. Varacalli.

 

[interchange42]

...worked, to be exact.

Roy Varacalli is now Bazis's visionary fin-master, while Burka has continued on with the projects, like London on the Esplanade and this one, that started off as Burka Varacalli.

Should I be dropping the references to Varacalli in thread titles for buildings that were initially planned when he was still a principal at the firm?

42

 

[Solaris]

There is no architectural practice in town called Aa. aA, however, blows (former or any permutation of) Burka Varacalli out of the water time and time again. Calling what Peter Clewes does "cut and paste" is a fundamental oversimplification of applying modernist principles in architectural work.

42

being picky now aren't we I-42? over capitalization typos of Aa vs aA ??

I'm sure the comment of aA recycling their designs in various projects have been noted by others before ... of course many may disagree this comment and still love aA's work ... but that's just my view

 

[interchange42]

but being picky is what we're her for, ain't it solariS?

42

 

[Tridel]

Accolade Photos from the rooftop

Here are four photos taken from the roof May 27, 2009. Too bad light wasn't the best but you can see Toronto's impressive tree canopy has filled in nicely.

View west to Yonge and Eglinton

View North Up DVP

View East

View South

 

[Tridel]

Accolade May 25, 2009

View Photo Full Size

 

[Tridel]

Accolade from the South - May 25, 2009

View Photo Full Size

 

[drum118]

May 31

The Blue makes this building stand out and to bad the photo's don't show this. Once I saw it on the DV, I had to get off at Eglinton to get some shots as it was not on my do list for the day.