Toronto Aqualina at Bayside | 47.85m | 13s | Tridel | Arquitectonica

I don't mind the massing, but where's the contrast ! The brick for example, added a lot of that contrast in the original design.

This rendering doesn't look that detailed though, maybe they just didn't show it ?
 
I wanted that indoor garden area. It was supposed to give shelter for those using the skating rink. That area gets very cold and windy in the winter. If they want to make Bonnycastle a year round destination and shopping district, they need to give the public an enclosed meeting area where we can escape the cold. Having restaurants or a coffee shop is not a good enough option. I saw a great enclosed public square, located between two office towers, in Manhattan and it was such a cool space, full of people. (even on a beautiful May day) I'd love to have something like that in this complex.

I do not like the design of this building. It's just not good enough for Toronto.
 
There still is an area in the middle of the building but its just that i.e. seems like a connection, no retail or the like ?
 
Ugh.

1) It's ugly.
2) The facade isn't broken up into different interesting facades; it's all the same materials with almost no variation across the building' facade.
3) The winter garden is gone.

Thanks for cheaping out on us, Hines.
 
A huge disappointment. I really hope it's not built in this form - I'd hate to see that disappointment become permanent.

The first, worst offense is the obliteration of the wintergarden, replaced by a couple uninviting-looking walkways. This is not acceptable. The wintergarden needs to be brought back and, if possible, made an architectural feature of the building.

Secondly, the cube at the end. Instead of being a worthwhile architectural part of the ensemble, it looks dull as can be - and rather pointless. If it were a cubic atrium, it would make an interesting wintergarden in it's own right. Instead, having it just be more apartment blocks with a banal angling of the balconies doesn't invite joy, admiration or interest. At all.

Third - the division of this building into sections seems to have no dynamic rationale behind it, and makes little meaningful impact on the bulk of the building. It looks as if it was sectioned up arbitrarily, but in no way that enlivens or makes clearer sense of the building at all.

This one needs a complete redesign, in my opinion.
 
You made all the points I was too lazy to elaborate... thank you. :) Agree entirely.
 
They were taking a lot of input on this area as a whole from the public.

Anyway we can share these views with waterfront Toronto ?
 
Thankfully we have the Design Review Panel as a last bulwark against such proposed mediocrity!
 
Does Waterfront Toronto have any say in what is built here? Is there any point contacting them to complain and ask them where the Winter Garden went?
 
Does Waterfront Toronto have any say in what is built here? Is there any point contacting them to complain and ask them where the Winter Garden went?

I think they do ? Hines has been pretty open with them throughout from what I heard.
I'm really hoping that's simply not a very detailed rendering, but I suggest everyone contact them !
 
EBayfrontSherbCmnFallF.jpg

This is the winter garden
 
This is why I don't get too excited about new projects in Toronto when I first hear of them. I'm afraid of being disappointed either through the revisions that will take place (which more often that not will make the project less interesting and unique) or if that doesn't happen, the actual build may have parts that are not in line with initial expectations (whether it be the colour, cladding, how it meets the street, the rooftop/mechanical box treatment, etc.). Given the way things have been in this boom (at least), I would be very cautious in what to expect/visualize with most projects until they're substantially built to determine what impact they will have in the city. It's too bad that it's like this (at least for me) but this project reinforces that unfortunate notion.
 

Back
Top