Toronto architecture: a general observation

[alklay]

However, I would suggest that Toronto's style is as much about the public realm as it is about private architecture - streetlights, massed overhead wires, frontier-town wooden hydro poles, narrow sidewalks, street furniture, undermaintained squares and parks. There's certainly no coherent design for any of these elements aside from the new street furniture. There's no political will to reduce the over the top visual clutter, or perhaps there's simply no general awareness of how bad it is. Our public spaces are almost uniformly more shabby than those of our competitor cities, and it seems that a large number of the politicians who are responsible either don't care or actively oppose anything that could be construed as city building. For the people who make and manage our public spaces, Toronto style seems to begin with facilitating the rapid movement of car traffic, and end with spending as little as possible on building or maintaining truly urban, non automobile-related, public spaces.

Well put and sadly true.

 

[Ladies Mile]

I think you’re both overstating the case. New York has no uniformity whatsoever in its street furniture, signs, lamp poles, etc. and the state of its sidewalks, streets and open spaces is nothing less than shocking, but you don’t hear most people complaining.

 

[ProjectEnd]

Concurrently, nobody claims that there's a New York Style.

 

[threnody]

Few will deny that our streetscaping needs a work, but I think city-wide homogeneity is a bad idea. When both are done next summer, compare Bloor with Roncesvalles. Each will be great (hopefully) in their own way. In a few years the waterfront will have another unique concept, when Queens Quay is cut down to two lanes and the streetcar tracks and bike lanes are on one side of the street.

 

[alklay]

I don't think anyone is arguing for homegeneity or uniformity. And New York parks, open spaces and even the state of the sidewalks, puts Toronto to shame.

 

[Ladies Mile]

I don't think anyone is arguing for homegeneity or uniformity. And New York parks, open spaces and even the state of the sidewalks, puts Toronto to shame.

I think you are viewing New York through VERY rose-tinted spectacles. The sidewalks and roads are third-world. The open spaces are nearly non-existent. Central Park no longer has mini-duststorms but its condition is far from perfect and the other parks are basically garbage dumps.

I suppose Bryant Park is well kept if you can ignore the architectural hideousness that surrounds it.

 

[fiendishlibrarian]

^ Definitely. Whenever I'm sitting in that park I always wish they would raze the crap that's around it.

http://www.dustandrust.com/images/bryant_park2.jpg

http://localecology.org/localecologist/uploaded_images/Bryant_Park_with_NYPL-783325.jpg

http://elsmar.com/pdf_files/various picture files/newyork bryant park.jpg

I mean, really, look at this turd. Are you *seriously* telling me that this is superior than anything in Toronto? Ridiculous.

http://i.pbase.com/o6/01/738401/1/72975628.7aCGhjFL._P090353PBase.jpg

 

[Ladies Mile]

I'm not a huge fan of Art Deco, but I was thinking more of the Death-Star-like prospect to the West.

The rear end of the library is pretty weird-looking IMO.

I do like the Grace Building, one of New York's best classic 60's skyscrapers.

 

[alklay]

Thanks fiendishlibrarian for that post. Bryant Park is one of the most beautiful urban parks on the planet. And the city is full of even smaller wonders of equal beauty.

 

[Urban Shocker]

And just look at how green the grass is ... elsewhere.

 

[kool maudit]

last time i was in bryant park i just sat there thinking how badly i wished i was in berczy park.

 

[Ladies Mile]

What's wrong with Berczy Park?

 

[ProjectEnd]

And just look at how green the grass is ... elsewhere.

Obviously disproving the Smilin' Lady's notion that every park in New York is a "garbage dump." That's a rare misstep for you US.

Clearly he/she hasn't been there in awhile, for if there's one thing with which I find fault in New York it's that their open/green spaces have operational hours and are under constant watch from security and maintenance personnel.

 

[Urban Shocker]

Actually, I was commenting on alklay's absurd claim that most of the planet's most beautiful urban parks are in New York City ... under lockdown or not.

I adore Berczy - there's a delightful thread of photographs showing our lovely, democratic, postage stamp sized urban oases. I'm reminded of the contrast with London, the city of my birth, where parks in squares are sometimes gated and exclusionary.

 

[Ladies Mile]

I'm a block away from Bryant Park as I type this.

It's nice enough, and certainly well-kept.