Toronto Aura at College Park | 271.87m | 78s | Canderel | Graziani + Corazza

It feels like they are building the Death Star here. A mangled mess of concrete and glass that Vader envisioned. perhaps it will be fine in the end. Bigger is probably better for this location since it's almost near Eaton's Centre but man this beast is like a King Kong's foot just planted itself down.

scrapergeek said:
After a few years on this forum, you learn to look at the photos, and skip most of the comments! Too many folks expecting unrealistically high standards and materials.

These buildings are being built by companies to make money, and house people. They are not being built by wealthy benefactors as giant monuments to loved ones.
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scrapergeek said:
These buildings are being built by companies to make money, and house people. They are not being built by wealthy benefactors as giant monuments to loved ones.
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The irony here is that Aura, with its cladding, will resemble a gigantic version of one of those glossy black polished granite headstones you see in cemeteries everywhere.
 
Searchlight said:
It feels like they are building the Death Star here. A mangled mess of concrete and glass that Vader envisioned. perhaps it will be fine in the end. Bigger is probably better for this location since it's almost near Eaton's Centre but man this beast is like a King Kong's foot just planted itself down.
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And thank god for that.
 
Mississauga Slim said:
The irony here is that Aura, with its cladding, will resemble a gigantic version of one of those glossy black polished granite headstones you see in cemeteries everywhere.
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haha. Very good. That must have been in the back of my mind somewhere! Regardless of its gravestonesque stature, I actually think this project is looking good so far. I was fearing that "murky" green glass mentioned in other threads. This really stands out.

The window wall reminds me a bit of Waterclub, which is another favourite of mine (cue the Kirkor-haters...)
 
scrapergeek said:
These buildings are being built by companies to make money, and house people. They are not being built by wealthy benefactors as giant monuments to loved ones.
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uh, every residential building is built by people who want to "make money, and house people". the difference is that some developers know how to make money by investing in good design, because they know how to market and sell good design.

and then there's the bottom-feeding brain trust behind monster-clunkers like Aura.

anyway, since you seem to believe that good design is an impediment to making money, you should check out a company called Apple.

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scrapergeek said:
The window wall reminds me a bit of Waterclub, which is another favourite of mine (cue the Kirkor-haters...)
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That's the project Aura's cladding reminds me of as well. Now go take a look in person at how rusty and dirty those silver mullions are and how they've stained the glass on WaterClub and always look dirty.
 
SP!RE said:
That's the project Aura's cladding reminds me of as well. Now go take a look in person at how rusty and dirty those silver mullions are and how they've stained the glass on WaterClub and always look dirty.
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Yup it needs some love, no denying. Still nice looking buildings though.
 
As I posted once before, the Five Stages Of Architectural Mania:

1) OMG - that rendering looks fantastic. I can't wait to see this built. This will really help that area. Can they make it taller?
2) This one has been taking way too long. Wait - is that activity on site? No? Damn. This one is really taking too long. Why is it taking so long?
3) Hey! - the concrete is above ground level now it's looking good. It should really take off now. Can't wait to see this one finished.
4) Oh f*&ck - Is that the cladding? It doesn't look anything like the rendering. This is horrible! I can't believe this. F*&king Toronto. What the f*&k are they thinking? I never want to see this building again. (furious ultimatums about proper taste in cladding fly thick and fast, darkening the site).
5) (sigh) Well, altogether, I guess it looks alright. Could have been a lot better, though.
Hey, have you seen this new proposal?

I think with Aura we're currently on stage four.
 
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we arent on stage 4 CN. the cladding looks exactly like the render shows (at least to those that look closely and see that its exactly what was planned)

If you can't see the mullions on the render then i can understand your surprise, but if that is the case i think glasses or contacts may be required.
 
CanadianNational said:
1) OMG - that rendering looks fantastic. I can't wait to see this built. This will really help that area. Can they make it taller?
2) This one has been taking way too long. Wait - is that activity on site? No? Damn. This one is really taking too long. Why is it taking so long?
3) Hey! - the concrete is above ground level now it's looking good. It should really take off now. Can't wait to see this one finished.
4) Oh f*&ck - Is that the cladding? It doesn't look anything like the rendering. This is horrible! I can't believe this. F*&king Toronto. What the f*&k are they thinking? I never want to see this building again. (furious ultimatums about proper taste in cladding fly thick and fast, darkening the site).
5) (sigh) Well, altogether, I guess it looks alright. Could have been a lot better, though.
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Good summary of most projects in Toronto. You could add several other stages to that list:

1.5) The City just chopped 10 floors from the design? $%&#@ city planning department!
2.5) I heard from my brother's friend's uncle that this project will be capped at ground level. I'm not surprised, since the Toronto real estate market is about to implode. Really. I mean it this time.
4.5) Oh boy, a 45-floor building was just announced immediately south of this one. Sucks to have bought a unit looking south, there goes their view.
 
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Geekaroo said:


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WOW! these 2 photos are too good to pass! in the first one, the angled part of the floorplan shows the angle on which the curved facade will sit
and in the last photo, the cladding just shines

ya this tower has definitely exceeded my expectations.
 
wmedia said:
Maybe I'm a minority here, but this cladding far exceeds my expectations. Looking forward to seeing 78 storeys of this.
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Same here -- it looks much better in the bright sunlight. I was worried the cladding was looking too dark since I've mostly seen it in the late evening or on rainy days, but it looks great in the photos above. I wonder if it will get the nickname of "Big Blue" once it's finished?
 
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This project is certainly beastly. Walking past it recently really makes an impression - good or ill is up to you. I quite like the project mostly because of it's sheer size and presence, and I'm eager to see it progress and the podium open up. I'm eager to see how the retail works and what happens to the streetscape. It's fun to watch construction on this scale, especially for a condo. Can't wait to see how it pans out as the tower rises.
 
I might get ragged on for saying this, bit in a way Aura reminds me of Chicago's Sears Tower (AKA Willis Tower). The sheer height and authority of Chicago's own beast tends to overwhelm everything else around it, and I expect that Aura will produce a similar effect. The dark cladding has much to do with this effect with both buildings, projecting a formidable Darth Vader aura (no pun intended).

Like it or hate it, Aura will be impossible to ignore.
 
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