Toronto Corus Quay | ?m | 8s | Waterfront Toronto | Diamond Schmitt

Really? Is that the extent of 'context' for you? How about its location on, oh I don't know, Lake Ontario???

I don't dislike the Diamond style but I can't help but feel they could have worked their approach to far better advantage here.
 
Maybe they can throw a couple masts and sails on the roof just for you.

This building fits its context remarkably well with respects to the East Bayfront masterplan and it's midrise lakeside promenade. The fact that it is currently surrounded by nothing currently emphasizes its bulk and greyness.

(not direct at you.)


Is it a letdown? Yes. Are its deficiencies worth the over two years of rants and raves? No. It's commonplace and grey but, overall not a bad building. Get over it. Plenty more waterfront (let alone the downtown core) to be develop for those of you to complain about.
 
The biggest problem (no pun intended) with our waterfront is that the buildings are so massive. Every building on the waterfront is a superblock that has few or no amenities on a human scale. Corus appears to be perpetuating that pattern, though less egregiously than Pier 27.
 
KPMB, who are doing the George Brown campus next door, aren't exactly in the thrall of garish colour schemes either - we have every right to expect a similarly respectful building from them; aA's Pier 27 isn't multi-hued either. They'll make a nice set, and look lovely together from the lake - the long horizontals of Corus and Pier 27 - with George Brown no doubt expanding the context they set. Buildings such as Corus and Casa show that simple, legible, functional Modernism works well and has beauty of form.
 
Urban Shocker said:
KPMB, who are doing the George Brown campus next door, aren't exactly in the thrall of garish colour schemes either - we have every right to expect a similarly respectful building from them; aA's Pier 27 isn't multi-hued either. They'll make a nice set, and look lovely together from the lake - the long horizontals of Corus and Pier 27 - with George Brown no doubt expanding the context they set. Buildings such as Corus and Casa show that simple, legible, functional Modernism works well and has beauty of form.
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Why are you so worried about "garish colour schemes"? No one in Toronto does that, not even Kirkor (see Waterclub). In Dutch architecutre, one often comes across Modernism with a dose of colour, and it doesn't detract from the building. SP!RE by Peter Clewes has a tasteful dose of colour, are you really so appalled? Are you depressed when you see a rainbow?
 
junctionist said:
Why are you so worried about "garish colour schemes"? No one in Toronto does that, not even Kirkor (see Waterclub). In Dutch architecutre, one often comes across Modernism with a dose of colour, and it doesn't detract from the building. SP!RE by Peter Clewes has a tasteful dose of colour, are you really so appalled? Are you depressed when you see a rainbow?
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I was responding to maestro's comment about "bulk and greyness" by pointing out that some fine recent buildings around town are monochromatic - and stress volume, rather than applied decoration and breaking mass down into smaller units: Casa, the other example I gave, also adapts nicely to the ambient light as a result of its neutral, undecorated and monochromatic form.
 
But now you are missing what I assume to be junctionist's point which is that these already fine buildings might have been enhanced with a little color. I think he's right. Wozoco for example, wouldn't have looked better if it were an all-wood box.
 
junctionist said:
Why are you so worried about "garish colour schemes"? No one in Toronto does that, not even Kirkor (see Waterclub). In Dutch architecutre, one often comes across Modernism with a dose of colour, and it doesn't detract from the building. SP!RE by Peter Clewes has a tasteful dose of colour, are you really so appalled? Are you depressed when you see a rainbow?
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Quite right. Grey, brown, and beige aren't the only colours that are not garish.
 
Don't we have enough grey in this town? Or will you conservative types not be happy until every last building is depressing, dull and grey. Our reputation for blandness continues, after reading some of the comments here, it's not surprising.
 
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Torontovibe said:
Don't we have enough grey in this town? Or will you conservative types not be happy until every last building is depressing, dull and grey. Our reputation for blandness continues, after reading some of the comments here, it's not surprising.
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I like Corus Quay and think the criticisms have been a little too much about the sackcloth and ashes. But we do need to have something monsterously tacky and garish sitting in our skyline. It'll do us some good.
 
Our reputation for blandness continues
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Interesting. I can't remember every encountering this supposed reputation of ours. In need of a good scrubbing, yes, but, anything remotely associated to blandness, no.


But we do need to have something monsterously tacky and garish sitting in our skyline.
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It's called Mississauga.


The last thing we need is for our local firms to start designing their brand of tacky and garish futurism for our backyard.
 
ProjectEnd said:
But now you are missing what I assume to be junctionist's point which is that these already fine buildings might have been enhanced with a little color. I think he's right. Wozoco for example, wouldn't have looked better if it were an all-wood box.
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WoZoCo housing for seniors is interesting enough because of its sculptural form - the coloured balconies tend to tip it rather into Kowloon Walled City territory - Cheer up! You're old! Bright colours! Wheee!
 
I wish! City of Darkness remains one of my most treasured volumes. Your reading of color as an antidote to the effects of age however, is an interesting departure from your traditional stance that it is simply the bane of 'good' urbanism. That said, your acceptance that buildings benefit from some degree of "sculptural form," in that it makes them "interesting," has made this whole journey worthwhile.
 
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