Toronto Cumberland Square | 253.92m | 75s | KingSett Capital | Giannone Petricone

[Koops65]

 

[spaced]

Is it just me or does anyone else see 2 letters being spelled out here:

 

[interchange42]

Allies and Morrison have now posted images on their website of the project that was never-to-be…

…so I suppose can post pics now here too.

Looking northeast from Bay and Bloor:

Looking northwest from Bloor and Yonge:

Looking north and down:

Looking north and up:

Courtyard and interior images:

42

 

[gabe]

oh my god! This looks amazing. I really hope they keep the indoor greenery! Plants make spaces look less sterile.

 

[interchange42]

oh my god! This looks amazing. I really hope they keep the indoor greenery! Plants make spaces look less sterile.

Not being built. You read what I wrote, right? And all of the other posts relating to how this version of the proposal is never going to be built?

42

 

[condovo]

I like the ambition of this scheme. It could've been Toronto's modern-day Rockefeller Center. There are too many repeating towers for my taste though. Still, it feels like a missed opportunity to do something great for Yonge/Bloor/Yorkville.

 

[innsertnamehere]

I like the ambition of this scheme. It could've been Toronto's modern-day Rockefeller Center. There are too many repeating towers for my taste though. Still, it feels like a missed opportunity to do something great for Yonge/Bloor/Yorkville.

The towers likely hadn't been actually designed - the purpose of the scheme was to sell the various landholders on whether or not to proceed or not based on financial considerations - it demonstrated how the development could physically be configured and be what the resultant densities could have been, not a detailed architectural design.

 

[ptbotrmpfn]

What’s the actual design there about five designs for this now.

 

[stjames2queenwest]

Actually I don’t like that “not-to-be” plan very much. The towers are all too similar. No tears shed here.

 

[ChesterCopperpot]

"The Well On Steroids" was a very apt description

 

[jje1000]

I can understand why Holt didn't want to move- their current spot, as bland as it is, is still far more 'monumental' than the corner space they would have ended up in.

Ultimately, this plan almost feels too severe in its site plan, with its ring of five massive towers girdling and dominating the public spaces. Shadowing issues would have also likely doomed this plan from the start.

 

[Ramako]

Granted that they were likely just placeholders, but I never liked the designs of the towers in the original proposal. Just way too conservative and monotonous.

 

[Yegger]

I think the success of Yorkville was built on its intimate scale, its laneways and the diversity of its offerings, reminiscent of European shopping districts. The Allies and Morrison proposal gives me way too much of a mega-mall vibe that could result in a sterile, inorganic and over-planned complex. So far, I’m liking that the projects in the area are being undertaken separately yet are being coordinated so as to create a cohesive vision and also best deliver on big ticket items such as parks, squares and other amenities.

 

[ericmacm]

As beautiful as the Allies and Morrison proposal looked, I think 5 new towers would have been quite a bit too much, given that they all look to be the same height. It somewhat reminds me of the 9-tower Pinnacle Etobicoke development in terms of its intensity. I do like the designs of the towers (I especially love the brown/black/white hues on the towers) and it probably would have done well with only 3 or 4 towers.

The current Cumberland Square proposal is definitely the best way to go for this site. The Bjarke Ingels-esque tower will be fantastic nonetheless (the amenity floor extrusion is interesting, but Toronto has nothing like it so why not give it a try?), and the two other towers look great, sloped roof profiles are always welcome. Hopefully the proposal doesn't change too much.

 

[LUVIT!]

I think the success of Yorkville was built on its intimate scale, its laneways and the diversity of its offerings, reminiscent of European shopping districts. The Allies and Morrison proposal gives me way too much of a mega-mall vibe that could result in a sterile, inorganic and over-planned complex. So far, I’m liking that the projects in the area are being undertaken separately yet are being coordinated so as to create a cohesive vision and also best deliver on big ticket items such as parks, squares and other amenities.

I agree. That proposal is way too reminiscent of 'Mega urban renewal ' projects of the 60's and 70's where whole blocks of cities were razed for 'improvement.' In the end they were often big mistakes and in turn are being razed for more intimate 'old school' organic renewal.