Toronto Festival Tower and tiff Bell Lightbox | 156.96m | 42s | Daniels | KPMB

MetroMan said:
I love everything about this building -- except for its location. The 2 and 3 story buildings are completely over shadowed. There is no symmetry in the street wall. Lightbox completely overwhelms this successful strip.

It'll be curious to see how things will develop. To restore symmetry, there's no option to reduce the height of Lightbox so we need to address the other side of the street: Taller buildings will need to be developed behind the 2/3 story buildings fronting King.
Click to expand...
Keep in mind that M5V and Charlie are going up on the same block....they're both tall buildings. Lightbox should blend in just fine.
 
I think one needs to remember that the city is in a state of change right now, where the core is expanding and encroaching on new areas. This building is a perfect example of that. This is going to continue from now on, which is why we're seeing so many people complaining about condos, like 67 St.Nicholas.
 
MetroMan said:
I love everything about this building -- except for its location. The 2 and 3 story buildings are completely over shadowed. There is no symmetry in the street wall. Lightbox completely overwhelms this successful strip.

It'll be curious to see how things will develop. To restore symmetry, there's no option to reduce the height of Lightbox so we need to address the other side of the street: Taller buildings will need to be developed behind the 2/3 story buildings fronting King.
Click to expand...

There is also a tower planned directly south at John and Mercer, which is the parking lot in the foreground of the second picture. Also the two towers planned for the Westinghouse lots down the street at 355 King St W and 119 Blue Jays Way, and two separate projects directly north at 21-31 Widmer, and John and Adelaide.
 
MetroMan said:
I love everything about this building -- except for its location. The 2 and 3 story buildings are completely over shadowed. There is no symmetry in the street wall. Lightbox completely overwhelms this successful strip.

It'll be curious to see how things will develop. To restore symmetry, there's no option to reduce the height of Lightbox so we need to address the other side of the street: Taller buildings will need to be developed behind the 2/3 story buildings fronting King.
Click to expand...

I used to have that same take on symmetry. Then I noticed in Manhattan a one-storey building can be across the street from a skyscraper, and it works reasonably well.
 
I would agree that the south side of King holds its own. The whole area feels nice and dense and urban, and it all works fine.
 
Here's some shots of Festival Tower YESTEDAY!

Festival Tower/Bell Lightbox looking pretty nice :)

3988497256_d470f78ac3_b.jpg



3988474908_71939a4635_b.jpg


All Photos by me: steveve

Enjoy :)
 
I must say that I like the Bell Lightbox podium a lot ... however the curtain wall design and choice of glass makes the tower portion look so typical, bland, and uninspring ... much like many other 'glass boxes' being built throughout the City

In fact ... Festival 'tower' reminds me very much of the two Maple Leaf Square towers ~
 
Solaris said:
I must say that I like the Bell Lightbox podium a lot ... however the curtain wall design and choice of glass makes the tower portion look so typical, bland, and uninspring ... much like many other 'glass boxes' being built throughout the City

In fact ... Festival 'tower' reminds me very much of the two Maple Leaf Square towers ~
Click to expand...

Both MLS and Festival Tower have lowered my opinion of KPMB. They do mid-rise and podiums well, but the only tower of theirs that I like is Montage.
 
Better to wait and see sin ce neither this one or MLS are finished so while I somewhat agree, I will wait to see how they look once they are complete. Who knows without the elevator on the exterior and without much of the siding on Bell lightbox, its really hard to know for sure no?
 
How about waiting a bit for the glass to go up on the condo portion before trashing it?
 
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