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

[caltrane74]

by me

I saw that thing with the Indian Film Festival in the newspaper today. I'm sure if this building has been completed at that time then it would be a goodmatch for the organizers.

 

[Traynor]

ARRRRRGGGHHH!!!! Attack of the 100 foot podium!!!!

Hehehehee Just winding you up Caltrane.

 

[SP!RE]

ARRRRRGGGHHH!!!! Attack of the 100 foot podium!!!!

Hehehehee Just winding you up Caltrane.

I agree with you that large podiums are not ALWAYS the best choice, but what else did you expect them do here? The podium contains numerous cinemas.

The opera house is the size of a large tower podium... should it have been smaller? What about Scotiabank Theatre? Eaton Centre?

I think the main issue is ensuring that sidewalks are wide.

 

[Traynor]

I agree with you that large podiums are not ALWAYS the best choice, but what else did you expect them do here? The podium contains numerous cinemas.

The opera house is the size of a large tower podium... should it have been smaller? What about Scotiabank Theatre? Eaton Centre?

I think the main issue is ensuring that sidewalks are wide.

I'll cut and paste what I wrote in the Maple Leaf Square thread:

I DO like a building to have a solid base, just not one that overwhelms both the street and the tower above. Let's face it... A podium is the modern answer to the New York City "Set-back" laws of early last century. If you look at the Empire State Building and break down it's form, it's just a tall tower on a big podium. But they just executed the cohesiveness SOOOOO much better back then.

I know I'm asking a lot from today's money-conscious builders... But we could strive for excellence couldn't we?

I think that's what I am asking of these builders.

 

[SP!RE]

I read that before posting in here. But it doesn't address what to do when you have a building that needs to be large in scale, including podiums.

 

[caltrane74]

im posting into a firestorm

 

[Traynor]

I read that before posting in here. But it doesn't address what to do when you have a building that needs to be large in scale, including podiums.

I agree in this case that "mass" is necessary but it is still just a giant podium with a tower stuck on top... Two separate elements "visually"... I am asking that even if the podium is this big, I would have liked if it was visually one large structure with a tower rising elegantly from the form of the base with some form of continuity of architectural elements.

This is all just my opinion... I understand that others like this podium thing and that is their taste.

 

[SP!RE]

Ok, I getcha now . Entirely subjective indeed.

I thought you were worried about podiums domineering the streetscape/ pedestrians' experience.

 

[syn]

I agree in this case that "mass" is necessary but it is still just a giant podium with a tower stuck on top... Two separate elements "visually"... I am asking that even if the podium is this big, I would have liked if it was visually one large structure with a tower rising elegantly from the form of the base with some form of continuity of architectural elements.

This is all just my opinion... I understand that others like this podium thing and that is their taste.

Agreed. That's my problem with point towers on a base - they often seem like a very poor use of space.

This project isn't too bad in that regard, as they actually need the podium roof space. I still wish the tower was something more creative.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

I saw that thing with the Indian Film Festival in the newspaper today. I'm sure if this building has been completed at that time then it would be a goodmatch for the organizers.

There are probably over 20 ethnic and themed film festivals in Toronto now, I'll be curious to see if Bell Lightbox takes any of these on, and if so, how many of them that they can manage there. In fact, a centrally located two or three screen cinema complex could be built and almost exclusively run these festivals for the better part of the year. Now there's a business plan!

 

[Observer Walt]

Re: the podium and whether it overwhelms the street. I question whether the lower part of this building should even be called a "podium" at all. Most podiums have pretty much the same function as the tower part of the building above. That's clearly not the case here. This structure is more like two distinctly different buildings with distinctly different functions, which just happen to be sitting one on top of the other.

In addition, this podium (if that's what we are calling it) is designed to accommodate large crowds coming in off the street, which is the case for few if any other podiums in this city.

Granted, it's a bit overwhelming from the street. But it's not really out of scale, for the specific location. In any case, I don't know what else could have been done, unless the podium were to be shrunk, which would defeat the whole purpose. Let's just accept that it's pretty much a unique building, and welcome it as part of our cultural renaissance.

 

[drum118]

Dec 12 Visit

 

[steveve]

Great shots!... I'm really loving how the glass is moving upwards... Starting to have a large impact on the skyline!

 

[Tewder]

Sometimes the pictures are misleading. From a distant vantage the podium does seem to overwhelm its surroundings. When I'm actually walking along that stretch of King, however, the reality feels different. The lightbox podium creates a nice cozy streetwall that matches the street-level feel of the south side of King. The building heights are obviously different but unless you're looking up you don't really feel this. When some of the parking lots surrounding the immediate area begin to fill in the Lightbox podium will feel less overwhelming from a distance too.

 

[mysteryman]

I question whether the lower part of this building should even be called a "podium" at all. Most podiums have pretty much the same function as the tower part of the building above. That's clearly not the case here. This structure is more like two distinctly different buildings with distinctly different functions, which just happen to be sitting one on top of the other.

This podium discussion is getting tedious but I feel I need to clarify...a podium is a base, or a platform. Formally in architecture, it is just horizontal element that supports larger mass, often a tower, usually with some distiction between the two. It doesn't matter how it is programmed, though often due to it's form it allows for different types of functions, which may or may not be accomodated in a tower.
Towers are often put on podiums as it allows them to meet the street better and conveniently, podiums also prevent high winds travelling down the face of buildings and hitting pedestrians on the sidewalk.

Finally, this is a massive podium, and I think that's great.