Toronto Forma | 308m | 84s | Great Gulf | Gehry Partners

[Pinski]

For me, the first was iconic. The second isn't. As simple as that.

Will the second still be impressive, sure. But it's not going to be a household name – the first had that potential.

I thought this as well but then the new design started growing on me a lot. Not as tall yet a bit thicker and balanced.
Also it’s been mentioned the old design was simply not feasible due to material cost, it would have bankrupt the developer lol so this is life I guess

 

[Riseth]

I thought this as well but then the new design started growing on me a lot. Not as tall yet a bit thicker and balanced.
Also it’s been mentioned the old design was simply not feasible due to material cost, it would have bankrupt the developer lol so this is life I guess

Exactly. The original proposal was way too complex and ambitious to ever be built in the first place. I knew that back in 2012 when it was first released.

The newer version is far more feasible and still looks unique and gorgeous. Plus it's something that could actually be built, so win win.

 

[C-mac]

Maybe it's just me, but these buildings still seem to have to much shine for me that only add to the blue/green glass all over the place..

 

[emphurent]

I feel the view of these towers from David Pecaut Square is gonna be quite breathtaking, and truly something world class for the city. Inspired by @steveve 's work posted earlier which shows how impressively filled in the few blocks north of the square will be. I actually believe my rendition of the view far underestimates the true size of the towers; for it for it to look somewhat realistic I spaced the towers a bit, and shrunk them to fit in the frame even with all the crazy wide angle distortion.

Buildings included: Mirvish + Gehry, 212 King, 19 Duncan and the small in comparison 217 Adelaide West.

14 Duncan, 150 Pearl, and 100 Simcoe are all absent as those buildings don't have any high quality renders, but keep in mind they actually would fit in-between the spaces next to the other towers creating an incredible wall of buildings, what i'm showing is really only the tip of the iceberg. The tip of 240 Adelaide West and Natasha may also appear behind, but it'd be a bit small to notice so I left it out too.

(View via: Google Streetview)

Without anything for reference, current view is begging for some interesting buildings:

 

[daptive]

I feel the view of these towers from David Pecaut Square is gonna be quite breathtaking, and truly something world class for the city. Inspired by @steveve 's work posted earlier which shows how impressively filled in the few blocks north of the square will be. I actually believe my rendition of the view far underestimates the true size of the towers; for it for it to look somewhat realistic I spaced the towers a bit, and shrunk them to fit in the frame even with all the crazy wide angle distortion.

Buildings included: Mirvish + Gehry, 212 King, 19 Duncan and the small in comparison 217 Adelaide West.

14 Duncan, 150 Pearl, and 100 Simcoe are all absent as those buildings don't have any high quality renders, but keep in mind they actually would fit in-between the spaces next to the other towers creating an incredible wall of buildings, what i'm showing is really only the tip of the iceberg. The tip of 240 Adelaide West and Natasha may also appear behind, but it'd be a bit small to notice so I left it out too.

(View via: Google Streetview)

View attachment 326864

Without anything for reference, current view is begging for some interesting buildings:

View attachment 326888

You’re completely right about it being breathtaking! Would be a great opportunity to refresh David Pecaut too.

I know the pavement is used for a lot of events but it’d be nice if they could expand the lawn area and fix the grass. They should also find a way to add some cafes or restaurants, though there’s not a lot of room in those lobbies.

Also always wanted to see Roy Thompson Hall’s sunken pond/performance space integrated into the park, perhaps with long wide steps going up on the west side. Like a smaller version of this

Source

 

[Ciarlandini]

You’re completely right about it being breathtaking! Would be a great opportunity to refresh David Pecaut too.

I know the pavement is used for a lot of events but it’d be nice if they could expand the lawn area and fix the grass. They should also find a way to add some cafes or restaurants, though there’s not a lot of room in those lobbies.

Also always wanted to see Roy Thompson Hall’s sunken pond/performance space integrated into the park, perhaps with long wide steps going up on the west side. Like a smaller version of this View attachment 326889
Source

Ah apple stores... the bane of all UrbanToronto forums' existence...

 

[Northern Light]

You’re completely right about it being breathtaking! Would be a great opportunity to refresh David Pecaut too.

I know the pavement is used for a lot of events but it’d be nice if they could expand the lawn area and fix the grass. They should also find a way to add some cafes or restaurants, though there’s not a lot of room in those lobbies.

Also always wanted to see Roy Thompson Hall’s sunken pond/performance space integrated into the park, perhaps with long wide steps going up on the west side. Like a smaller version of this View attachment 326889
Source

The Downtown West BIA would agree with your thinking..............

This is one of the attachments forming part of the King-Spadina Public Realm Plan:

https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2021/te/bgrd/backgroundfile-167869.pdf

From same:

 

[Heller94]

A reputable YouTube skyscraper channel featured a certain Toronto project in a recent video titled Worlds Strangest Future Skyscrapers. Worth a watch!

 

[UtakataNoAnnex]

A reputable YouTube skyscraper channel featured a certain Toronto project in a recent video titled Worlds Strangest Future Skyscrapers. Worth a watch!

It's interesting they feature Gehry's blocky contribution juxtapose to the Ex-Lax smooth counterparts featured in that. I guess we should be glad that's it's least getting noticed.

 

[Lachlan Holmes]

New documents went up on the AIC on June 21st. No major changes from the look of things, but a few refinements of the design here and there along with a lot more fleshing out of the details. Some updated renderings as such:

I don't believe we've seen proper elevation drawings, at least for this iteration of the proposal. We have them now!

East tower elevations:

West tower elevations:

Oh, and before I forget, there's no shortage of coloured detail elevations, either...

I can't fit all of them in one post and I'll quit there. So, if you're an enjoyer of finely detailed architectural drawings as am I... I highly suggest having a look at the plans over on the Application Information Centre, under the Site Plan Application.

 

[UtakataNoAnnex]

...I guess Great Gulf will have no problem creating that crimped metal effect when they are already "experimenting" with that over at 357 King West. /sigh

 

[interchange42]

Even though Great Gulf still calls this project Mirvish + Gehry Condos on their own website, they sent us a note saying…

Please do not refer to the Gehry Towers as Mirvish+Gehry. Mirvish sold several years ago to Great Gulf, Dream and Westdale and no longer owns this project. Please provide a correction. Appreciate it.

Of course!

42

 

[Northern Light]

Even though Great Gulf still calls this project Mirvish + Gehry Condos on their own website, they sent us a note saying…

Of course!

42

"Hello, I'm sending you a note to let you know you're using the wrong name..................yes, I know that's what we call it..........but don't pay attention to that...........we meant to call it something else, thanks"

 

[UtakataNoAnnex]

Even though Great Gulf still calls this project Mirvish + Gehry Condos on their own website, they sent us a note saying…

Of course!

42

I would only consider that on the condition they replace/fix those as for mentioned crimped metal panels over at 357 KW. >.<

 

[alklay]

The bases of the towers are really disappointing. They do not follow the very decent rhythm of the older neighbouring building. And alternatively, they are not interesting in and of themselves, except for the small canopies. In fact, we are really left with a lot of boring glass windows. I would have expected something more interesting. Something better.

And not to derail this thread, but I was in the area on the weekend and I could not help but notice that the public realm in the area, especially David Pecaut Square, looked terrible. The Square particularly looked unkept and unloved for: no plantings where there should have been plantings, weeds everywhere (including much of the paved area) and broken and cracked concrete at every foot. It was run down and looked abandoned. It looked like an abandoned park in Detroit. And this is in the heart of the city, in a major tourist area. I was embarrassed for the city.