Toronto L-Tower | 204.82m | 58s | Cityzen | Daniel Libeskind

[dlam]

As this beauty reaches up in its final dramatic curve, a couple questions once again come to mind.
How the heck are they going to wash those upper windows?
They will have to be cleaned often. The the dirt and grime buildup on that angle is guaranteed.
I have often watched them cleaning the glass roof over across the way at the Galleria. The contraption they stand on to do it is permanent and appears quite convoluted and frankly a bit of an eyesore sitting at the eastern end of the arch when it is not in
use. Sure hope they have a better idea at LTower.

The second question for me is even more intriguing.
How are they going to prevent ice and snow buildup from sliding off to below?
That is a potentially dangerous problem that I can't possibly imagine what the solution would be.

Both very insightful points. I would surely hope the architectural firm has considered this design challenge.

For the first point, one thing I can think of to reduce cleaning on the windows is to apply a titanium dioxide window film that claims to be self-cleaning (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-cleaning_glass)

Second point, I dont know how to keep snow or ice from accumulating. Since it is high up, I hope a wind study has been performed to understand the prevalent wind directions and see if the snow would likely blow off from changing wind directions. The building shape and orientation would be very important.

 

[someMidTowner]

I remember someone saying earlier in the thread that they already have the window cleaning problem figured out but they are keeping quiet on how they will execute it... As for the snow accumulation - I think it's safe to say that they will be using a heating system to melt the snow like the Wells Fargo Center in Denver uses

 

[dlam]

interesting that it has a heating system to melt the snow, i thought about that too. sometimes i wonder if the extra aesthetic features are worth the extra cost to maintain. i would like to know how much money is spent each year for the heating system at the Wells Fargo Center

 

[steveve]

I remember someone saying earlier in the thread that they already have the window cleaning problem figured out but they are keeping quiet on how they will execute it... As for the snow accumulation - I think it's safe to say that they will be using a heating system to melt the snow like the Wells Fargo Center in Denver uses

doesn't the Ritz also have this feature?

 

[langstarr]

sometimes i wonder if the extra aesthetic features are worth the extra cost to maintain.

This comment makes me depressed about the state of humanity.

 

[someMidTowner]

August 28th:

 

[dlam]

This comment makes me depressed about the state of humanity.

haha, dont mind me. i work in the sustainable building field, operating cost is always in my mind

 

[khris]

I mentioned the cleaning part several pages back, but I don't think anyone noticed my post.
I said that I really hope they don't do something like the Ritz-Carlton. That's just awful!

 

[Ramako]

I mentioned the cleaning part several pages back, but I don't think anyone noticed my post.
I said that I really hope they don't do something like the Ritz-Carlton. That's just awful!

I like how they handled the cleaning rig on the Ritz, but something similar on L Tower would disrupt the clean form that they're going for. At least on the Ritz, the rig is nicely sandwiched in the natural opening created by the widening "zipper".

 

[Automation Gallery]

Great pics as always sMT, this is our Marilyn...actually nicer

 

[Urban Shocker]

August 28th:

She's carrying high - must be a girl.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

Great pics as always sMT, this is our Marilyn...actually nicer

You might be correct, certainly on the same head-turning level. I want to see how the top is handled before I get too gushy over this building.

 

[someMidTowner]

^ I'm just going to stay very gushy regardless of how the top is handled...I understand where you are coming from dt_toronto_geek, but with the angle of that curve, it is going to only be visible from very high up or far away... What matters to me is how it looks from the street - and so far its a 10

 

[Redroom Studios]

the shape seems to be true to the form of the render so far and for that I am happy. As for the cladding, the only side I am in love with is the north side. I really wish they would have done that vertically dominated theme on all 4 sides... the mix of vertical and horizontal on the other 3 sides seems to lack much of an impact and looks like typical cheap Toronto spandrel construction.

 

[k10ery]

She's carrying high - must be a girl.

L-tower + Backstage = Madonna/whore complex?