Toronto Market Wharf | 110.33m | 33s | Context Development | a—A

The height of the red brick podium will be a nice match to the height of the red brick buildings immediately to the east and west, and the tower will match the heights of the nearbye towers - so the existing context is extended. No need for a bigger podium that upsets that balance.
 
There's already a set-back glass podium on top, so it looks like they were already going for what we wanted to see, but then had to plunk a tower on top to make it profitable. Oh well.

I bet they added the slim tower because extending that wide glass podium would start to look more and more ridiculous as they added more floors to keep the project in the black. It would have probably looked a bit "off" at more than 6 stories above the red brick podium. Something with multiple setbacks and terracing would have looked pretty good, though.

</armchair condo architecture critic>
 
I doubt if the tower was an "add-on" - the podium and tower combination is a fairly well established starting point for such developments. The glass upper section of the podium prevents it from looking too massive, compared to the adjacent red brick buildings.
 
Urban Shocker said:
The height of the red brick podium will be a nice match to the height of the red brick buildings immediately to the east and west, and the tower will match the heights of the nearbye towers - so the existing context is extended. No need for a bigger podium that upsets that balance.
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I agree. The tower shouldn't stand out as much as it will stand in. In much the same way as Clews' Distillery tower has given that district an arial sign-post, this tower should shine as a beacon for St. Lawrence.
 
From across the Don Valley, as one scans the downtown horizon, the eye picks out Spire, Pure Spirit and that new Regent Park tower as a group. Because they're similar in proportion they're establishing a familiar new context, and aA extends it with each new building. Sometimes I'm so thrilled by all of this I could pee.
 
Urban Shocker said:
From across the Don Valley, as one scans the downtown horizon, the eye picks out Spire, Pure Spirit and that new Regent Park tower as a group. Because they're similar in proportion they're establishing a familiar new context, and aA extends it with each new building. Sometimes I'm so thrilled by all of this I could pee.
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I feel the exact same way, only my view is from the north not the east.
 
I think the whole thing looks sharp - I especially love the irregular, random window design on the podium. And I hardly think the tower will act as an oppressive monolith on the neighbourhood.
 
Urban Shocker said:
I doubt if the tower was an "add-on" - the podium and tower combination is a fairly well established starting point for such developments.
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Actually this all started with ONLY a proposed Shoppers Drug Mart and has morphed into Market Quay.
The City's Design Panel generally liked the tower portion but, like me and the local residents' association, is not keen on above grade parking. See: http://www.toronto.ca/planning/pdf/design_review/drp_meeting_minutes_april08.pdf
 
There is certainly room to add several storeys to the podium before it gets too large for the neighbourhood.

I would have loved to see something like this. Towers on little podiums look so wimpy.

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I'm not sure if I like the tower part or not. I think I'd have to see it from the other direction.
 
grey said:
I think the tower will stick out like a sore thumb in this location, and it will be an unwelcome departure from the otherwise consistent design of the neighbourhood.
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So, you find it a little gross? Hey, it fits the site's heritage...
 
Wow I love it! I don't know why nobody likes the tower portion. I do wish the podium was a bit taller though.
 
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