Toronto Murano | ?m | 45s | Lanterra | a—A

[allabootmatt]

I think the bigger issue is the lack of 'care' for our public spaces in general. Grange Park, Queen's Park, Trinity Bellwoods, NPS and so on are all examples of wasted opportunity, as are most thoroughfares, avenues and boulevards in the city. The overall impression created is of a tired, shabby and dowdy place. Unfortunately.

I hate to say it, but I agree. Toronto has some wonderful spaces--most of them dominated by private homes--but has this congenital inability to properly take pride in most of its public areas. I am not suggesting that what's needed is a central Parisian banishment of anything that might make anyone look askance.

What I am talking about is building into citizens, the city government, and agencies like the TTC and Hydro an awareness that the state of public space matters. We are a long way away from that. For visitors from places where such an awareness exists--that is, most major cities in the developed world--I think Toronto can be quite jarring, despite its (many) other charms. New York, London, and all the rest have plenty of shabby spots, but there is no city I know of of comparable wealth, vibrancy, and indeed urbanity to Toronto that so neglects its public spaces in the Western world.

Then, however, one notices projects like Murano, or Casa, or the Gardiner Museum, and sees that there is an immense amount of design talent in the city and appetite for its work. It's just not being applied to the streets, parks, and squares.

 

[College Park]

Looks like a sexier version of "Pinnacle."

Pinnacle is dowdy in comparison - blah.

Murano residents are going to need excellent sunshades: the towers catch sunrise and sunset perfectly. Good luck sleeping in, new residents.

 

[Tewder]

Tewder, I strongly disagree. I passed by a malodorous tent city on my way to the subway every day at this time last year in Paris,...

Archivist, all cities have their grubby areas surely. The issue with Toronto, as I perceive it at least, is that there are absolutely no 'sacred' areas so to speak. The shabbiness is profoundly consistent wherever you go, even in the most central of main 'touristy' or civic spaces. There is room for messy urbanism, of course, but in the absence of any real spit-and-polish city-beautiful zones the whole place ends up feeling dowdy and unkempt, rather than shabby chic.

What I am talking about is building into citizens, the city government, and agencies like the TTC and Hydro an awareness that the state of public space matters. We are a long way away from that. For visitors from places where such an awareness exists--that is, most major cities in the developed world--I think Toronto can be quite jarring, despite its (many) other charms. New York, London, and all the rest have plenty of shabby spots, but there is no city I know of of comparable wealth, vibrancy, and indeed urbanity to Toronto that so neglects its public spaces in the Western world.

Yes, it's true. To make Toronto a truly amazing place we need to stop focusing on how tall our buildings are or whether another condo is going to be built, even if those are good things, and start demanding more in terms of infrastructure, maintenace/upkeep, and city-beautiful/urban planning initiatives.

Edited to add:
I do believe improvements are happening in Toronto, even if slowly. Maybe the slowdown in condo development will result in a greater public awareness of city beautiful and infrastructure issues.

 

[adma]

FYI Murano's *quite* visible from College + Lansdowne.

 

[Mike in TO]

Murano Photo Tour:

 

[khris]

Is RoCP roof lit up with LED's?

 

[jks]

Yup! I saw that after Earth Hour, it looks great when you can't see the actual buildings, just the LEDs.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

Is RoCP roof lit up with LED's?

RoCP's are both lit with hideous white backlits, and then 4 purple LED's; one LED in each of the four corners on each building.

Click on the thumbnail to enlarge, then click again on the image for full size.

 

[taal]

How do they decide what buildings need the red flashy airplane flashing light?

Does the highest building in the area always require it?

 

[khris]

Wow the rooftop lighting on RoCP is very poorly done. Sorry to go off topic!

 

[cdr108]

How do they decide what buildings need the red flashy airplane flashing light?

Does the highest building in the area always require it?

Probably some height threshold requirement.

 

[marcus_a_j]

Buildings in this area should have the red-light markers since a lot of helicopters land at some of the hospitals like Sick Kids.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

Buildings in this area should have the red-light markers since a lot of helicopters land at some of the hospitals like Sick Kids.

...and St. Michael's Hospt.

 

[jks]

Palace Pier has them, and it's not even that tall...

 

[condovo]

The red light on the southeast pinnacle of the taller RoCP tower has been burnt out since about a week after the building was completed. You can see it in that last photo. Drives me nuts. Yes, I know I'm anal but fix the damn light!