Toronto The One | 308.6m | 85s | Tridel | Foster + Partners

[Bogtrotter]

I find it hard to believe the height would have impacted Jesse Ketchum park up near bay and davenport. And Aquith park is a tiny courtyard sized parkette a few blocks away with one bench and five spindly trees- very few people are even aware of it. I do like the widened sidewalks and how it meets the street on what is perhaps the city's best known intersection is still exciting. As for a Foster design- the one on scollard with its stepped form and grid exterior might make for a more interesting looking structure.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

This building may look fine when it is done, but like the rest of this city's architecture, it will be neither outstanding or nor memorable - not "The One" but just Another One.

30 St. Mary Axe - 41 stories, 180 metres

Turning Torso - 54s, 190 metres

Aura - 78 stories, 272 meters.

The former examples is by far more iconic, more memorable even though they are far shorter - both to this local example and what's being proposed for The One. I am afraid the outstanding and memorable requires good taste and willingness to push envelopes - it does not require height. Anyone who claim that the current height-reduced design is merely "another one" have no idea what they're talking about - perhaps fleas just like spandrel.

AoD

 

[jozl]

Nice comparison AlvinofDiaspar. I agree.

 

[ptbotrmpfn]

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" just saying. we are entitled to fight our opinions regarding this building. And others. Some like it some don't. Don't like it get off the forum for it.

 

[ptbotrmpfn]

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" just saying. we are entitled to fight our opinions regarding this building. And others. Some like it some don't. Don't like it get off the forum for it.

Or not attack those who appreciate the project.

 

[Lenser]

we are entitled to fight our opinions regarding this building. And others. Some like it some don't. Don't like it get off the forum for it.

You want to fight your own opinions? Sounds schizo to me. But whatever. We're not in here to mutually agree on things - that would be disastrous. The boredom would be deadly.

 

[Gratty]

I'm actually quite pleased with the height reduction. I'm not all for height for for height's sake alone. How the height fits into the context is more important to me.

I believe the new height complements 1 Bloor East much better. The One with its square form and diagonal lines is the masculine complement to the curvy and feminine 1 Bloor East. Much like the Mirvish-Gehry project, these 2 buildings will make quite the striking pairing with The One slightly taller than 1 Boor East. The original height of The One would have diminished the presence of 1 Bloor East (more a father daughter pairing )

 

[LNahid2000]

Don't be so dramatic. Y/B is hardly Canada's most important intersection， because of what? Two subway stations? Come on. I have seen interchange stations for four or five lines and nobody attach so much importance to them. It is not a business centre nor a retail centre so what makes it so important? How many people hang out at Y/B?

And the height was never impressive and bold or immortal to begin with. Use those words when it matches NYC or Chicago at least. Even a 450m tower is hardly bold in terms of pure height not to mention a mere 341m.

But I agree all this shadow problem is so Toronto. At the end of the day it's really not about the shadows. It is about how small we think (341m makes some uncomfortable hence "too tall!" "Too much densit").

What's with you bashing Toronto in almost all of your posts? I've been to cities with 500m+ buildings and although their skyline photos look nice, I'd never actually want to live in these cities. The pedestrian experience is so bad in places like Dubai or in Shanghai's financial district, and this is a lot more important to me than just having tall buildings.

 

[Strange Advance]

For that matter, do fleas dream?

Do fleas dream of entomological sheep?

 

[Strange Advance]

I for one am very disappointed that this exciting proposal has been chopped to mere mortal status. For once in a very long time a developer has the temerity to propose something bold and daring, something very suitable for the most important intersection in Canada and when it gets chopped - as seems to be the inevitable fate of any great proposal here - you accept it without any fight or resistance. Your non-reaction is far more disappointing even than the reduction of this project. You're like a jar of fleas that have been trained to only jump so high and never expect or dream of more. Throughout this massive building boom we've experienced, there have been precious few projects to get excited about - the vast majority being nothing more than a large swath of underwhelming apartment buildings. Once in a rare while someone is daring enough to push the envelope and when the plan is reduced, this crowd sits back and accepts it like children afraid of being scolded for speaking out. Well bravo for your brave and unrelenting defense of a one hour shadow over a dog park. This building may look fine when it is done, but like the rest of this city's architecture, it will be neither outstanding or nor memorable - not "The One" but just Another One.

Well stated. I share your dismay. I must confess that I am a height junkie, albeit certainly not at any and all costs. I don't think anyone in Toronto except us skyscraper fans has noticed, let alone cares, that this project has had 40 meters lopped off.

 

[Midtown Urbanist]

Personally, I do not get the obsession. We do not build buildings for birds, no humans will be flying around the tower and admiring its height. We build buildings for the benefit of humans, of our society. The most important thing is how the tower meets the street level, what kind of uses and amenities and density it brings, and how this mixes with the local context and shapes the future for the better. So far, Mizrahi's proposal continues to promise big on all those items despite the reduction in height. In fact, it sounds a lot like the reduction in height will in some part help make this proposal become reality.

 

[T.E.C.II]

30 St. Mary Axe - 41 stories, 180 metres

Turning Torso - 54s, 190 metres

Aura - 78 stories, 272 meters.

The former examples is by far more iconic, more memorable even though they are far shorter - both to this local example and what's being proposed for The One. I am afraid the outstanding and memorable requires good taste and willingness to push envelopes - it does not require height. Anyone who claim that the current height-reduced design is merely "another one" have no idea what they're talking about - perhaps fleas just like spandrel.

AoD

If The One looked like either of those first two, we probably wouldn't mind the height reduction. But can you really compare The One to either of those buildings? It was never a great building in its original renderings, and now it's lost the height which might have made the building live up to the name "The One".

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

If The One looked like either of those first two, we probably wouldn't mind the height reduction. But can you really compare The One to either of those buildings? It was never a great building in its original renderings, and now it's lost the height which might have made the building live up to the name "The One".

Of course I can - the One might not be the pinnacle like 30 St. Mary Axe, but it certainly has more in common with the quality exemplified by F+P in general (like - what's the project with the closest level of excellence to it in Toronto? Built or proposed?). And really, we are talking about a height reduction of what, 30-40 metres - a building won't turn from iconic to crap just because of that if it is well designed.

AoD

 

[Lenser]

Apparently 30-40 metres is more than enough to destroy any intrinsic value this project may have had! Who knew?

Hey - I wish it were higher, too. But wishing it were so is not going to change anything at this point.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Something caught my eyes with the plan (Architectural Plans from the Dec 2015 submission):

So 764 Yonge (the old Uptown entrance, now Rogers) isn't part of the project assembly but the next lot down is? What's going on?

AoD