Toronto The One | 328.4m | 91s | Mizrahi Developments | Foster + Partners

It's true, the height of our buildings isn't what people are looking for when they think of successful cities. People want a few landmark towers, sure, but Barcelona, Paris, Berlin, Buenos Aires, even Tokyo have much more going for them in their mid-rise districts than in the high-rise clusters.

Towers just mean you've shifted your commute from waiting in traffic to waiting for an elevator.
 
Hey Gphorce, wait... your list of cities are all cities that have draconian height restrictions! Does that mean only cities with draconian height restrictions can be world class? The One is over 300m. A massively tall structure by any global comparison. That means we are doomed to be second rate, like forever!
 
I'm a bit puzzled by the reaction to this design. First, how did jessie ketchum park, once again, have any bearing on this building's height? Is preventing shadows from traversing jkp now a cornerstone requirement for anything built within 2 kilometers of it's perimeter? Yeeeesh!
Second, since the rise of Aura my opinion regarding super tall residential buildings has changed. ENOUGH WITH THE OBSSESION WITH HEIGHT ALREADY! It's far more important to concentrate on how a building is integrated at street level. Wide sidewalks, public space, asthetics, details, materials, all have a bigger impact on city building than does height alone.
So... I couldn't care less that this proposal is now a little shorter, I think it's still a good design. I'm more interested in how it meets street level because that's where I experience the city, at street level. Aura is in my face every time I walk outside but offers me nothing when I walk past it.
 
AlvinofDiaspar said:
Because gawd knows Aura is real world-class. Probably wins the spandrel olympics or something.

AoD
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What I appreciate about Aura is that it actually has an interesting shape against open sky. For all this talk about "an Empire State Building of our own", this tower is more a well dressed box than a sculptural facade like the Empire State Building. It doesn't change much from top to bottom. The Empire State Building has a distinctive bottom, middle and top. Building a great landmark is more than just a matter of height. But when you have the right design, you want it to be tall.
 
Lenser said:
Let's all wring our hands together in collective misery. Toronto is doomed.
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It's sad when people fetishize outliers of architecture to affect class or status they wish they had, isn't it?
 
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.
 
Big Daddy said:
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.
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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").
 
Big Daddy said:
You're like a jar of fleas that have been trained to only jump so high and never expect or dream of more.
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I for one was amused by this comparison. The image of the UT membership as a jar full of trained fleas seems oddly appropriate.

As for the height reduction, I was not surprised in the least, they seem to be almost inevitable in this city, especially on sites within sight of Jesse Ketchum Park. But really, I think that Mizrahi had determined that the profit margin would be at least as great with the lower height, so had decided in advance to give in to the Rosedale NIMBYs without a fight, if they complained.
 
The reduction might well have been done so as to expedite the approval process so they can start building the darn thing! Mizrahi did promise to have the retail section open in the very near future, I'm sure that must be stressful for him and his investors as that deadline is quickly approaching and they have not even start excavating!
 
Big Daddy said:
You're like a jar of fleas that have been trained to only jump so high and never expect or dream of more.
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And you like to hang out with fleas, because....? Please explain that one to me.

For that matter, do fleas dream? Why must we be kept in jars - did you do that? Are you the Keeper of the Flea Jar? The boldness of your assertion prompts me to ask equally thoughtful questions.

For once, I agree with ksun - don't be so dramatic. Beyond this forum, precious few people care about this building's exact height - much less its alleged breathtaking impact on world architecture. The sooner we all realize that the saner this place will be (but I really can't expect that to happen, since there's a lot of Pavlovian conditioning on in the background).

I think Mongo may be right. Mizrahi threw in the towel, for reasons of his own. Perhaps one day we'll hear why he caved, or more on what pressures were brought to bear on him.
 
junctionist said:
What I appreciate about Aura is that it actually has an interesting shape against open sky. For all this talk about "an Empire State Building of our own", this tower is more a well dressed box than a sculptural facade like the Empire State Building. It doesn't change much from top to bottom. The Empire State Building has a distinctive bottom, middle and top. Building a great landmark is more than just a matter of height. But when you have the right design, you want it to be tall.
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The ESB is just about the most famous and iconic skyscraper ever. That's a pretty tough standard to live up to. I get your point though.
 
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