Toronto The Ravine | 79.55m | 24s | Urban Capital | Rafael + Bigauskas

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I wonder what happened here. Mark was always less 'design-focused' than David, and this is one of his projects, but holy smokes, that's bad...
delays led to a limited construction budget, forcing huge cost cutting measures is my guess. This sold forever ago.
 
The spandrel gives it a dated look, like 300 Front St W.

I hope, at least, the rest of the undersides of the balconies are painted. Nothing worse than obnoxious mullions combine with raw concrete.
...I'll add, with pasty "blue" grey. /sigh
 
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For sure, but it was always Rafael Bigauskas, a firm you don't hire if you're concerned with aesthetics...

That feels like at least half of the firms in the city these days, unfortunately. There's plenty of money to be made by churning out endless cheap shlock for indifferent developers and investors.
 
That feels like at least half of the firms in the city these days, unfortunately. There's plenty of money to be made by churning out endless cheap shlock for indifferent developers and investors.
I wouldn't say that it's half the firms. R+F, G+C, Richmond, and Turner Fleisher are the main culprits.. and even then, some of them manage to put out some OK stuff.

Even the likes of Kirkor, IBI, or BDP Quadrangle, which used to put out some really questionable stuff, have improved massively over the last decade.

In general I find that there is far more to be excited about going up in Toronto than ever before, so the upper leagues are really upping their game too. A lot more imported architects with buildings going up, a lot more really innovative designs, and a lot more background designs being put up with stronger detailing.

I mean under construction right now in Toronto we have a BIG, Gehry, Renzo Piano, COBE, Rogers Stirk Harbour, two different Fosters, Wilkinson Eyre, Weiss/Manfredi, Henriquez Partners, Studio Gang, etc., etc., etc... and that's just under construction!.
 
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Not sure if there is going to be a 2nd phase here but the ground looks scraped. If the second phase is coming soon, boy it's going to be a challenge to sell those units considering the history here. If not, it's a beautiful view of the rubble in the ravines.View attachment 472964View attachment 472965View attachment 472966View attachment 472967View attachment 472968View attachment 472969View attachment 472970View attachment 472971
Seems like right now they're scrambling to meet Q2 occupancy requirements. It wouldn't surprise me if they had this all cleaned up by summer. As someone living in a unit, the building definitely doesn't look pretty, but I see the work being done every day. I'm expecting the 2nd unit's presentation centre up by mid 2024.
 

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