Toronto The Residences of 488 University Avenue | 206.95m | 55s | Amexon | Core Architects

Why do these thing always go through a now standard revision process, striping the design of any identity or interesting features, and watering the form down to a simple, boring box?

I actually like this new version much better than the original one. The developer's South Beach project in Humber Bay Shores is a standout. I'm expecting the same attention to detail here as they pulled off with South Beach. That's the hope anyway, even though it's a box :p
 
I actually like this new version much better than the original one. The developer's South Beach project in Humber Bay Shores is a standout.

It's a stand out for the suburbs, but downtown we should push for designs that are less pedestrian. Little about this design says 'cosmopolitan big city'. This is our showpiece grand avenue after all.
 
I agree we should strive for better however, a 200 metre tower that doesn't attempt to stand out or be a landmark suggests just how large and cosmopolitan a city Toronto is.
 
There's a big difference between pedestrian design, and being designed for pedestrians! You two aren't talking about the same thing!

42
 
Hey, I've joked about how were Allan Lamport still around, he'd label Jane's Walk as proof Toronto's the most pedestrian city around;-)
 
Hello. There is an existing 18 floors.

There are 18 existing floors with plans for 35 residential to be added on top.
I believe there will be a transitional area of one or two floors between the original 18 and upcoming 35.
The underground is 2 floors existing with planned addition of 4 floors for total of six parking levels.
The caissons are around forty five feet down and due to this the entire underground will be structurally enhanced with steel frame on perimeter of each parking level tied into existing structure and steel frame added to existing 18 floors around perimeter of each floor. All tied into core to new columns and all to hold the new building they are essentially building on top.
Due to steel frame which will be added when current precast cladding is removed, each floor will gain two feet in each direction.
Final phase is glass (boring) curtain wall added to as perimeter walls.
I think this building is architecturally important and precast window theme should be maintained.
Also beautiful lobby and sound well maintained floors.
This building is a monument.
 
Last edited:
25 May 2014: This building is an icon!
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The rear entrance on Simcoe Street to 480 University has been closed and turned into an emergency exit only. There's also sorts of work going on in the rear, digging dirt out from the basement and closing the eastern sidewalk on Simcoe. The building shakes randomly. It's a PITA these days, especially for cyclist with the parking all at the back that now requires walking all the way around and dealing with all the work back there.

Have they started then with preliminary construction for Icon?
 
No longer the Icon, but still claimed to be iconic - because of Avenue Rd.

Mildly ironic.
 

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