Toronto Toronto City Hall and Nathan Phillips Square | ?m | ?s | City of Toronto | Perkins&Will

[k10ery]

^Yes, yes, and "there's no accounting for taste".

 

[k10ery]

A slightly more considered answer. I dislike Simpson for its ugly brown colour, its soulless miniplaza on Bay, and the ugly transition from it to Burke's Simpsons store. I like Sheraton for its beautiful brown colour, and the way it neatly terminates vistas on the square. Whether FCP is attractive or not, a marble building should last more than 40 years. The Colosseum is still more or less standing, after all!

 

[Mississauga Slim]

The Colosseum is made of concrete. It was only finished in marble, all of which is long gone.

 

[interchange42]

The marble was not up to our climate. Nor Chicago's. It works in Rome (when it doesn't get stripped off the ruin). We'll see how it lasts on the Florian. Anyway, why does failed cladding since replaced still irk?

42

 

[k10ery]

Because FCP is based on the idea that expensive materials can make up for a complete absence of ideas. Like many of Stone's late projects. When the materials fail there is not much left.

(btw Colosseum built with travertine - commonly called marble.)

 

[adma]

The marble was not up to our climate.

Or rather, the thin white "tiles" of Carrara that 70s technology enabled wasn't up to our climate. (Cf. 110 Yonge, where the marble remains fairly pristine.)

 

[Urban Shocker]

I don't think that sort of marble holds up well in any climate, does it? Alvar Aalto's Finlandia Hall had to be reclad too, but even in sunny Italy, where the David stood in front of the Palazzo Vecchio, the effect of the elements was such that it had to be brought indoors in the 19th century for protection.

 

[cassius]

This has probably been asked already (hell, I may have asked it), but is the grass being removed towards Queen St? It's always walked over and eventually turns into mud. I think that, rather than try and fight the organic nature of people's usage, it should just be removed.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

It will be replaced with paving.

AoD

 

[MafaldaBoy]

September 1, 2012:

 

[MetroMan]

Thanks for the photos. Basically no change since about a month ago.

 

[Torontovibe]

I hope they are going to repaint the metal stage roof. It's chipped and discoloured right now. Are there any changes planned to the fountain/skating rink or is it just a renovation/cleaning? Didn't they redo it last year, just before skating season? Those arches could use some cleaning.

 

[MetroMan]

Last year, they fixed the cooling system. Now, they're redoing the entire surface. They'll be restoring the arches and replacing the lighting. They're also supposed to address climbing prevention in a way different than the ugly chain link fences they've had up there for a decade.

EDIT: To address the rusted and chipped stage canopy supports, I'm told that they're going to still be welding the roof to the frame so they will indeed be painting the whole structure once everything is welded and sanded.

 

[someMidTowner]

Sept 5th:

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

Thanks for the photos. Basically no change since about a month ago.

He doesn't work when it rains or if it's warm out.