Toronto Toronto House | 186.53m | 58s | Westbank | Hariri Pontarini

DtTO · Sep 21, 2021

This is stunning. I appreciate the high quality curtainwall cladding and lack of wraparound balconies. Nothing screams lazy more than a building with window wall and wraparound balconies, so you can pitch every unit as having a "balcony" to investors. We need more rentals if it means an end to that trend. Most balconies collect dust/act as storage and obstruct unit views 99% of the time. I'd be in favour of the city banning balconies above the 12th floor or something.

cd concept · Sep 21, 2021

Wow ! This building is going to visually pop out from the rest of the condos from a distance! With its deep coloured rich looking facade which has taken me by surprise.

wmedia · Sep 21, 2021

DtTO said:
I'd be in favour of the city banning balconies above the 12th floor or something.

We use our high-floor balcony almost every day, for at least 7 months of the year, sometimes more. I can't imagine living this high up without that outdoor space. The idea of "banning" balconies because you don't like the look of them is bizarre.

TheKingEast · Sep 21, 2021

Westbank + HP? *puts feet up*. Cruise control

UrbanAffair · Sep 22, 2021

...and Allied. (in a good way)

DtTO · Sep 22, 2021

wmedia said:
We use our high-floor balcony almost every day, for at least 7 months of the year, sometimes more. I can't imagine living this high up without that outdoor space. The idea of "banning" balconies because you don't like the look of them is bizarre.

I made a typo there. It was supposed to say that I'd be in favour of the city banning wraparound balconies above Xth floor. I'd say that most people above a certain floor would benefit from the views, window washing, lack of cigarette butts/bird poop/snow accumulation/etc. Not to mention you can still have balconies, just not ones that cover the entire outside frontage of your unit. Wraparound balconies are just easier to sell to investors who will never step foot in the unit. It's easier to include a balcony for every single bachelor unit when you just slap it on the entire exterior of the building. I don't just dislike the look. I dislike the view from inside units with wraparound balconies.

Admittedly, I do dislike large balconies, especially ones on higher levels, but my biggest issues with them (besides what I've already said) is that they're indicative of lazy design.