Toronto Vü Condos | 83.51m | 24s | Aspen Ridge | Hariri Pontarini

L Tower

This thread has been quiet for a long time. Here are two photos, one I took pointing from the VU towards L Tower and the other one taken by SkyJacked from L Tower crane towards VU. Hope you don't mind HDR photo editing:

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Torontovibe said:
I couldn't agree with you more. This complex is overwhelmingly dull. It's basically just a few decent boxes. At this location, it should have been a head-turner. (dare I say iconic) I would have loved to have seen a taller flatiron type building, with some nice curves. This location is one of the best in the city and it deserved so much more than this. Yep, another huge missed opprotunity. I'm getting sick of how many times this happens in Toronto.
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I couldn't agree anymore with this comment. The terminus is appalling and overall, even at grade, the treatment of the facade is a combination of inexpensive and unattractive. The interior courtyard is desolate and sad.
 
intervention said:
I couldn't agree anymore with this comment. The terminus is appalling and overall, even at grade, the treatment of the facade is a combination of inexpensive and unattractive. The interior courtyard is desolate and sad.
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I could not DISAGREE more with the both of you. It does what it was meant to do and does it admirably. The podium brick blends nicely with the surrounding buildings.. The podium height itself also stays cohesive with its surroundings. The shops meet the street successfully, contributing well to the new increase in foot traffic to once was a desolate downright creepy intersection. The tower itself shows off as a handsome glowing terminus when viewed from as far back as Adelaide and Young especially during evening hours without being obtrusively tall. The inner courtyard does exactly what it was designed to do. An easy drop off point for visitors and a very ample roomy entry/exit point from a large foyer. The whimsical brick sculpture is about as nice of a 'feel good, bet you smiled' art piece as I have seen.
To judge this complex that was carefully designed to integrate itself with the neighbourhood, against monolithic cutting edge edifices is wrong.
Sometimes a duck is just a duck and this duck looks happy in its 'pond'.
From what I've picked up from a number of folks that hang their hats at this corner, I suspect they would probably agree with me.
 
The big problem with VU is the crappy pedestrian entrance at Jarvis & Adelaide. In the original plans this was to be a 'grand' entrance but it's more like a rat hole now. It also does not look public (though it's supposed to be) and when one gets into the courtyard there's no obvious pedestrian pathway to George. Apart from that the building is ''fine' but it really could have been much better.
 
The stone walkway from the Jarvis entrance to the courtyard follows through to George. While I agree that the entrance from Jarvis could be more inviting, how 'obvious' does the pedestrian pathway need to be if you've already found you way to the courtyard? I'd expect most people would just continue walking a straight line to the only other exit from the courtyard where they would arrive at George.
 
Rat hole is a perfect term. I've sat in the park and in the espresso bar across the street and watched that corner. People are about as interested in that entrance as they are in a parking garage entrance. Though it probably makes the perfect place to take a leak if you can't wait to find a washroom.
 
Silence&Motion said:
Rat hole is a perfect term. I've sat in the park and in the espresso bar across the street and watched that corner. People are about as interested in that entrance as they are in a parking garage entrance. Though it probably makes the perfect place to take a leak if you can't wait to find a washroom.
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Completely agree. This building is horrible at the street level and an eye sore, a real wasted opportunity. I didn't even know the square was public until I read it here! And I pass by that corner daily.
 
Great views for sure but yes a disappointment at street level. The access to the parking area is a joke. Sure doesn't feel public.
 
That square does not look public. You wouldn't get that sense from walking by but then it looks so unappealing, why would someone want to walk through it anyway? There is nothing there, anyone would want to see.
 
It's not so much a public square, as it is open space that allows public access to the complex's entrances which are contained within the square. You really only head in there if you are going to Vü. Some people, not many, will use the walkway to cut across the block.

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interchange42 said:
It's not so much a public square, as it is open space that allows public access to the complex's entrances which are contained within the square. You really only head in there if you are going to Vü. Some people, not many, will use the walkway to cut across the block.

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I used to cut through here all the time. It's true that you walk out on George through what is essentially the garage driveway, but the Jarvis 'brick guy' entrance was always obvious as you walked diagonally thru the park.

Cut commuting time to the Rogue by half a beer...
 
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