Tag Archives: architects Alliance

Untinted cladding lets 55-storey Four Seasons Toronto hotel & condo tower ‘blend into the sky’

Four Seasons Toronto

August 31 2012:  The 55-storey Four Seasons Toronto hotel and condo tower viewed from the corner of Hazelton Avenue and Scollard Street

 

Light & airy: Every time I have looked up at the new Four Seasons Hotel and condo tower in Yorkville, I’ve been amazed that it doesn’t appear to soar 55 storeys high. It does look and feel very tall, of course, but it doesn’t have a hulking, looming or even overwhelming presence like many towers just half its height. I never understood why — until I read “A tower that aims to ‘blend into the sky” in the August 31 Globe and Mail.

In the article, architecture columnist John Bentley Mays relates a conversation he had with the Four Seasons Toronto architect, Peter Clewes of architectsAlliance.

Clewes explains how the skyscraper was designed to be “light on its feet,” achieving “a kind of fading of the tower where it meets the sky.” Different types of glass cladding were extensively researched and tested to see how they would relate to the sky; ultimately, an American-made high-performance glass with no tint was selected.

“We wanted something …. that would take on the character of the sky without being hyper-reflective,” Clewes said, adding that the glass helps the tower “just blend into the sky.”

 

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U Condos underground floors filling in

U Condos August 19 2012

August 19 2012: A view from St Mary Street of below-grade construction progress for the 50-storey U Condos east tower …

 

U Condos August 19 2012

… and for the 45-storey west tower

 

U Condos

August 19 2012: South view of below-grade progress on the the west tower, where the third underground parking level is taking shape

 

U Condos

August 19 2012: Looking toward the northeast corner of the U Condos site as the underground parking floors continue to take form

 

Parking progress:  When I last published photos of progress at the U Condos site back on March 4 2012, crews were preparing for the installation of the construction cranes while still excavating the vast L-shaped site next to the University of Toronto campus at Bay and St Mary Streets.

Since then, the underground levels for the two U Condos towers have steadily been taking shape, with work this month progressing to the third floor below ground.

 

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Demolition of rear half of 1873-era heritage house heralds construction start for Karma condo tower

Karma condo site

August 27 2012: Formerly a surface parking lot, the 9-21 Grenville Street site for the Karma condo tower has been fenced off for the past several weeks …

 

Karma condo site

… and work to prepare the site for construction of the 50-storey tower has finally started with the demolition of the rear half of the heritage house at 21 Grenville …

 

21 Grenville Street Toronto

… seen here on March 12 2011. The front half of the 139-year-old building will be relocated to the northeast corner of the property and incorporated into the condo development.

 

Karma condos

This artistic rendering, from the Karma condos website, shows how the heritage house will be positioned beside the northeast corner of the sleek glass tower …

 

Karma condos

… which will contain 495 units and  soar 50 storeys near the northwest corner of Yonge and College Streets. Karma was designed by architectsAlliance.

 

Construction karma: Demolition work on a brick house dating back to the early 1870s has signalled the long-awaited start of construction on the Karma condo tower near the northwest corner of Yonge and College Streets.

When I passed the Karma site this afternoon, I saw that the rear half of the John Irwin House, a city-designated heritage building, has been demolished. The 2 1/2-storey house was built around 1873 as a residence for John Irwin, a local contractor and municipal politician who developed a series of properties along Grenville Street. The house was added to the city’s list of heritage properties in 2007. A city background file, prepared as part of the listing process, explained that the property has cultural heritage value “as one of the last surviving examples of a house form building in this area, and for its Second Empire stylistic features.”

 

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Market Wharf tower balconies making waves as crews prepare condo for move-ins later this year

Market Wharf condos

August 22 2012: Windows and cladding still must be installed on the top six floors of the 34-storey Market Wharf condo tower, seen here from the west …

 

Market Wharf condos

… but glass panels, like these ones recently installed on the long wavy balconies along the tower’s east side, give the building exterior a wonderfully wonky and fluid form …

 

Market Wharf condos

… and juxtapose nicely with wedge-shaped balconies on the tower’s south face

 

Wedges and waves:  Half a dozen top floors still await windows and cladding, and glass panels have so far been installed on just the lower third of balconies on the Market Wharf condo tower. But with construction of the 34-storey tower quickly approaching conclusion, a large orange banner on the building’s east side prominently proclaims: “Move in this year.”

Even though work isn’t finished, the tower already stands out on the city skyline, thanks mainly to its eye-catching mix of wedge-shaped and undulating balconies that conjure images of whitecaps and waves.

 

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Balcony panels add flare to Clear Spirit tower

Clear Spirit condo tower

August 25 2012: Alternating lines of pale green and white translucent balcony panels add eye-catching appeal to the Clear Spirit condo tower in the Distillery District

 

Clear Spirit condo tower

August 25 2012: Balconies flare outwards on the tower’s southeast corner

 

Clear Spirit condo tower

August 25 2012: Glass panels have been installed on nearly 19 floors of balconies

 

Clear Spirit condo tower

August 25 2012: The 40-storey Clear Spirit tower is viewed from the southwest near Parliament Street and Queen’s Quay Boulevard

 

Nice stripes: Throughout construction of the Clear Spirit condo building in the Distillery District, I’ve been anxious to see how the 40-storey tower would look once its glass balconies were installed. Now that panels have been installed on most balconies on the lower 19 floors, my wait is over — and I’m really liking what I see.

The alternating stripes of pale green and white translucent glass panels add a subtle extra dimension of colour and texture to the wrap-around balconies, enhancing the visual appeal and interest of the tall slender tower.

 

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Theatre Park condo foundation filling in fast

Theatre Park condo

August 25 2012: Looking toward the north end of the Theatre Park condo construction site, where underground levels are fast taking shape

 

Theatre Park condo

August 25 2012: A view of construction progress on underground levels near the midsection of the Theatre Park site. The condo property extends from King Street on the south to Pearl Street on the north.

 

Theatre Park condo

 August 25 2012: Work has progressed the farthest at the King Street (south) end of the site, where only one more underground level remains to be built

 

Inching upwards: Construction drama should start moving above grade at the Theatre Park condo tower site this fall.

The underground levels for the 47-storey tower have been filling in fast this summer. Work on the southern third of the site — next to the Royal Alexandra Theatre on King Street — has progressed the farthest, and only one more underground level remains to be constructed before that part of the building reaches street level.  The northern two-thirds of the site has some catching up to do, but isn’t far behind.

 

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ÏCE gradually building up on city skyline

ICE Condos

August 15 2012: Lake Shore Boulevard view of the two ÏCE Condominium towers currently under construction at 12 and 14 York Street on the north side of the Gardiner Expressway

 

See the next page for more photos and information.

 

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Passersby get good street-level views of Burano as condo construction hoarding comes down

Burano Condos

June 13 2012: The Burano condo tower, viewed from the north on Bay Street, has long been in public view as the construction climbed 50 floors above the ground …

 

Burano Condos Toronto

… and the 3-storey glass atrium at the north side of the Burano condo site is finally in full view, too, now that hoarding has been removed from Grosvenor Street

 

Burano Condos Toronto

 June 13 2012: Landscaping and construction of an Italian-style piazza is underway next to the atrium on the Grosvenor Street flank of the condo complex

 

Burano Condos Toronto

June 13 201: Most of the rebuilt Bay Street facade of the historic Addison automotive building is now visible as construction hoarding is gradually removed from the sidewalk

 

Burano Condos Toronto

June 13 2012: The new Women’s College Hospital building (left) rises behind the Burano condo complex, viewed here from the southeast corner of Bay and Grenville Streets

 

Better views: Construction progress on the Burano Condominium on Bay Street has been clearly visible for many months as the tower climbed 50 storeys into the sky, but now passersby are getting to see how downtown’s newest skyscraper looks at street level.

With exterior work on the Burano tower nearly complete, crews have been able to begin removing the wooden hoarding and the chainlink security fences that have obscured street-level views of the building, including its signature glass atrium on Grosvenor Street and the rebuilt brick facade of the historic Addison on Bay automotive showroom and garage along Bay Street and Grenville Street.

 

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ÏCE and Infinity3 condo tower construction already making a significant visual impact on city skyline

ICE Condos and Infinity3 Condos

May 10 2012: South view from Bremner Boulevard of construction progress on the two ÏCE Condo towers, left and center, and the Infinity3 Condominiums, right

 

Changing views: Although construction of two neighbouring condo projects near the CN Tower still has a long ways to go before completion, it’s fast becoming apparent just how significantly the new towers will change the look of the city skyline.

The side-by-side ÏCE Condos and Infinity3 Condominiums rising on the north side of the Gardiner Expressway and Lake Shore Boulevard, between York and Lower Simcoe Streets, are already having a huge impact on sightlines and views in the South Financial District and Harbourfront areas. And that’s even though construction of the east ÏCE condo tower has so far climbed less than one-tenth of its ultimate 67-storey height, while the west ÏCE tower is just slightly more than one-third of its way to 57 floors. The main Infinity3 tower, meanwhile, is more than 20 floors high on its way to 34.

 

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Bistro favoured by film stars serves last meal, Cresford cooks up condo tower to take its place

Bistro 990 restaurant at 990 Bay Street Toronto

March 2 2012: Once a popular hangout for Hollywood celebrities attending the Toronto International Film Festival, Bistro 990 has closed after 23 years in business

 

984 Bay Street and 1000 Bay Street Toronto

The restaurant and its next-door neighbour at 794 Bay Street, a 7-storey building that formerly housed doctors’ offices and medical lab facilities …

 

1000 Bay Street Toronto

… along with the adjacent surface parking lot at 1000 Bay Street, on the northwest corner of Bay and St. Joseph Streets, will be razed and replaced  …

 

1Thousand Bay condos Toronto

… by a 32-storey, 478-unit glass condominium highrise depicted in this artistic illustration that appears on the website for Cresford Developments

 

984 Bay Street 1Thousand Bay sales centre

… which has opened its presentation centre for 1Thousand Bay in a street-level space once occupied by a retail drug store

 

Last supper: A Bay Street bistro long famous for its celebrity clientele served its last customers and closed its doors on Saturday night, clearing the way for a glass condominium tower designed by Toronto’s architectsAlliance to take its place.

Bistro 990 had operated at 990 Bay Street for 23 years. In its heyday, it was a a popular restaurant hangout for Hollywood stars visiting the city for the Toronto International Film Festival. The restaurant lost some of its appeal in recent years as local foodies grew less fond of classic French cuisine, and then lost some of its celebrity lustre when the film festival relocated from Yorkville to the TIFF Bell Lightbox two years ago.

 

 

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City Scene: Taking in an ÏCE view

ICE Condos west tower

March 7 2012: A construction worker gazes at downtown Toronto from the curved west building of the 2-tower ÏCE Condos complex currently under construction at the southwest corner of York Street and Bremner Boulevard. Construction of the oval-shaped tower has reached more than 11 levels so far, on its way to 57 storeys. A project of Lanterra Developments, ÏCE Condos was designed by Peter Clewes of Toronto’s architectsAlliance.

 

ICE Condos Toronto

March 7 2012: Looking south from Bremner Boulevard towards the ÏCE Condos construction site. At left, construction of the 67-storey east tower has reached 3 levels while its sibling, center, has already climbed 11 levels on its way to 57. A 31-storey office building will eventually be constructed on the parking lots site in the foreground. The building under construction to the right is the Infinity3 condo tower, which has risen 9 floors on its way to 34. Infinity3 is a project of The Conservatory Group, and was designed by E.I. Richmond Architects Ltd.

 

 

Crane installation underway at X2 Condos site

X2 Condos crane installation

March 10 2012: Charles Street is blocked to traffic while a portable crane installs the fixed-position construction crane that will build X2 Condos

 

X2 Condos crane installation

March 10 2012: The crane is being installed in the northwest corner of the 5-level-deep excavation for the 49-storey condo tower

 

X2 Condos crane installation

March 10 2012: The blue lower half of the crane rises from the deep excavation only meters from the south side of Charles Street

 

Assembly day: Another construction crane is rising on the city skyline today, joining dozens of other cranes already working on major condo, office and other building projects throughout the downtown core. The new crane will soar skyward above Jarvis and Charles Streets, where it will help construct the  X2 Condos tower for developer Great Gulf Homes.

X2 Condos will be a 49-storey tower designed by Toronto’s Rudy Wallman Architects Inc. It will be a “sister” skyscraper to Great Gulf’s highly popular X Condos, a 44-storey tower which opened for occupancy in the summer of 2010 just a stone’s throw away on the north side of  Charles Street. (X Condos was designed by a different architectural firm, Peter Clewes and his team at architectsAlliance of Toronto.)

 

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Crane installation imminent at U Condos site

U Condos Toronto

March 2 2012: A construction crane base pad is being assembled on the site where the 45-storey U Condos west tower will rise

 

U Condos Toronto

March 2 2012: A closer view of the crane pad

 

Crane coming: A construction crane will soon soar above the University of Toronto campus from the vast excavation for the two-tower U Condos development at Bay and St Mary Streets.

Late last week, crews began building a crane base on the site of the project’s 45-storey west tower, between St Mary Street to the north, University of Toronto’s Elmsley Hall and Brennan Hall to the west, and historic St Basil’s Church to the south. At least one more crane will be installed at some point to help build the 50-storey east tower, which will rise just to the northeast of the church, along Bay Street. Besides the two towers, the U Condos development will include multi-level townhouses on the north, east and south sides of the property, along with courtyards, pedestrian passageways, and a park extending south toward St Joseph Street.

 

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Site demolition clears way for construction to start on 40-storey Peter Street Condominiums tower

Peter Street Condominiums

January 30 2012: Three weeks ago, crews were getting set to demolish two low-rise buildings on the northeast corner of Adelaide and Peter Streets …

 

Peter Street Condominiums site

... and by yesterday, a few piles of broken bricks and rubble were all that remained of the two nightclubs that formerly occupied the site

 

Peter Street Condominiums site

February 20 2012: Southeasterly view of the site from Peter Street

 

Peter Street Condominiums site

February 20 2012: A heap of bricks and broken concrete blocks on the site of what was once the popular Adelaide Street Pub

 

Peter Street Condominiums site

February 20 2012: Looking toward Peter Street from the southeast corner of the property. The Roosevelt Room Supper Club once occupied the 2-storey Art Deco-styled warehouse building that used to stand on this site.

 

Pub & club get clobbered: Over the years, countless funseekers got smashed during booze-soaked blurs of drinking, dancing and debauchery in the pub and nightclub that occupied two adjacent buildings at the northeast corner of Adelaide and Peter Street in the Entertainment District. This month, it was the buildings’ turn to get wrecked.

In January, I noticed signs for Delsan Demolition Services posted on the buildings at 328 – 340 Adelaide Street West, formerly home to the Adelaide Street Pub and the Roosevelt Room Supper Club. Two men wearing hardhats were taking notes as they wandered around the property, no doubt planning how to demolish the two low-rise structures so construction can start on the 40-storey condo tower that will take their place.

 

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Winter photo walks: Bay/College area Part 1

Burano Condos Toronto

February 9 2012: The south side of Burano Condos, viewed from Grenville Street

 

Progress updates: I had the opportunity to pass through the Bay & College area on my way to some recent appointments, so I brought along my camera to catch up on construction progress in the neighbourhood. My “winter photo walk” series will show you what I’ve been seeing:

 

 

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