Posted on
May 23rd, 2011
–
Comments Off on Chris Hume’s Worstest Buildings #3: A Breakfast For Dogs
Chris doesn’t pull many punches with his third-worst Toronto building, Ryerson University’s Ted Rogers School of Management. Among the building’s most admirable traits he includes the facts that it’s on a busy downtown corner, it’s above a Canadian Tire, and has a parking garage. To me, this does not a good building make. In fact, this would barely qualify as a worthy parking lot.
However, Humie’s commentary describing the building as “a dog’s breakfast” is a little unfair, only insomuch as Ryerson is known for acquiring existing locations, usually individual rooms within buildings like Chris’ other favourite, the Toronto Life Square building. What I mean is that Ryerson’s not 100% responsible for the shape of the building, though their lack of follow-up aesthetic is something we can collectively laugh at. Or weep.
Filed under: Dispatches, Patrick Bay, Videos
Posted on
May 21st, 2011
–
Comments Off on My interwebs is developed of tubes
Yep, you could probably drive a truck through Corus Quay. Occasionally the tubes are filled to capacity (it’s why they have a traffic light at the top).
Filed under: Dispatches, Patrick Bay, Pictures
Posted on
May 20th, 2011
–
Comments Off on Chris Hume’s Worstest Buildings #4: Down and Dirty
Contentious is a good word to describe the Toronto Life Square Building, a.k.a. 10 Dundas East. Typical lamentations include descriptions like “ugly”, “awful”, “disappointing”, and “my grandmother wouldn’t take a crap on this thing, and she wears diapers!”
The fact that Chris Hume chose this particular building for the number five slot in his “Worst Buildings of Toronto” list is kinda like saying, “I don’t like Hitler”, or “that Bin Laden guy was a jerk” — most people would tend to agree.
For me, the Toronto Life building isn’t the affront on North American culture that some people insist it is, but its thin, crowded interior with its centerpiece of narrow escalators is a total letdown after walking under that massive facade. I don’t know that this building would’ve made my own top-five-worst list, but Toronto could certainly do a whole lot better.
Filed under: Dispatches, Patrick Bay, Videos
Posted on
May 19th, 2011
–
Comments Off on A Brown fog approacheth
A (soon-to-be-built) George Brown College fog, that is.
(another big ‘un so give it a few moments to load!)
Filed under: Dispatches, Patrick Bay, Pictures
Posted on
May 19th, 2011
–
Comments Off on Chris Hume’s Bestest Buildings #1: Post-Afterthought Presence
Yawn!
Seriously, Chris? The RBC Dexia building?
Okay, I admit that at first it was kinda neat to see those irregular angles but, Wellington Street still feels pretty much like a back road (hint: all the other buildings are still facing the same way). And if asymmetry is what yanks your crank then I’m sure we could find nicer examples. Basically, if this is your top pick then I need to severely start doubting my ability to predict the five worst. Or five whatever, for that matter.
Filed under: Dispatches, Patrick Bay, Videos
Posted on
May 18th, 2011
–
Comments Off on Chris Hume’s Worstest Buildings #5: “If it were the back of a warehouse…”
Ugh … Humie’s kinda right about this one, his fifth pick for Toronto’s Worst Buildings: the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. The fairly new structure (built in 2006), is an unsightly grey box sitting across the street from the relatively ornate and welcoming Osgoode Hall; even the documentary about the building of the Four Seasons Centre (Raising Valhalla, 2007), has more appeal than the structure itself.
While I haven’t actually been inside the thing — I’m told that it’s a bit of an engineering / acoustic marvel with the performance hall being isolated from the outer shell with giant damper supports; a building on stilts within a building — the spectacle inside doesn’t nearly match the drab outside. One day soon I’m planning to take advantage of the $12 standing-room-only admission, but I can assure you it won’t be because I’m drawn in by the architecture.
Did I mention “ugh” already?
Filed under: Dispatches, Patrick Bay, Videos
Posted on
May 18th, 2011
–
Comments Off on Chris Hume’s Bestest Buildings #2: Square, Daddy-o
I’m pretty surprised at how much I agree with The Star’s Chris Hume in his evaluation of Toronto architecture. With yesterday’s exception, of course. Perhaps it’s because we both see modernity as forward-looking rather than the total destruction of all we hold near and dear. Maybe we’re both able to see change as a progression rather than a personal attack.
I still reserve the right to be a crotchety old fart when I arrive at the appropriately ripe age, but for now I gotta give Chris his props for his number two “Best Buildings of Toronto” pick, Maple Leaf Square. I love the giant screen looming over the Air Canada Centre’s western entrances, and I like it even more when the square is filled with gawking event attendees — the thought of all those suburbanites surrounded by mighty, erect Toronto towers and majestic, sexy architecture gives me a special feeling.
Filed under: Dispatches, Patrick Bay, Videos
Posted on
May 18th, 2011
–
2 Comments
Actually, dark horses could drag me away. The $3.30 little French press pots at the Dark Horse on Spadina make you feel all sophisticated but, ultimately, the drink works out to be the size of a large coffee. A good coffee, yes, but a caffeinated thoroughbred? I get the feeling that what you’re actually paying for here is the ambiance, and the communal tables kinda ruin that for me. Feels a bit like a stable. At the end of the day, if someone asks me if I prefer Dark Horse over Second Cup, I’ll have to respectfully reply with a neigh.
Filed under: Dispatches, Patrick Bay, Pictures
Posted on
May 17th, 2011
–
Comments Off on Chris Hume’s Bestest Buildings #3: Pointed Criticism
The Toronto Star’s Cristopher Hume continues his assault on modern sensibilities with his number three pick from his Toronto’s best/worst architecture list, the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal building that juts out from the northern end of the Royal Ontario Museum.
Chris took it upon himself to preempt our collective vitriol and disgust for this building by reassuring us that he’s well aware of just how much we hate it. He picked it nonetheless, pointing to its 21-century styling as the determining factor for his choice. Far be it for me to question his assertions about how all Canadians feel, but personally, I kinda dig this building. It’s an incredibly stark yet beautiful (especially in the right light), extension of the stalwartly historic ROM building, and I’ve yet to read about anyone taking an eye out on the thing, so I guess I’m the one lone Canadian that disagrees.
Filed under: Dispatches, Patrick Bay, Videos
Posted on
May 17th, 2011
–
2 Comments
The prep for the 2015 Pan Am Games continues at Queen’s Quay and Jarvis, with promises of extra camera-fodder to come later this summer (at least from what I can see from my 4th storey perch):
(these are big so give ’em a moment to load)
Filed under: Dispatches, Patrick Bay, Pictures
... with pictures
... with sounds
... with videos
... with opinions
... that's shorter
... that's longer
