# Toronto: Streetlevel



## Skybean (Jun 16, 2004)

I was motivated by people bitching about how boring Toronto is.. city of slab apartments and commie blocks.. overrated POS, etc. Well, Toronto is much more than that. Hopefully this thread will provide everyone with a glimpse of the _true _Toronto. 

*The usual shot:*









*Limited exposure:*

























































































































































































































































































































































































































































Feel free to add more.


----------



## Marcanadian (May 7, 2005)

Indeed


----------



## DrJoe (Sep 12, 2002)

> Feel free to add more.


Will do.


----------



## Dennis (Sep 11, 2002)

OMFG 

whats the name of that big mall?


----------



## Skybean (Jun 16, 2004)

This is an atrium by Santiago Calatrava (the Allen Lambert Galleria) with a few shops (between Canada Trust Tower and its look-a-like the Bay Wellington) The area is BCE Place










This is Eatons Centre


----------



## Booyashako (Sep 11, 2002)

(none)


----------



## IchO (Oct 4, 2004)

I love this city. (I lived in North-York, Little-Tel-Aviv, for a year).


----------



## Stephan (May 7, 2004)

Every city has its dark sides - but that did't kept me from loving this nice little town , indeed it's a fantast5ic city


----------



## thryve (Mar 5, 2005)

"I was motivated by people bitching about how boring Toronto is.. city of slab apartments and commie blocks.. overrated POS, etc. Well, Toronto is much more than that. Hopefully this thread will provide everyone with a glimpse of the true Toronto. "


I am SO shocked to hear that people are saying that about the great T.O.! It is such a great place, ever so opposite to those things ^....


----------



## centralized pandemonium (Aug 16, 2004)

Wow, amazing pics :applause:. It does expose true Toronto.


----------



## *Sweetkisses* (Dec 26, 2004)

Nice pictures. Very vibrant


----------



## Hogtown (Oct 23, 2004)

Toronto's neighbourhoods are what make the city so special

I posted these as a phototour a few months ago, but what the hey...

Little Italy, College Street (mainly building vernacular)













































































































hopefully someone can post a tour of Queen West


----------



## Third of a kind (Jun 20, 2004)

some of those shots are very reminiscent of philadelphia street level...btw that is a big mall!


----------



## sean storm (Nov 18, 2004)

nice pics....BCE place is probably the best bit of downtown architecture in the city..... but all this shows is that toronto can be Anytown, USA. 

it's the capital of generic architecture/vernacular, bar none. it ain't no POS.... but it's certainly nothing special. but of course, a few blind souls in TO fail to acknowledge this. 

but i guess all the trees compensate for the blandness.

:sleepy:


----------



## manitoba (Mar 24, 2005)

Toronto is anything but bland. How could the most multicultural city in the world be bland? At least it is urban in comparison to most American cities which could only dream of having the street-level activity that Toronto does.


----------



## SpatulaCity (Mar 17, 2004)

> nice pics....BCE place is probably the best bit of downtown architecture in the city..... but all this shows is that toronto can be Anytown, USA.
> 
> it's the capital of generic architecture/vernacular, bar none. it ain't no POS.... but it's certainly nothing special. but of course, a few blind souls in TO fail to acknowledge this.
> 
> but i guess all the trees compensate for the blandness.


that's a big load of shit from start to finish. Your "objective" attitude is just a wimpy way to disguise yourself as a respectable poster... all the while you're just a five and dime troll. By the way, is this spill-over from the SF vs. TO thread? If it is, then take your shit elsewhere.


I wanna add some pics to this thread but I'll wait until it goes to the next page (don't want to flood this page with pics).


----------



## salvius (Aug 4, 2004)

sean storm said:


> nice pics....BCE place is probably the best bit of downtown architecture in the city..... but all this shows is that toronto can be Anytown, USA.
> 
> it's the capital of generic architecture/vernacular, bar none. it ain't no POS.... but it's certainly nothing special. but of course, a few blind souls in TO fail to acknowledge this.


Toronto is one of the fastest growing and happening cities on the continent, and an unparalleled immigration magnet. Anytown USA could only dream of the high rise explosion happening here, or of attracting so much international architectural talent. 

Please don't spam.


----------



## salvius (Aug 4, 2004)

More interesting streetlevel can be found here:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=4203590&postcount=1


----------



## algonquin (Sep 24, 2004)

sean storm said:


> nice pics....BCE place is probably the best bit of downtown architecture in the city..... but all this shows is that toronto can be Anytown, USA.


bingo-bango... if you think BCE place is the best TO can offer.... you're waaay off base. Just a stones throw away from BCE is the largest single concentration of Miesian towers, a gem by I.M. Pei, a Philip Johnson, toronto's city hall (whose only scandinavian modern equivalent is the Sydney Opera House)... not to mention brand new stuff by Alsop, Leibiskind, Foster... among other local gems.

You have no clue whatsoever.


----------



## Filip (Oct 10, 2003)

salvius said:


> More interesting streetlevel can be found here:
> 
> http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=4203590&postcount=1


LOL Salvice thanks for advertising my thread. I was planning to post it in the Toronto section anyway.


----------



## SpatulaCity (Mar 17, 2004)

I just checked it out Filip... it's a great thread! Good job, dude.


Anyway, here are some pics I put together... Toronto beyond the Eatons Centre, Skydome and CN Tower. I apologize for the quality of some of them (some are resized and I hope the original photographers don't mind... others are just bad quality to begin with).

Street level



















































































































































































































































above street level









scroll bottom to top


----------



## Rockefeller (Jan 1, 2005)

Very impressive collection of pics Filip. Saying this is Anytown U.S.A is just as insaulting as saying San Francisco is Anytown U.S.A


----------



## touraccuracy (Jan 30, 2005)

Did you take that, Skybean???? If you did, enter it in the UPC, I would give it a 10.


----------



## Jaye101 (Feb 16, 2005)

I hate all of this Anytown, USA.. SHIT Toronto is a CANADIAN City, and it represents CANADA for what it is not america. I don't appreciate people saying "This can be Anytown, USA" because its not....It's different in many Canadian ways. And I love that. I can't go to America and watch porn on a nation wide basic antenna broadcast, I can't eat a poutine, or walk down the street without getting shot.

- Jaye... Malvern!

Sorry if I offended anyone.


----------



## algonquin (Sep 24, 2004)

these are great pics!


----------



## Roch5220 (Mar 7, 2003)

Fantastic. Nice to see some newer photos.


----------



## Skybean (Jun 16, 2004)

touraccuracy said:


> Did you take that, Skybean???? If you did, enter it in the UPC, I would give it a 10.


Unfortunately it isn't mine . Stunning isn't it?


----------



## You are to blame (Oct 14, 2004)

Pics by Filip http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=215468


----------



## Skybean (Jun 16, 2004)

... those are too sexy.


----------



## Sen (Nov 13, 2004)

probably the best toronto thread ever.


----------



## Texan#1 (Nov 20, 2002)

nice pics Everyone! Toronto looks very beautiful and interesting


----------



## sean storm (Nov 18, 2004)

SpatulaCity said:


> that's a big load of shit from start to finish. Your "objective" attitude is just a wimpy way to disguise yourself as a respectable poster... all the while you're just a five and dime troll. By the way, is this spill-over from the SF vs. TO thread? If it is, then take your shit elsewhere.


looks like somebody just popped a hernia.... :laugh:

what's your problem? is there something totally incorrect about my statements? toronto's a great, vibrant city but unfortunately it is really bland. and i'm obviously not the first person to notice this.

get a grip, lady.
:stupid:


----------



## sean storm (Nov 18, 2004)

Rockefeller said:


> Very impressive collection of pics Filip. Saying this is Anytown U.S.A is just as insaulting as saying San Francisco is Anytown U.S.A


not it's not.

open your friggin' eyes. GET REAL.

san francisco has one of the most distinctive cityscapes of any city in the WORLD. anyone who says that SF could be "anytown" doesn't know SF or is completely stupid. toronto's cityscape (minus the landmarks, of course) could be mistaken for a dozen other cities, american or canadian. 

if toronto's cityscape was so distinctive like SF or Paris, then why would TO serve as the backdrop for virtually every US city in movies and tv shows except TO itself????

:|


----------



## sean storm (Nov 18, 2004)

manitoba said:


> Toronto is anything but bland. How could the most multicultural city in the world be bland? At least it is urban in comparison to most American cities which could only dream of having the street-level activity that Toronto does.


learn how to read. please.

i never made a comment about TO's people. when i said BLAND, i meant the physical aspect of the city - from its highrise slabs to its streetfront.


----------



## Rockefeller (Jan 1, 2005)

sean storm said:


> looks like somebody just popped a hernia.... :laugh:
> 
> what's your problem? is there something totally incorrect about my statements? toronto's a great, vibrant city but unfortunately it is really bland. and i'm obviously not the first person to notice this.
> 
> ...


There are plenty of Americans who do not find Toronto bland. That is really a matter of opinion, to which you are obviously entitled to have one.


----------



## sean storm (Nov 18, 2004)

algonquin said:


> bingo-bango... if you think BCE place is the best TO can offer.... you're waaay off base. Just a stones throw away from BCE is the largest single concentration of Miesian towers, a gem by I.M. Pei, a Philip Johnson, toronto's city hall (whose only scandinavian modern equivalent is the Sydney Opera House)... not to mention brand new stuff by Alsop, Leibiskind, Foster... among other local gems.
> 
> You have no clue whatsoever.


wow..... so you prefer the international style while i prefer callatrava's work.

this means you have a clue and i don't? f*cking get real... 
:stupid:

and fyi, i happen to be an architect so get off your highhorse. 

get real.


----------



## sean storm (Nov 18, 2004)

Rockefeller said:


> There are plenty of Americans who do not find Toronto bland. That is really a matter of opinion, to which you are obviously entitled to have one.


if it's a matter of opinion, of which it is quite a common one, then why are you having a cow about my comment that TO is bland? cuz compared to other cities, it IS. some of your more enlightened and educated peers would be inclined to agree.


----------



## Rockefeller (Jan 1, 2005)

sean storm said:


> if it's a matter of opinion, of which it is quite a common one, then why are you having a cow about my comment that TO is bland? cuz compared to other cities, it IS. some of your more enlightened and educated peers would be inclined to agree.


Hey I'm not the one having a cow you are (Is that a dancing cow as your Avatar btw?). You indicate that Toronto being bland is a common observation by enlightened and educated peers. WHO? just you? You are the only one I have seen! Gimme names enlightened one! sources as well. 

As an Architect of your stature, it should be easy for you to cite examples from journals etc. that support the blandness of Toronto. Please, I'm a novice wanting to be enlightened and educated. Oh and as with any 'Professional' I would hope you approach this subject with the objectivity it deserves.


----------



## rt_0891 (Mar 13, 2005)

Great pics. :applause:

Personally though, I would have to agree somewhat with Sean Storm. IMO, MINT often does look a bit bland, and if the Scotia Bank Building was not there, the skyline would look really dull. TO loves the box, but unfortunately, boxes don't look attractive on a postcard.  The landscaping in front of the banks & commerical buildings could also definitely improve a bit more... big dissapointment there, given their prominence in the city. We need a couple more landmark commerical buildings.. and more variations in colour. Unfortunately, the city's location isn't necessarily the country's prettiest, and we would have to make it up with attractive urban features (What Chicago has done.) 

Passing by it every week, this building (Atrium on Bay) makes me want to uke:...










The streetscape could also improve a bit. Being a pedestrian friendly downtown, we should make it asthetically more appealing to maximize its potential. Sometimes, I find that Toronto streets have a weird mix-match style that don't really work well together. The building facades could definitely improve a bit too (at least make it less plain, more unique, and don't give it a cheaped-out look). And the embarrasing waterfront should be a priority.


----------



## Rockefeller (Jan 1, 2005)

^^
I agree that we could use a few more landmark commercial buildings, but i rather like the boxes that we have. Combine those with the CN Tower and Scotia, and I say we have a rather sophisticated, elegant assortment. Variations in colour? Meh! I find the streetscape rather lively, interesting and diverse - I just really wouldn't change it. Mix-match style - not really sure what that means. The waterfront does need work, particularly certain sections, but there have been and will continue to be improvents - though it should be easier - much easier for pedestrians to access the city's waterfront from the downtown core especially.

Overall- i just don't think T.O is bland and your examples of improvements to the city however valid - could be argued for many world cities, certainly not enough to relegate it to Sean Storm's blandness profile


----------



## shock (Jan 7, 2006)

Jaye101 said:


> or walk down the street without getting shot.
> 
> - Jaye... Malvern!
> 
> Sorry if I offended anyone.


If only that were true...Toronto has a significant gun problem.


----------



## Grey Towers (Oct 22, 2002)

chris9 said:


> It goes beyond the notion of government and politics to include ethical values which should be a backbone of every society. The left has failed in my opinion to provide a framework of consistent moral values one can rely upon.


That's interesting given the "moral values" of war-mongering, economic domination, and religious extremism of much of the "Right" in the U.S, especially the Straussians. If you consider those good values for a societal framework, then I'm glad I don't have any. 
Very generally speaking, people on the left _tend_ to equivocate more, and think in less absolutist terms. If you think the conservative _tendency_ to obstinately continue on a failed course and never admit mistakes shows consistency, you are right. But pig-headedness is nothing to be admired or to which to aspire, and it does not denote worthy values. Its practitioners are solipsists.

"Socialism", originally a strict synonym for communism, has evolved into a sort of willfully benevolent ideal of the egalitarian tenets of communism, without the proven shortcomings. Communism has been shown to be a failure for many reasons, not the least of which is the practical necessity for iron-fisted supervision. It also quashes individuality, which is ironically something that occurs under capitalism too, though insidiously.
But I digress. Don't make the mistake of imbeciles like Bill O'Reilly and other reactionaries in imputing socialism on Canada or European countries. In case you haven't noticed, they all have market economies; only they make more provisions for their poor and helpless citizens than does the U.S. 
The country most closely approximating socialism today is Venezuela, and it is actually working quite well.


----------



## Talbot (Jul 13, 2004)

How'd politics come up in a thread about Toronto streetlevel pics?


----------



## KGB (Sep 12, 2002)

KGB


----------



## Talbot (Jul 13, 2004)

Great photos. And those dudes need to put on some clothess, I almost spit up my breakfast. And looks like you have a little zombie problem, better control that!


----------



## raymond_tung88 (Mar 26, 2004)

Great photos (minus the nudes)... LOL. anyways, i love living in Toronto. Its so vibrant, multicultural, colourful, and everything else. I would much rather live here than in New York or any other north american city for the reasons above (minus the weather). 

Believe it or not but TOronto has North America's second-largest theatre industry and second-largest infrastructure system. The first being New York for both. So as you can see, Toronto ranks pretty high in international and North American affairs.


----------



## nazzy (Sep 29, 2003)

Wow, amazing pictures of a great city. One thing that puzzles me, though.... How can a thread with THIS many pictures of a city, display only ONE hot girl? Thoroughly confused about this.


----------



## Hogtown (Oct 23, 2004)

what an outstanding cross-section of the city, flamboyant pride enthusiasts and all...


----------



## Tuscani01 (Nov 24, 2005)

shock said:


> If only that were true...Toronto has a significant gun problem.


Significant? Its not even close to the gun problems facing other N.A cities, including many Canadian cities.


----------



## BTTO (Apr 20, 2005)

What a wonderful bunch of photos!! thanks!
The beach ones look great!


----------



## CKID (Jan 11, 2006)

I think Toronto is very beautiful!!! It's such a fun City!!!


----------



## Skybean (Jun 16, 2004)

Kick ass shots KGB! You had me smiling. The angles are good, the variety is there.


----------



## Jaye101 (Feb 16, 2005)

Can sum1 Post pix of Little Jamaica? (Eglinton West, Allen to Caledonia) and Corso Italia (St Clair west, Bathurst to Dufferin?)... And everything inbetween... I love that place.


----------

