Oh sorry, I mean:
Why is it that Toronto is suddenly going for skyscrapers on steroids
— is this a matter of need or desire?
Jennifer Keesmaat, Toronto’s chief planner, says if the city focuses on building midrise buildings along the avenues — streets planners have designated as ripe for growth — Toronto can meet the province’s growth targets without 80 storey buildings, and with “significant amount of room to spare.”
The city especially doesn’t require super skyscrapers within such a small area, particularly one already entertaining dozens of building applications.
The problem with skyscrapers is not how high they go, but what they do at ground level, in my opinion. The developer’s focus is so much on height, he too often neglects how people will relate to the structure on the street. Case in point: Erickson et al’s Shangri-La, which has a very awkward and boring space on Georgia (and a very expensive Whole Foods). At least the Wall Centre’s One Wall Centre has a fairly decent plaza. So much attention is given to the skyline. What counts for livability is street level!