From Toronto Metro:
Hans Ibelings first visited Toronto in the 1990s, before a condo boom sent the city’s skyline hurtling upward.
When he returned in 2012, the Dutch art historian found a denser, more dynamic city, but one whose architectural landscape was dominated by “a complete sameness” of glass condos.
“Coming from Europe, it’s unbelievable that there’s so little interest in the quality of design,” he said.
Along with local design firm PARTISANS, Ibelings has authored Rise and Sprawl: The Condominiumization of Toronto, a new book that takes Toronto’s “repetitive” and “bland” condo architecture to task. …
“As long as condos sell there is no incentive to change anything, and as long as there is nothing else on the market, people will buy what’s available,” he writes in the book.
Along with local design firm PARTISANS, Ibelings has authored Rise and Sprawl: The Condominiumization of Toronto, a new book that takes Toronto’s “repetitive” and “bland” condo architecture to task. …
“As long as condos sell there is no incentive to change anything, and as long as there is nothing else on the market, people will buy what’s available,” he writes in the book.
Must be the same mentality that makes cars all the same boring shades of white, grey or black.
@BruceHaden made the comment in one of his lectures at the Gesamtkunstwerk series that at the time there were 2 tower glass suppliers, who each made 3 standard sizes of glass … so the monotony is quite simply because every tower was built from the same kit of parts. Exactly the same kit of parts. Would be interesting if anyone else has some info on this.