absoluteworld - mississauga

[Martinsizon]

sauga you beat me to it.

[sauga]

Here is an article from today's G&M (Friday August 4th, 2006):

ARCHITECTURE
Absolute development still evolving
JOHN BENTLEY MAYS
From Friday's Globe and Mail

Until last week, the only news I'd heard about the Absolute residential development in Mississauga had come in the depths of winter, when Toronto reporters and critics were outdoing ourselves in praise for the design.
The unveiling of plans for the Absolute tower back then was a good day in the history of Toronto architecture. In a town where the launch of a new condominium tower is usually a ho-hum occasion, it was pleasant to see media folk thronging the restaurant atop the CN Tower for a look at the winning design of a 56-storey condo stack slated to rise at the corner of Hurontario Street and Burnhamthorpe Road.

That evening, the face of Yansong Ma, the young Chinese-American architect who captured the $125,000 prize, was on all the local television news shows. Next morning, Mr. Ma's design — instantly nicknamed "Marilyn" because of its foxy curves and bulges — made the front pages of the papers. Architecture was in the headlines, people were paying attention — and all that, to my mind, was an excellent thing.

Then, one sizzling day last week, came the announcement from Absolute's developers — Fernbrook Homes and Cityzen Development Group — about an upcoming gala opening of the project, a mixer for people who've bought there and those who are thinking about it. The invitation was unsurprising — except for the picture that came along with it, in which Marilyn appeared to be standing next to a long-lost sister.

This addition of a second, 50-storey tower by Mr. Ma to his 56-storey one has to do, in part, with the strong condominium market in the Greater Toronto Area. But it also indicates the readiness of the buying public to take a chance on a skyscraper design that is unusual and artistically adventuresome. The original building sold out as soon as it went on the market, Danny Salvatore, president of Fernbrook Homes, told me. No wonder he and his partners at Cityzen have invited Mr. Ma to have a second go at the Mississauga skyline.
Reached by phone in Shanghai, the Yale-educated architect explained what he is doing, and why.

"The public loved the first building, but I do not want to repeat the first one," Mr. Ma said. "We have to do something new, but similar. The first building is located at the corner, so the rotation [the apparent pulse and billow of the structure's skin] is more dramatic. The second one rotates slower, and the overall plan is more elegant."

Though the artist's impression of the scheme shows a long, low building running between the two towers, Mr. Ma said "they do not connect at the base." As he explained it to me, his intention is to make the first building, on the corner of Burnhamthorpe and Hurontario, a forceful landmark at a busy intersection, with only a minimal podium.

The second tower has no podium at all, but hits the ground free and clear.
"We want to do something other than a box. Anything but a box is fine with us! Modernism and the contemporary city has been too much related to the industrial city of the past. There was this saying in the last century that 'a building is a machine for living.' We believe it is a design for living, so that, when people look at a building, they feel nature, not industry. I think it is time for people to understand themselves, their bodies, their natural environments. Technology supports what we do, but our building does not show technology on the outside. The building should reflect culture and nature."

Somewhere between the first and second coming of Marilyn, Mr. Ma has addressed certain problems that were apparent in the single-tower scheme, though he has not, to my mind, resolved them. The base of the first tower has shed the blank look of a pedestal for statuary, and re-emerged as a somewhat more porous piece of connective fabric between skyscraper and city. But where the area below and around the tower was too stark in the one-tower version, now seems to be cluttered — as though the architect were still too busy with the monumental glamour of the towers to pay much attention to their basic urbanism.

Be all that as it may, however, the Absolute tower scheme remains the most charming architectural project to go public in and around Toronto so far this year. It will be interesting to see how Mr. Ma's creative thinking evolves during the design of his towers, and how he addresses the outstanding problems with his plan. But already, even though Absolute is still in its early stages, he has given us much to think about and to admire.

[Martinsizon]

Noticed this was never posted in this thread:

[Bertez]

Phases 1 and 2 are looking very nice....and very tall

[ToRoNto, g-town]

mississaugas best project.. love the towers

[sauga]

Here are some pictures:

These pictures include the Absolute World Phase IV & V scaled down versions in the Sales Centre:
(sorry they may be a little crude cause they were taken with my camera phone)










The last two are of Phase III's construction crane.. notice the difference in the pit depth in just two months.



It looks like Phase IV is about 90% sold out. While Phase V is about 70-80%. There is a board in the sales centre outlining the sold out and available units.

Occupancy for Phase IV is September 2009 and occupancy for Phase V is November 2009. Looks like Fernbrook is planning to construct both at pretty much the same time.

Going to be very exciting in the city over the next several years.

[Tuscani01]

Originally Posted by sauga

Here are some pictures:

http://condoinmississauga.blogspot.com/

(Sorry the links below don't work so you'll have to go to the blog i created...)

The following are pictures of Phase I & II that I took a couple of months ago. It also includes the pit for Phase III.






These pictures include the Absolute World Phase IV & V scaled down versions in the Sales Centre:
(sorry they may be a little crude cause they were taken with my camera phone)






The last two are of Phase III's construction crane.. notice the difference in the pit depth in just two months.





It looks like Phase IV is about 90% sold out. While Phase V is about 70-80%. There is a board in the sales centre outlining the sold out and available units.

Occupancy for Phase IV is September 2009 and occupancy for Phase V is November 2009. Looks like Fernbrook is planning to construct both at pretty much the same time.

Going to be very exciting in the city over the next several years.

Thanks for the pics sauga. I drove by the sales centre last night and thought about stopping by, but im sure it was closed since it was after midnight. The 2 towers look great next to eachother.

Has anyone driven down Dixie by eastgate pkwy? The skyline from there looks amazing at night. Also, Dixie and Burnhamthorpe gives a nice view too... Once Absolute is complete it will have quite the canyon effect. If anyone is in that area in the near future, make sure you bring a camera and take pics for us!

[sauga]

If you guys look at my previous pics I posted you can notice that one of Phase V's biggest differences is the raised and frosted glass on the balconies. Its raised to extentuate the curviness....

[ScrapeTheSky]

With that many units sold in Phase IV and V, doesn't that mean they could start construction, like, immediately?

[phunky]

Originally Posted by ScrapeTheSky

With that many units sold in Phase IV and V, doesn't that mean they could start construction, like, immediately?

you would think so yes. i'm sure there must be other factors preventing it.

[ToRoNto, g-town]

its funny on the different desing from phases 1-3 and 4&5

[ScrapeTheSky]

Originally Posted by phunky

you would think so yes. i'm sure there must be other factors preventing it.

Factor A: Figuring out how to build the damn thing! lol

Factor B: Waiting until phases I-III are done.

That's all I can think of.

[Tuscani01]

Originally Posted by ScrapeTheSky

Factor A: Figuring out how to build the damn thing! lol

Factor B: Waiting until phases I-III are done.

That's all I can think of.

Odering, waiting for fabrication and delivery of the materials needed.

They dont just say, 'hey, today looks like a great day... bring in the concrete!'

Its going to take a few months to first of all find out exactly what is needed, then a few days to place the orders and then weeks to months to have the orders delivered.

[jeicow]

Originally Posted by ScrapeTheSky

Factor A: Figuring out how to build the damn thing! lol

IMO they took the cheap way out with the way they "redesigned" the building. It's just a giant cylinder and the shape of the balconies will be what gives it the shape. If you can get your hands on the floorplans it's interesting to see how big some of the balconies are.

[Martinsizon]

does anyone have renderings of the interiors of phase 4&5 and the lobby of it

[phunky]

Originally Posted by jeicow

IMO they took the cheap way out with the way they "redesigned" the building. It's just a giant cylinder and the shape of the balconies will be what gives it the shape. If you can get your hands on the floorplans it's interesting to see how big some of the balconies are.

ya they really did cheap out with the redesign. the first one was much more sculpted looking, this one is just meh i dunno.
and yes the balconies will be massive.

[cassius]

Guys, they didn't cheap out - they got realistic. Early renderings didn't take any structural integrity or anything into account.

[ToRoNto, g-town]

about how big would u say some of the balconys are? from door to wall/railing?

[Martinsizon]

Some of Calatrava work; look familiar
[QUOTE]
Calatrava has many other twist building projects around the world. For instance he has projected in Valencia (the city in Spain where Calatrava was born) 3 twisted buildings right next to his huge complex which is already done.










[QUOTE]

[CrazyCanuck]

Originally Posted by phunky

ya they really did cheap out with the redesign. the first one was much more sculpted looking, this one is just meh i dunno.
and yes the balconies will be massive.

To me phase IV looks like it's exploding in the middle, Marilyn Monroe turned into Rosie O'Donnel