Perhaps the Entertainment District's quirkiest new building, the glass and multicoloured aluminum cladding affixed to the Mattamy/Monarch Group and Goldman Group's Picasso Condos has provided the appropriate shelter for work to ramp up on the interior units and amenity spaces. When UrbanToronto last visited the Teeple Architects-designed building, much of it was still exposed to the elements. Our return trip includes a look at the unique interiors of Picasso, which are just as compelling as the structure's cubist form.
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Picasso from Richmond and Peter Streets, image by Marcus Mitanis
Like the City of Toronto, diversity is Picasso's strength. Navigating the unfinished halls and rooms of the building proved challenging due to the high amount of variability between spaces. The layout, finishes and balconies differ from suite to suite, resulting in over 100 distinct unit types.
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Future retail spaces along Richmond, image by Marcus Mitanis
Starting on the ground level, the retail spaces along Richmond Street are coming together. The allotment is large enough to be separated into several smaller spaces depending on the future tenant or tenants involved.
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Walls coming together in the third floor amenity spaces, image by Marcus Mitanis
Interior designers U31 have created several amenity spaces within the building, one of which is located on the third floor. The image below pictures where the company will outfit the "Pulse" fitness studio, complete with a cardio, yoga and aerobics area, alongside saunas, lockers, and showers.
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Third floor Pulse fitness centre, image by Marcus Mitanis
The space is awaiting finishing, including drywall application and flooring, but will soon include a wealth of exercise equipment and televisions.
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Kitchen on a lower floor, image by Marcus Mitanis
The lower floors of the building have already been fitted with cabinetry in the kitchens and finished ceilings. Kitchens feature quartz, granite or caeserstone countertops with either a ceramic, porcelain or glass tile backsplash.
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A kitchen nearing completion, image by Marcus Mitanis
To avoid any damage throughout the construction process, the laminate flooring has not yet been installed. On the podium floors, eight-foot ceiling heights are standard, jumping up to nine feet on tower levels and ten at the penthouse level.
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Looking north on a fifth floor terrace, image by Marcus Mitanis
One of the most interesting aspects of Picasso are the various outdoor spaces. Residents will have access to a balcony or terrace, some of which are large enough to include gardens and trees. The balcony pictured below on the fifth floor is one of many sheltered outdoor spaces which overlooks Queen Street West. Similar balcony configurations exist on the Richmond Street side.
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Balconies facing Queen Street, image by Marcus Mitanis
The tenth floor amenity space is the main entertainment area. It contains the Cue Lounge, where a game of billiards can be played, and the Picasso Club party room containing a kitchen and bar.
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Tenth floor amenity area, image by Marcus Mitanis
These spaces open up to a large terrace atop the main western cube, which acts as the podium for the building. Residents here will be able to take advantage of the barbecue facilities, hot tub, fireplace and cabanas offered.
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Tenth floor outdoor amenity area, image by Marcus Mitanis
Up on the 19th floor, another terrace juts out from a unit. It's large enough to comfortably accommodate the window washing apparatus, which had previously been cleaning the facade above just minutes before.
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Window washing apparatus on the 19th floor, image by Marcus Mitanis
The shifting cubes of the building affords views from this terrace in several directions, including towards the Financial District as seen in the image below.
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View of the Financial District from the 19th floor, image by Marcus Mitanis
The construction hoist is also visible in the image above. Fortunately, the four interior elevators are now operational, making the journey to the higher floors much simpler.
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A north-facing unit on one of Picasso's upper floors, image by Marcus Mitanis
Units take on a rougher appearance as we climb higher, with much of the exterior cladding being freshly installed. Despite Picasso's lack of glass in comparison to its other condominium neighbours, units still enjoy an ample amount of sunlight.
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Picasso's penthouse level, image by Marcus Mitanis
The 40th floor penthouse level—in actuality the 39th storey—is still very much a work in progress, with insulation wrapping around the perimeter of the space. Naturally, the views are quite spectacular, though that will have to wait for another story in the coming days. Until then, here's a peek of what it's like looking way down towards the street from one of the upper balconies. The red accents are in striking contrast to the softer white panels on the building.
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Looking down from the top, image by Marcus Mitanis
We'll continue to follow Picasso as it nears its 2016 completion date. Check out the dataBase file linked below for more information and images. Want to get involved in the discussion? Visit the associated Forum thread or leave a comment in the field provided at the bottom of this page.