The famous Flatiron Building, which is known to us is what was originally called the Fuller Building which is a 22-story, 285-foot tall landmarked building, standing on a triangular plan, located at 175 Fifth Avenue in the Flatiron District neighborhood of the borough of Manhattan, New York City.
The building could very well be named after the district or the household appliance by the same name. Many flatiron buildings since then have been built all over. David Pontarini of the Hariri and Pontarini Architects said that he understands that flatiron buildings across North America are usually municipal landmarks.
It is interesting that we have a new flatiron building coming up in Toronto. Galleria III, 31-storey triangular tower located at the corner of Dufferin and Dupont streets is Toronto’s new Flatiron building designed by Hariri Pontarini Architects. Galleria III is part of the larger Galleria On The Park master plan, which is also planned by HPA.
In an interview, David Pontarini explains that their idea behind the master plan of Galleria On The Park was to take the grid-iron street planning of Toronto and flip it upside down, by introducing diagonal pedestrian mews that created spaces of odd shapes on the site.
These diagonal pedestrian mews are what gave birth to the form of Galleria III, Toronto’s new flatiron building.
The architect has pointed out how it was a challenging task for his team to create these unusual pockets of land on the site and then execute residential and commercial towers within those odd spaces. Pontarini goes on to explain how odd-shaped buildings that disrupt the orthogonal layout of the streets, are a recipe for instant landmarks.
It is an interesting building, but the designer feels that there’s more that contributes to the attractiveness of this building. It is the material palette that is being used for Galleria III.
Deep red brick, metal and aluminum trims are the materials that form the palette for the third tower on Galleria On The Park. According to the architect, they have picked up this palette from the industrial buildings along with Dupont, in a way paying homage to the local heritage.
Galleria III is curved on the edges, which translates into more fluid spaces in the interiors of the units and other semi-open spaces.
The interesting thing about the project is that it is a mixed-use tower that will accommodate 300,000 square feet of retail space. Galleria III on its two storeys at the entry-level will feature retail. Alongside this project will include a community center of 95,000 square feet.
The building on its 11th floor will have social space, to be shared among all residents. A private dining room with chef’s kitchen, fireplace, lounge area, wine cellars, youth club are the key features of this floor. Outdoor barbeque area, games zone and elevated pool that overlooks the city will highlight this space.
In its 31-storeys, Galleria III will include 426 condo units. The units vary in size and range from 395 square feet studio apartments to three-bedroom units of 1,225 square feet, which makes them the largest units in the tower.
The suites at Galleria III’s elevated hospitality experience are credited to Janet Rosenberg & Studio and DesignAgency. The two design firms bring their international expertise to the interiors and amenities of Galleria III respectively. Age-old, but timeless finishes like leather and wood, clubbed with contemporary materials give a very non-industrial look and feel.
“The double-height lobby features cozy seating, custom artwork, and recharge stations, while the curved walls and arches echo the sinuous lines of the exterior.”
The third floor offers space for relaxing, mindfulness, and modern wellness. The fitness amenities are fully equipped with a yoga room, a spin studio, and a meditation room. Also includes an exterior dog run and pet wash, outdoor yoga spaces. The tower of Galeria III also houses a co-working space with semi-private desks, meeting rooms, and a multipurpose studio room to accommodate the creative minds of the community.
There’s a focused communication around wellness and mindfulness, taking into account people’s health on a holistic level. The official website of the project, calls Galleria III “A New State of Well-Being”. The promotional videos emphasize the inclusiveness of people from all ethnicities and backgrounds. The idea is to promote Galleria III as a utopian place to live, work, and grow in unity.
References:
- www.galleriaonthepark.com
- https://hariripontarini.com/projects/galleria-mall-redevelopment/
- https://www.toronto.com/news-story/10227981-31-storey-tower-will-be-entryway-to-toronto-s-galleria-on-the-park/
- https://canada.constructconnect.com/dcn/news/projects/2020/10/pontarinis-flatiron-design-honours-industrial-past
