[interchange42]

They could have just sandblasted the brick and stabilized the mortar, and left it at that. The imperfections and texture would provide character in a city that desperately needs it.

If brick is in bad condition, the last thing you do is sandblast it; sandblasting destroys hard surfaces and exposes the rougher, more porous interior of bricks to the elements, making them deteriorate even more quickly. It's done very rarely these days since the industry learned that lesson, and when it is, the pressure is generally lower than it used to be, water is used more often than sand now. and it's mainly done in select spots now that have an overabundance of surface accumulation, and not applied overall until a brick facade looks entirely 'clean' again. Generally a patina is left these days.

At the same time, the life of damaged brick can be extended by painting it, and that requires a thorough cleaning before applying a masonry primer, and then generally a thick latex paint with elastodynamic properties to cope with heat, cold, and wet weather without fracturing... which is what naked, damaged brick with a crumbling surface will do if you don't paint it.

42

 

[70Challenger]

I've seen too many far-gone brick facades restored to immaculate condition in projects all across Europe for painting brick to even be a remotely valid option. This is on Toronto developers who are too cheap and lazy to put in the effort.

 

[UtakataNoAnnex]

I've seen too many far-gone brick facades restored to immaculate condition in projects all across Europe for painting brick to even be a remotely valid option. This is on Toronto developers who are too cheap and lazy to put in the effort.

...to be fair though, most of Europe doesn't have winter and subsequent summer conditions like we do.

 

[realpolytics]

Can anyone explain why the precast brick here looks so much better than others in the city?

 

[Totti]

May 3rd, 2025

 

[asfi235]

I shudder when I look at the precast panels. I can't help but think that the Very Clever Architects failed Lego 101:

 

[Northern Light]

I shudder when I look at the precast panels. I can't help but think that the Very Clever Architects failed Lego 101:
View attachment 650241

The 'Lego way'......... by which we mean stretcher or running bond wasn't invented by Lego, of course.

English bond is another traditional, strong one.

It generally does look better (more realistic) than stack bond. Of course, stack bond is a real brick laying pattern, but one with lower structural integrity.

Stack makes more sense for something bearing little weight, or none at all. Something like an accent wall, often superficial, (with a structural wall in behind), but could be used in a non-load bearing scenario on its own. One would want to carefully consider how it is adhered to any underlying surface.

 

[UtakataNoAnnex]

I had presumed being precast that it doesn't really matter what it looks like on the outside, that it's the material of the precast itself that holds its integrity. So that the bricks can be stacked in anyway within the precast has little to do with its strength to my understanding, Lego way or otherwise.

 

[rdaner]

Taken 14 May.

 

[Towered]

 

[rdaner]

Taken 14 June.

 

[Dan416]

I dunno, I'm just not thrilled by this particular facadectomy. I dunno if matching the colour of the brick would have helped. But U of T itself has many better examples.

 

[aaroncaribou]

I shudder when I look at the precast panels. I can't help but think that the Very Clever Architects failed Lego 101:

On the tower, the precast is a vertical running bond - something that cannot be achieved with veneer masonry. On the podium, the stack-bond artisanal brick has too much depth to its face to have been used in a precast system (concrete would leak around the sides of the form liner and pool on the face of the brick). Each system is showing that it can do what the other cannot.

The townhouse was a last-minute change to thin brick on precast, so it doesn't follow the same logic.

 

[rdaner]

I imagine that this is opening for September as furniture can be seen in all of the windows. Taken 11 August.

Is there an up to date list of what has opened recently as I’m curious to see where and if we are in the midst of a continuing boom of occupied units.

 

[Towered]

This boring stretch of Spadina is crying out for a cozy cafe in the former heritage corner building...