President of OAA Bill Birdsell Discusses Super Tall Towers

By Penny Munoz

“I think it’s that aspect of being seen and admired from a distance...It’s phallic envy,” says Bill Birdsell, president of the Ontario Architects Association (OAA), with a chuckle. After politely excusing himself, he proceeds to elaborate on why he thinks large cities strive to have the tallest tower in the world: “It’s that aspect of world recognition. Not feeling valuable unless you have something bigger and better than somebody else.”

Birdsell explains that “the key to them [tall towers] is how they relate to the ground level, to pedestrians and how they add character to the city’s skyline.” Seemingly simple principles, these fundamental aspects unveil a complex task for ambitious developers and city planners. Balancing these three factors can prove to be a difficult juggling act that more often than not, seems to overlook one or the other. “Towers have an aspect of being seen and admired from a distance, but are they really approachable in person?” asks Birdsell, in relation to the interior living experience. Focusing on the comfort of the interior is paramount for condo dwellers, “The power of tall towers tends to work if the suites themselves are a really good experience because the height can be an isolating experience.”

A good development will look for ways to preserve the relationship between residents and nature, despite the height of the building. A matter of controversy in regards to super tall towers that extend above 900 feet is how to maintain that connection. High wind speeds and cooler temperatures make it impossible to have balconies. On the other hand, super tall towers have the capacity to provide residents with a more complete, metropolitan lifestyle.

The evolution of Toronto towers includes development schemes that incorporate retail, commercial, hotel, art galleries, fitness and residential spaces, all within the comfort of one building. Birdsell says that this evolution “provides people in Toronto the chance to move away from suburban lifestyles, shedding the car. It provides greater amenities and greater proximity to services.”

One of the greatest challenges ahead for Toronto is developing a whole sense of community. Without much green space to work with, it will demand a lot of infrastructure manipulation to accommodate diverse communities that welcome and meet the needs of growing families and an aging population as one. In these terms, it is important to build towers that can harmoniously exemplify the three key principles Birdsell uses to encapsulate the nature of towers, but also to build towers that protect the sustainability of the city. “One important aspect worth mentioning has to do with the 2030 challenge that architects are working towards; making these communities carbon neutral,” says Birdsell. In order to be more environmentally and socially responsible, new developments need to use innovative technologies that will preserve the vitality of the city in the long run. “[Architects and builders] need to go a step further so that these buildings are positive contributions.”