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We all know that buildings don't always turn out like the renderings. Last-minute changes and real-life materials can all cause discrepancies between the vision and reality of a project. In our Flash Forward Friday feature, we take a look at how different projects stack up.
Bucci Developments' The Kensington brings another mid-rise residential development to the eponymous neighbourhood, but not before a series of renderings revealed the finer exterior details of the six-storey project. The 77-unit development, which boasts one- and two-bedroom floor plans, stands across from the recently completed Lido building at the corner of 2nd Avenue NW and 10th Street NW.
The building's ground floor is occupied by retail frontage, with "preference given to businesses complimentary to the Kensington neighbourhood," says the project's website. Available commercial bays range in size from 1,200 to 4,000 square feet, with 13-foot clear ceilings and expansive glass facades.
Early renderings for the building showcased the interplay between the retail component, front vestibule and the residences up top, which were to be set back from the street. This massing arrangement opened up the second floor to sprawling outdoor terraces, while the balconies would be lodged within recessed portions of the elevation.
An updated rendering presented some minor alterations to the design, particularly the second floor glassed-in section at the northeastern section of the building, which was eventually punctured and opened. The new illustration also portrayed changes to the accents of wood panelling, which appear much darker than initially depicted.
With the exception of the brick pattern that wraps around the retail component, the completed project was a faithful re-creation of the most recent rendering. Our Forum contributors have expressed their admiration for the development's materiality and scale, with a mural by artist Daniel Kirk sprucing up the windowless south wall.
We will return in the near future with another comparison!
