At grade, Chaz on Charles is an elegant five-storey limestone-clad pavilion with a series of punched recessed windows that give the composition a visually distinct dramatic look. Being neighbourly-fitting contextually into the Charles streetscape-was also imperative to the Chaz design team, so the podium syncs up brilliantly with the Casa, next door, adding significantly to the street wall.
Stepping back from the pavilion on the sixth, Chaz, the tower, soars thirty- nine stories into the sky. And this is when the architectural spirit of Chaz achieves "lift-off." Its sleek aerodynamic shape gives it initial propulsion. But other elements provide additional energy--and elegance--to the overall design. Unlike most condominiums whose balconies are tacked onto the building, at Chaz they're an integral part of the building, literally recessed into the alcoves created by Chaz's unique shape.
Still, the architectural "piece de resistance" at Chaz is a series of dramatic gestures on the skin of the building that will instantly make it a downtown Toronto landmark. Jutting out from the 31st and 32nd levels on the south side of the building is a two-storey cantilevered box, framed in white concrete and illuminated at night. This is the Chaz Club, a lounge and dining space for the building's residents, and it is a dazzling architectural gesture. From miles around, Torontonians will look up to see residents of Chaz, and their guests, enjoying cocktails on the club's spacious terrace or relaxing inside this glass box in the sky.
