Are Planners to Blame for Toronto's Mediocre Architecture?

Whereas developers usually get the blame for the mediocre design of the buildings they pay for, Hume points his finger directly at Toronto's "nervous" planners, who take a "checklist approach to approval." 

"Despite concerns about the sustainability of the glass-walled condo and the monotony they have brought to the Toronto skyline, these are not issues that concern city planners. That’s someone else’s department."

"For planners, the main thing is to ensure that everything fits in — in other words, that nothing stands out," he argues. "As long as a building isn’t too tall, too dense, or too good, the department is happy to give its approval."

"As the endless glass towers make clear, the result is a city of sameness and desirable only because it offends the least number of people, is most easily defended and keeps planners from having to justify their actions."