Listening to Berndnaut Smilde speak is a bit like listening to an architect – the Amsterdam-based artist talks at length about how he’s interested in witnessing his creations “change shape” and “reflect light,” and how each one “is rooted in a time and place.”

But Smilde isn’t discussing buildings, he’s talking about clouds, the natural phenomenon so ephemeral in nature: literally here one moment, gone the next.

It’s that sense of transience, of the “impermanent state of being,” that has obsessed the world-renowned artist ever since he created, then photographed, his first cloud installation, Nimbus, inside a small sixteenth-century chapel in Holland, back in 2012.

Smilde’s hyper-realistic cloud installations have come to life in factories, museums, castles and dungeons around the world, and to much critical acclaim. The original photo of Nimbus now resides at London’s famous Saatchi Gallery. In 2012, his innovative cloud-creating technique earned the artist a spot on Time magazine’s list of Top Inventions of the Year.

In 2013, international fashion magazine Harper’s Bazaar commissioned Smilde to create the mise en scène for a series of photographs with some of the world’s most famous designers – Karl Lagerfeld, Alber Elbaz, Donatella Versace, Dolce & Gabbana – in a piece, appropriately titled, ICONOCLOUDS. In 2021, his works are inspiring Cielo.

Cielo translates as “sky and heaven” in both Italian and Spanish, and the gorgeous cloud-scraping new tower rising on Bloor Street West will stretch towards the sky, reaching up to the very clouds that fascinate Smilde. The visual artist was initially inspired by the ubiquitous presence of cumulus clouds in classical Dutch paintings, a reflection of the country’s infamously rainy landscape. But, where Smilde’s artistic ancestors merely painted these magnificent forms, Smilde sought to “capture” them in interior spaces.

His precise scientific technique took over two years to perfect. Smilde creates the cloud by saturating the air within the space with a fine mist of water and then introducing a puff of smoke. The water condenses onto the smoke particles just like the droplets of a natural cloud form around tiny ‘condensation nuclei’ in the atmosphere. The clouds lasts a few seconds, just long enough to be photographed, thereby making the momentary everlasting, almost celestial.

When asked about his intention in creating these stunning images, Smilde is quizzically paradoxical. “On the one hand I wanted to create an ominous situation; you could see the cloud as a sign of misfortune. You could also read it as an element out of the Dutch landscape paintings in a physical form in a classical museum hall.” Whatever his intention, his “heavenly” nimbus images have transfixed gallery goers around the world with their other-worldly beauty. Soon, Cielo will do the same, elevating the Toronto skyline – architecturally and artistically – to new heights.

To learn more about Cielo, the Bloor Street residence bringing an uncommon luxury to the Annex – Toronto’s celebrated Arts & Cultural hub – visit cielocondos.com.

PHOTO: MICHAEL HOLLY <br/ >NIMBUS VISUAL, 2013 

Construction at Nørdic is now well underway, bringing future residents one step closer to a Scandinavian-inspired lifestyle next door to Yorkdale, Wilson subway station, and Downsview Park. Here’s a look at some of the recent construction milestones:

Geothermal Energy System

The vertical drilling required for the building’s geothermal energy system is now complete and teams are installing the underground piping infrastructure required for the innovative system that will use 40% less energy than traditional HVAC, produce 70% less greenhouse gas, offer predictable monthly maintenance fees, and save over 5 million litres of water per year.

Excavation

Bulk excavation of the site is now finished, pushing overall detailed excavation to 90%. At the end of July, a soil ramp, previously used to access the base of the 9.9-metre-deep pit, was removed, and a third tower crane will soon take its place.

Concrete Formwork

On August 10^th the third (and final) crane will join two existing luffer cranes that have been on site and operational since July. The steel structures facilitate work on walls, columns, and floor forms, allowing forming activity to advance at the site interior. Work on both the P1- and P2-level parking slabs began last month and are now, respectively, at 10% and 20% completion. The structural foundation system for the entire site is 75% complete.

Waterproofing

Waterproofing of the foundation walls is 40% complete. This critical step provides a layer of protection between the below-grade structure and the moisture present in the surrounding soil and fill, preventing future water damage.

Mechanical, Electrical + HVAC

Rough-ins for the mechanical, electrical and HVAC systems are now underway on the P1 and P2 parking levels. Residents at Nørdic will enjoy individually-controlled heating and cooling in each suite and individual metering of hydro, water, heating, and cooling usage.

Nørdic will introduce residents to an inspiring lifestyle full of green space, thoughtfully designed amenities, innovative architecture, and integrated connectivity to the entire city.

Creating things that look good and that do good for the world and the people who inhabit it – it’s a philosophy that aligns perfectly with our ethos at Collecdev, and it’s exactly what’s taking place this week at Fleurs de Villes ROSÉ.

From August 4^th to 8^th, Fleurs de Villes, the globally-renowned cultivator of bespoke floral installations, returns to Toronto’s Bloor-Yorkville neighbourhood, bringing with it a trail of floral creations touching down at Manulife Centre, Holt Renfrew, Pusateri’s, Brunello Cucinelli, The Hazelton Hotel, Yorkville Village, Yorkville Lane and more.

Over 35 pop-up installations are in full bloom, including floral couture mannequins, floral sculptures, fresh flower market stalls, and Fleurs de Villes CHIEN – a floral tribute to six delightful dogs.

In the plaza at 150 Bloor Street West, Collecdev and Cielo proudly present “The Cloud,” a light-as-air installation of pink gypsophilia, phelenopsis orchids, white ashley garden roses, white plumosa and pink and white hydrangeas.

Inspired by the ephemeral cloud installations of Dutch artist Berndnaut Smilde, the piece pays tribute to Cielo, Collecdev’s latest community, coming soon to 300 Bloor Street West.

The incomparably iconic building will reach toward the sky with an architectural beauty that seems otherworldly, in a profoundly connected location next to some of the city’s most important arts, retail, educational, and cultural institutions, many of which are hosting the colourful installations at Fleurs de Villes.

Visitors can pick up a map or scan a QR code to begin at Manulife Centre, and follow the trail throughout the Bloor-Yorkville neighbourhood. In addition to The Cloud, be sure to stop by Il Patio di Eataly for an Aperol Spritz from the Floral VW Van (dubbed #SpritzBus), “paws” for a moment at Yorkville Village to see the spectacular floral interpretations of man’s best friend, and shop for fresh blooms at the pop-up flower markets on Saturday, August 7th, with a portion of proceeds supporting breast cancer research.

The entire event raises money for this important cause, with 10% of sponsorship and flower market sales donated directly via the Breast Cancer Society of Canada and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Best of all, the event is open to the public and entirely free!

“The Bloor-Yorkville neighbourhood sets the perfect stage to showcase the world-class talent of Toronto,” says Fleurs de Villes Co-Founder, Karen Marshall. The neighbourhood’s internationally-renowned reputation as a destination for the very best fashion, food, wellness and culture is what attracted the creators of the event, the same traits that will appeal to residents at Cielo. Stop and smell the roses in Toronto’s most coveted neighbourhood, and discover what life can be like from a new home on Bloor Street West. 

Fleurs de Villes ROSÉ is taking place August 4th to 8th all around the Bloor-Yorkville neighbourhood. For more information visit fleursdevilles.com. And to learn more about Cielo, register today.