# Weekend cycle around the city

By [Brandon Donnelly](https://brandondonnelly.com) · 2024-10-06

3xn-architects, aqualuna, architecture, balconies, canada, chester-hill-lookout, condominium-balconies, cycling, don-valley-river, food, hines, one-delisle, photography, queens-quay-east, toronto, toronto-condo, toronto-waterfront, travel, weekend-cycle

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On Saturday, I went on a bike ride all around Toronto. We cut across midtown (checking in on [One Delisle](https://onedelisle.com)), stopped at the Chester Hill Lookout (which if you grew up in the east end is where you probably went as a teenager to make out), shot down the Don Valley, and then turned west along the waterfront. The weather was perfect.

![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/cfa9a586a9104dfcf3a1ecd5b04f0b75.jpg)

As we were going along the waterfront, we passed the new [Aqualuna building](https://3xn.com/project/aqualuna) that is under construction on Queens Quay East, near Parliament Street. Being the architecture nerd that I am, I immediately noticed that as you pass by -- at the speed of a bike -- the balconies create this really nice cinematic effect.

So I stopped to take these photos (I probably should have taken a video now that I think of it):

![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/86347c0b2b29866b0fdccc880a35e476.jpg)

I then [tweeted a tweet](https://x.com/donnelly_b/status/1842659116356923805) calling it one of the most beautiful buildings going up in Toronto today. Judging from the responses, most people seem to be in agreement, but a few people questioned the practicality of balconies like this. Namely how private and usable they will be. I don't disagree, but I still think it's fine looking building.

What do you think?

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*Originally published on [Brandon Donnelly](https://brandondonnelly.com/weekend-cycle-around-the-city)*