In the sea of bland Toronto condos, there are precious few that stand out with superior design characteristics. You know, the types of development that might make you say "that building makes the city better." They do exist, of course, it's just that they so few and far between.

That's why this recently announced condo on Wellington St. is worth getting excited about. A collaboration between Lamb Development and architectsAlliance, Wellington House does so many things right that it could serve as model for other architects and builders to emulate.

The slender 23-storey tower rises above two heritage properties, but is set far enough back that they maintain pride of place on the streetscape. This is the right amount of density here. The height of the building ensures 129 units, but you don't get the sense that it looks hulking given its narrow footprint and the restraint shown to keep it below 25-storeys.

Slim buildings are becoming quite popular in Toronto these days, as developers try to find novel solutions to the lack of space available downtown. Wellington House doesn't appear crammed in, though. On the contrary, it's footprint is surprising in its narrowness, which also helps to give priority to the historical properties at its base.

Still, given the way that the tower spreads to the north, it was possible that it'd create an ugly visual barrier for those looking east and west along Wellington. That problem is solved by not treating the side of the condo as an afterthought. If the renderings are faithful, this structure is actually reminiscent of the Donnelly Centre, which invites a gaze into the life of the building.

Obviously there are lots of things that can happen in the course of design approvals and the construction process, but so far Wellington House looks like it'll be sleek and forward-thinking addition to the Toronto's skyline.

What do you think of the designs for Wellington House? Let us know in the comments.