Toronto, Ontario
Toronto, Ontario, is one metropolis that never ceases to amaze me with its never-ceasing construction. I grew up in Buffalo, New York, and always loved being able to see the city from across Lake Ontario on a clear day. The bright white of the Rogers Center (formerly the SkyDome) always made it easy to spot, but the landmark was nowhere to be found when I traveled back to my hometown earlier this fall, the result of numerous new high rises.
The Toronto skyline is filled with cranes and new construction—some producing tall marvels, others just additional run-off-the-milll apartments and condos. My favorite buildings in the city include the relatively recently completed Terrence Donnelly Center for Cellular and Biomolecular Research on the University of Toronto campus, the slightly older Bata Shoe Museum, and the historic John Street Roundhouse.
Terrence Donnelly Center for Cellular and Biomolecular Research
I’ve spent many years living in Toronto and was fortunate enough to see the completion of Behnish Architekten’s Terrence Donnelly Center for Cellular and Biomolecular Research on the University of Toronto main campus before moving in 2006, the year after which it was completed. Located on one of the main thoroughfares, College Street, the glass building is a play in colors and the inside-outside relationship, with windows in a range of hues dotting the east and west facades and trees reaching through multiple floors throughout the building’s elevation. To me, the most stunning aspect of the building is the entrance: stairs that slowly climb upward along a living forest of bamboo shoots next to the formerly-exterior-now-interior wall of the adjacent Rosebrugh Building. In a place where a winter jacket is required for most of the school year, an indoor oasis like the one found at the Donnelly Center is well received.
Bata Shoe Museum
Apart from loving the contents of the Bata Shoe Museum, I’ve always admired the architecture of this Bloor Street structure. Designed by the Toronto firm Moriyama and Teshima, the Bata Shoe Museum is often said to be shaped like a shoe box, though the architects insist that that was not the inspiration for its form. Rather, the property lines and city setback regulations (which were quite limiting in all direction) were what guided it. The renovation of the Royal Ontario Museum, located down the street from the Bata Shoe Museum, caused controversy when it was conceived in the early 2000s and the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal, designed by Daniel Libeskind, juts far out over the street in manners that Moriyama and Teshima were restricted from doing.
John Street Roundhouse
The best way to enjoy a building is to use it—not just look at it. In downtown Toronto, near the city’s waterfront, is the historic John Street Roundhouse, which served as a repair facility for the steam locomotives of the Canadian Pacific Rail company from 1929 until 1986. In the mid-1990s, a section of the historic roundhouse was deconstructed (to allow for the building of the Metro Toronto Convention Center) and then reconstructed, brick by brick, and turned into the home of, among others, my favorite microbrewery, Steam Whistle. The high ceilings and ample glass windows provide a beautiful setting for the brewery’s operations and are open to the public year round, save for Christmas and New Year’s Day. Even if you’re not a beer drinker, the $10 tour fee is worth the cost to explore the building before a baseball or hockey game.
Of course, in a city as large as Toronto and with as many new building going up as there are, it goes without saying that there are more than three beautiful buildings in the city. The above are my favorites, but my short list also include the new Four Seasons Center for the Performing Arts, designed by Diamond and Schmitt Architects and home of the Canadian Opera Company and venue for the National Ballet of Canada and the Art Gallery of Ontario, which was recently renovated by the offices of Frank Gehry.
What’s your favorite Toronto building? Add it to our list in the comments section below.
Articles
-
Toronto, Ontario
Toronto, Ontario, is one metropolis that never ceases to amaze me with its never-ceasing construction. I grew up in Buffalo, New York, and always loved being able to see the city from across Lake…
-
101 Travel
From trains to planes, see how travel is inextricably linked to design. Plus is Philippe Starck coming to a Motel 6 near you?
-
Touring Toronto, Part 1
Last week I headed north (and quite a ways east) to one of my favorite cities: Toronto. I spend a fair share of my childhood in Toronto visiting family, and I later lived near the Annex…
Product
-
Hand Braided Leather Leash
This leash is made from super flexible and soft naturally tanned harness leather. The leather itself is nicely textured for a good grip and feels great in the hands. The standard width for this…
Dwell Collections
-
Travel Accessories
Associate Editor Miyoko Ohtake: For the past few months, I’ve been in a Japan state of mind. This December, my sister and I are heading to the archipelago of our ancestors—our…
-
For the Traveler
Each month I visit the lovely folks in Minnesota to oversee printing and ensure that our magazine reaches you in the most perfect state possible. And I like to travel overseas in my off time. With…
Events
-
Foodprint Toronto
Foodprint Toronto is the second in a series of international conversations about food and the city. With the Toronto Board of Health having just formally adopted a new city-wide food strategy, the…
-
Water: The Exhibition
Want a living planet? Just add water. The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) presents Water: The Exhibition, a celebration of the power and wonder of this life-giving substance and a call to each of us to…
Advertising
Advertising
Advertising
Related Products
-
Hand Braided Leather Leash
This leash is made from super flexible and…
Latest
-
02.05
The Scandic Grand Central, Stockholm
Greetings from Sweden! I'm traveling in Stockholm to cover the…
-
02.06
Bedrock Images's Forgotten Maps
For the architecturally inclined—especially those with a…
-
02.04
Street Furniture Your City Wishes it Had
Street furniture already catches the eye of denizens eyeing a…
Follow
Dwell
-
Quite the appropriate architectural appropriation for HAY's expo structure #design http://t.co/PVIcfCOI
-
Inga Sempe's new #lightingdesign for Wastberg http://t.co/oN1G0jTa
-
Each issue look out for the Take Me Home giveaway. Enter now to win the @gusmodern Timber Table from March http://t.co/9rSrie9X! #design
-
Form Us With Friends opening #design http://t.co/qeHXIRzb
OCAD! The view from the AGO reminds me that I live in one helluva city: standing on Gehry's stairs, looking at Alsop's stilts.
The Berkley Church!! I've shot a wedding there, visited once, and was at the YouTube Canada launch party that was held there. It's beautiful and can be decorated/styled in so many ways: http://bandc.ca/BERKLEY-bandc.jpg
*Berkeley and http://www.bandc.ca/BERKELEY-bandc.jpg
a second vote for OCAD. Beautiful building, ingenious design and soft street level footprint.
The recently renovated AGO (Art Gallery of Ontario). Gehry's wonderful blending of the old gallery I remember from childhood and the new spaces.
Toronto has quite an amazing collection of mid-century-modern/modern architecture scattered around the city. The C.N.E. grounds has a few interesting buildings (Better Living Centre), Ontario Place, Hummingbird Centre, Toronto City Hall (now talk about modern!), and of course.. The CN Tower. ;)
As a Torontonian, I have to say thanks for all the lovin'! ;-) To add to the list of interesting buildings in T.O.: The Distillery District. This old brewery has been painstakingly restored to highlight our industrial heritage. What makes the buildings in the Distillery amazing, though, is that it's been turned into a tourist attraction filled with gorgeous restaurants, cafes, art galleries, theatres, etc. I love how the interiors juxtapose simple modern shapes with industrial materials like wood, metal, etc. Well worht a visit if you're in the city and in the mood for good food. Cheers! PS: The Terrence Donnelly Centre is beautiful; but alas they cut down the interior bamboo several months ago, and I have no idea why. It's still a great place to grab a lunch, though. PPS: Small correction: the brewery in the Roundhouse is Steam Whistle (with an 'a').
The Canadian Pacific Railway used steam locomotives up to 1986? Doubt it, unless they were for occasional tourist trains.
First of all, Im really excited to see Toronto on the front page of Dwell.com. Its a city that has put alot of focus into design and architecture, especially the last 10 years. A fairly new city thats on the cutting edge of design and staying new, I love it here. Christine is right about the Berkeley Church, I was married there last year and even since then its completely evolved with very modern renovations, and more to come. It also has rooms well hidden for small dinner parties or gatherings of 10 or less with the most unique interior decorating, and one of the worlds largest treehouses.. Dwell should take a visit and contact Andrew@berkeleyevents.com for a tour. the ROM (Royal Ontario Museum) is another that just astounds me at night when I walk past. Especially now since you can see the Dinosaur exhibit from outside... Designed by architect Daniel Libeskind and Bregman + Hamann Architects; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Ontario_Museum
I was not aware that it was possible to view the city of Toronto from across Lake Erie, even on the clearest of days. I suspect that the city you were looking at was Cleveland, Ohio or maybe Erie, PA. As any Western New Yorker knows, Toronto is located on the north shore of Lake Ontario.
Hahaha, yep, you have must have amazing eyesight! And When did Buffalo change locations? I can't believe that wasn't in the news!
toronto is hardly a 'new' city. it is nearly 200 years old! fabulous city!
Thanks for all the great additions to the list! Thanks, too, for the corrections, and my apologies for those blunders. Toronto is indeed across Lake Ontario, not Erie--as any good Western New Yorker should know. Keep the building suggestions coming!
The new Economics Department building on the University of Toronto joins a superb collection of interesting buildings in the downtown campus. Also the new addition and restoration of the Royal Conservatory of Music on Bloor Street, next to the Royal Ontario Museum, is a delight. Scott
Fanboys and girls.. While there is a glimmer of architectural interest, the rest of Toronto is an eyesore. Crumbling prewar homes radiating in all directions, absolutely no waterfront access despite the city being situated on Lake Ontario. Don't believe me? Viewed from the CN Tower one just has to cast their eyes in any direction to take in the lack of planning and fore-site. Beyond simply architecture, a city should be about life. Vancouver, Quebec City, even Montreal offer more than a spattering of buildings than work and car centric Toronto. These cities weave lifestyle and architecture into places that are actually a joy to live in. Toronto needs more than a few cool condo's (with no supporting infrastructure) to become great.
Toronto is a great city filled with architecture worth visiting. The city was very friendly.
Signs of design life at the waterfront featuring Andrew Jones' playful pink umbrellas at Sugar Beach! http://www.blogto.com/city/2010/07/sugar_beach_park_opens_on_torontos_waterfront/ Now if only the snow would melt ...
I agree that there is plenty of exciting commercial and institutional architecture to see in Toronto. As well the quantity of heritage buildings is enormous. But the all-consuming condominiums are eye-sores and poorly planned for any sense of quality living.
RSS Feed
Add a Comment