A Nod to the Architects of Toronto II

Art Gallery of Ontario by jphilipg

While the 60s and 70s are infamous for the destruction of significant parts of the city’s architectural heritage by turning priceless old streets and buildings into new facades full of offices, apartments, and parking lots with little added value, these days, Toronto seems to be witnessing its architectural renaissance. Some of the hottest names of the world architecture scene are coming to the city to present their work and recreate the face of Toronto. After introducing you to two architects who are responsible for older designs, let’s take a look at three stars of contemporary architecture whose works can be found in the city.

Frank Gehry

Gehry is probably the most famous Toronto-born architect of all time. He is a deconstructivist, defying the rule that form follows function and refusing to conform to the modernist craving for functionalism and social necessity. Forms of his design often seem to lack spatial coherence and look unfinished or crude — his opponent would call them wasteful of material. Gehry’s most appraised (and most criticized) design would probably be the Guggenheim Museum building in Bilbao. His mark in Toronto is left by his design of the expansion of the Ontario Art Gallery. Some say it is his most gentle work, as if he suppressed elements of his style to preserve the spirit of the building. The glass façade and the refined interiors (like the elegant spiral staircase in Walker Court) of the gallery definitely belong among Toronto’s architectural landmarks.

The Crystal by bomb_tea

Daniel Liebeskind

Born to family of Holocaust survivors in Lodz, Poland, Liebeskind has gone a long way from his hometown to becoming a major star of world architecture. After spending most of his life as an architecture theorist, he designed his first building at the age of 52 in 1991. Sometimes he is described as a deconstructivist, although his works are not as out of reality as Gehry’s seem to be. His most famous works include the Jewish Museum in Berlin, and he also became widely recognized by the public after being chosen to rebuild the World Trade Center. Concerning Toronto, he is responsible for the renovation and expansion of the Royal Ontario Museum dubbed the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal. Libeskind presented his vision of a crystalline-form structure that substituted former galleries and created the magnificent new look of the museum.

OCAD Extension by John Vetterli

Will Alsop

Alsop is a British architect who mostly operates in London; however, his designs can be found all around the world. Theorists describe him as a modernist and an avant-garde follower. He mostly sticks to an easily recognizable style, using unusual shapes and vibrant colours. In Toronto, he designed the Ontario College of Art & Design, which immediately became one of the city’s landmarks and won critical acclaim as well as the public’s praise. The building is often referred to as a “the tabletop” since it looks like a flat box supported by several bright coloured steel pillars that seem too unstable and fragile to carry the whole construction.