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From the Post:
Best New Buildings Of 2006
Kelvin Browne, National Post
Published: Wednesday, December 20, 2006
With 2006's focus on Toronto's new opera house, the ROM's crystal addition and the AGO renovation, many new buildings didn't get the attention they should. In fact, this year proved good architecture in Toronto isn't limited to mega-projects or dependent on star architects from out-of-town.
But what about Toronto's most high-profile building of 2006, the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts by Jack Diamond, of Diamond Schmitt Architects? It would make an accoustian's list of best buildings, and thank goodness the sound quality is sublime. While the glass "city room" lobby would be nice as a stand-alone building, it's encumbered by the big, bleak, black south facade of the rest of the opera house that disqualifies the total package as laudable architecture. Claiming it's an achievement because of its tight construction budget -- $150-million - is slight justification for glaring design inadequacies. An opera house isn't urban context; it should be one of the most astonishing places in our city.
On the other hand, the Gardiner Museum, with a modest budget of $11-million for its renovation, is a triumph. Architect Bruce Kuwabara of KPMB Architects gives it a perfect scale while increasing its size, as well as enhancing its street presence to entice visitors. The materials and details are lovely. The temporary exhibit area on the third floor is the best of its size in Toronto. The only failing is the restaurant feels nomadic given its relation to the adjacent, glorious event space with its huge movable wall. Like the restaurant's cuisine, perhaps it's better as an idea than reality.
The University of Toronto has recently built four impressive buildings. My favourite is the ultra sophisticated $75-million Leslie Dan Pharmacy Building at the corner of College Street and Queen's Park Crescent by London-based architects Foster and Partners. It proves you can be contextural without mimicking the structures around you. And at night -- is there anything more poetic than those colourfully- lit orbs a.k.a. suspended lecture halls?
Equally interesting is its neighbour, the $105-million Terrance Donnelly Centre, a joint venture of Architects Alliance of Toronto and Behnisch, Behnisch and Partner of Stuttgard, that opened in 2005. A third building, Erindale Hall on U of T's Mississauga campus by Baird Sampson Neuert Architects, is brilliant. In particular, the ground floor relationship with its site is masterful. Not exactly the dorms of my U of T experience.
A fourth U of T project, the School of Continuing Studies by Moriyama & Teshima, is a renovation but nonetheless a complete transformation of a non-descript building. This is a very accomplished firm and, for instance, recently completed the critically acclaimed Canadian War Museum in Ottawa. This project shows they deliver on smaller jobs too -- and it also demonstrates clients matter.
Specifically, Moriyama & Teshima's building for Ryerson last year, the Centre for Computing and Engineering, is ungainly. What's Ryerson doing? Its new Faculty of Business building (under construction) at Bay and Dundas by Zeidler Partnership Architects isn't stellar either.
I've heard the University of Toronto's leadership role in commissioning outstanding buildings is being subverted by physical plant bureaucrats who chant the mantra of "style costs too much money" and blithely dictate design to architects and self-righteously reduce inspired concepts to mediocrity. I hope this isn't true. U of T has a key leadership role in creating good architecture; it would be a pity if their new buildings became indistinguishable from Ryerson's.
York University had a winner although I may be stretching it to call it a 2006 project. The Schulich School of Business is an oasis on campus although it would be inspired architecture anywhere. This $104-million project is a joint venture between Hariri Pontarini Architects and Robbie/ Young + Wright Architects with Siamak Hariri as the lead design architect. English philosopher Alain de Botton says, architecture can make us happy. This does one better, it ennobles its users.
Some of the best of 2006 are subtle. The $10-million Young Centre for the Performing Arts in the Gooderham & Worts Distillery District demonstrates that good architecture on smallish budgets is possible without obvious compromises. I was struck by the youthful, hip nature of the theatre without any sense of trying to be trendy that KPMB Architects delivered.
Ignoring the scores of hideous monster teardowns, there are many good residential projects in Toronto. Since I can't cite the condominium 18 Yorkville (it was 2005) I can compliment the same developer, Gulf Homes, on its Hudson condominium on Spadina by Diamond Schmitt Architects. However, the 45- storey Spire condominium is almost 2006 (first occupancy in January, 2007) and it's the most beautiful new tower in the city. What a contrast to high-priced, pretentious buildings such as One St. Thomas. Why millionaires want to live in an ersatz 1930s skyscraper is beyond me, even if star U.S. architect Robert Stern designed it.
There are many beautiful houses in 2006: Steven Teeple's house for Charlie Pachter on Grange Avenue is a wonder. It's contemporary but fits well on a traditional street. Hariri Pontarini's ravine house in North Toronto is a sculptural delight and Siamak Hariri is to be congratulated, again.
However, in 2006,my picks for residential best go to two Shim- Sutcliffe projects. An addition for long-time clients Murray Frum and Nancy Lockhart, an entry gallery for their North Toronto house, is a stunning, highly-articulated space that blends delicately with the existing house. But the miracle of year, although not yet complete, is house the firm designed on a Roxborough Drive ravine property in North Rosedale. For a gentleman who likes music it may be the house of the decade. From the Gardiner to this gem, it's been a good year for architecture in T.O.
© National Post 2006
AoD
Best New Buildings Of 2006
Kelvin Browne, National Post
Published: Wednesday, December 20, 2006
With 2006's focus on Toronto's new opera house, the ROM's crystal addition and the AGO renovation, many new buildings didn't get the attention they should. In fact, this year proved good architecture in Toronto isn't limited to mega-projects or dependent on star architects from out-of-town.
But what about Toronto's most high-profile building of 2006, the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts by Jack Diamond, of Diamond Schmitt Architects? It would make an accoustian's list of best buildings, and thank goodness the sound quality is sublime. While the glass "city room" lobby would be nice as a stand-alone building, it's encumbered by the big, bleak, black south facade of the rest of the opera house that disqualifies the total package as laudable architecture. Claiming it's an achievement because of its tight construction budget -- $150-million - is slight justification for glaring design inadequacies. An opera house isn't urban context; it should be one of the most astonishing places in our city.
On the other hand, the Gardiner Museum, with a modest budget of $11-million for its renovation, is a triumph. Architect Bruce Kuwabara of KPMB Architects gives it a perfect scale while increasing its size, as well as enhancing its street presence to entice visitors. The materials and details are lovely. The temporary exhibit area on the third floor is the best of its size in Toronto. The only failing is the restaurant feels nomadic given its relation to the adjacent, glorious event space with its huge movable wall. Like the restaurant's cuisine, perhaps it's better as an idea than reality.
The University of Toronto has recently built four impressive buildings. My favourite is the ultra sophisticated $75-million Leslie Dan Pharmacy Building at the corner of College Street and Queen's Park Crescent by London-based architects Foster and Partners. It proves you can be contextural without mimicking the structures around you. And at night -- is there anything more poetic than those colourfully- lit orbs a.k.a. suspended lecture halls?
Equally interesting is its neighbour, the $105-million Terrance Donnelly Centre, a joint venture of Architects Alliance of Toronto and Behnisch, Behnisch and Partner of Stuttgard, that opened in 2005. A third building, Erindale Hall on U of T's Mississauga campus by Baird Sampson Neuert Architects, is brilliant. In particular, the ground floor relationship with its site is masterful. Not exactly the dorms of my U of T experience.
A fourth U of T project, the School of Continuing Studies by Moriyama & Teshima, is a renovation but nonetheless a complete transformation of a non-descript building. This is a very accomplished firm and, for instance, recently completed the critically acclaimed Canadian War Museum in Ottawa. This project shows they deliver on smaller jobs too -- and it also demonstrates clients matter.
Specifically, Moriyama & Teshima's building for Ryerson last year, the Centre for Computing and Engineering, is ungainly. What's Ryerson doing? Its new Faculty of Business building (under construction) at Bay and Dundas by Zeidler Partnership Architects isn't stellar either.
I've heard the University of Toronto's leadership role in commissioning outstanding buildings is being subverted by physical plant bureaucrats who chant the mantra of "style costs too much money" and blithely dictate design to architects and self-righteously reduce inspired concepts to mediocrity. I hope this isn't true. U of T has a key leadership role in creating good architecture; it would be a pity if their new buildings became indistinguishable from Ryerson's.
York University had a winner although I may be stretching it to call it a 2006 project. The Schulich School of Business is an oasis on campus although it would be inspired architecture anywhere. This $104-million project is a joint venture between Hariri Pontarini Architects and Robbie/ Young + Wright Architects with Siamak Hariri as the lead design architect. English philosopher Alain de Botton says, architecture can make us happy. This does one better, it ennobles its users.
Some of the best of 2006 are subtle. The $10-million Young Centre for the Performing Arts in the Gooderham & Worts Distillery District demonstrates that good architecture on smallish budgets is possible without obvious compromises. I was struck by the youthful, hip nature of the theatre without any sense of trying to be trendy that KPMB Architects delivered.
Ignoring the scores of hideous monster teardowns, there are many good residential projects in Toronto. Since I can't cite the condominium 18 Yorkville (it was 2005) I can compliment the same developer, Gulf Homes, on its Hudson condominium on Spadina by Diamond Schmitt Architects. However, the 45- storey Spire condominium is almost 2006 (first occupancy in January, 2007) and it's the most beautiful new tower in the city. What a contrast to high-priced, pretentious buildings such as One St. Thomas. Why millionaires want to live in an ersatz 1930s skyscraper is beyond me, even if star U.S. architect Robert Stern designed it.
There are many beautiful houses in 2006: Steven Teeple's house for Charlie Pachter on Grange Avenue is a wonder. It's contemporary but fits well on a traditional street. Hariri Pontarini's ravine house in North Toronto is a sculptural delight and Siamak Hariri is to be congratulated, again.
However, in 2006,my picks for residential best go to two Shim- Sutcliffe projects. An addition for long-time clients Murray Frum and Nancy Lockhart, an entry gallery for their North Toronto house, is a stunning, highly-articulated space that blends delicately with the existing house. But the miracle of year, although not yet complete, is house the firm designed on a Roxborough Drive ravine property in North Rosedale. For a gentleman who likes music it may be the house of the decade. From the Gardiner to this gem, it's been a good year for architecture in T.O.
© National Post 2006
AoD