Toronto Royal Ontario Museum | ?m | ?s | Daniel Libeskind

[Sir Novelty Fashion]

...whenever I pass by and look at the cladding I can't help but be reminded of the little corrugated iron garage that sat at the end of our garden when I was a small child.

The patterns on that corrugated garage, sir, were a state-of-the-art cladding system designed to channel snow and rain harmlessly away from the garage's inner skin and protect passer-by from avalanches.

 

[interchange42]

I think this work is too similar to Denver and other projects to be totally unique to our city.

I think it does stand out from Denver. DAM to me looks more like a pointy Gehry than a Libeskind because of the titanium cladding. (Still, I would have liked to see our cladding look more silver (or titaniumy) than white in most conditions.)

42

 

[ShonTron]

Wow. My pics are popular and stolen twice so far. Salvius and Boggy, I'm on to you.

So who's lining up Saturday morning for the free architectual tickets? I want company, damn it!

 

[Urban Shocker]

Being early off the mark - the Jewish Museum, or Denver - doesn't automatically bump later works by the same designer from the public consciousness. In the fullness of time our ROM may register at a deeper level with the icon-obsessed.

What it has going for it is that wonderful iceberg-scraping-the-Titanic quality that the other two don't have.

Kuwabara, in his article in the new ROM magazine, talks about how the ROM is a reflection of modest Toronto style ( in contrast to Denver ) - much as other observers have said of Gehry's restrained and non-swoopy/curvy AGO.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

So who's lining up Saturday morning for the free architectual tickets? I want company, damn it!

I most likely will be.

AoD

 

[syn]

Kuwabara, in his article in the new ROM magazine, talks about how the ROM is a reflection of modest Toronto style ( in contrast to Denver ) - much as other observers have said of Gehry's restrained and non-swoopy/curvy AGO.

I think Gehry's AGO addition is more a reflection of a modest (relatively speaking) budget.

 

[Bogtrotter]

A tight budget and more accomodating when it came to the existing structure and neighbourhood.

 

[Urban Shocker]

I think we could've had a Big Hair Gehry on a budget ( a wig maybe! ) if it had been deemed appropriate for the site. The AGO and ROM have both gone over budget ( the ROM more so, I believe ) but OCAD was far less expensive and still managed to dazzle, so I don't think good design has to automatically be expensive.

Grange Park / Bloor and Avenue Road - which will turn out to be Architecture Central?

 

[salvius]

I think we could've had a Big Hair Gehry on a budget ( a wig maybe! ) if it had been deemed appropriate for the site. The AGO and ROM have both gone over budget ( the ROM more so, I believe ) but OCAD was far less expensive and still managed to dazzle, so I don't think good design has to automatically be expensive.

Indeed. I mean, what, the OCAD cost something like a 'paltry' 40 million or so. Certainly plenty of value for the $ there.

 

[syn]

I think we could've had a Big Hair Gehry on a budget ( a wig maybe! ) if it had been deemed appropriate for the site. The AGO and ROM have both gone over budget ( the ROM more so, I believe ) but OCAD was far less expensive and still managed to dazzle, so I don't think good design has to automatically be expensive.

Grange Park / Bloor and Avenue Road - which will turn out to be Architecture Central?

They had to cut the titanium from the visor in the front to keep costs down. I seriously doubt Gehry could've created one of his more elaborate pieces with the budget constraints placed on him. Bogtrotter is right about the other constraints too.

And OCAD? I think the jury is out on whether that qualifies as a good design.

 

[Urban Shocker]

There is no automatic connection between "elaborate" and good design though - I think the AGO's Dundas front, for instance, was improved once the visor was simplified and the long second floor sculpture gallery made more visible from the street. And working with the neighbours - as Alsop did with his building - is something starchitects simply have to do in Toronto ( hence my comment about "appropriate for the site" ).

OCAD's Sharp Centre has won several prestigious design awards, the building has boosted the number of student applicants to the college, provided much-needed work space for them, and raised the College's profile within Canada and internationally. The architect has said it is one of his best works. Any jury that is still out on this building is clearly out ... to lunch.

 

[ShonTron]

Libeskind-Sugimoto, Preps

After the Libeskind-Sugimoto Conversation, I checked out Bloor Street, where the preparations for the concert are being made. The stage will be well elevated, so there should be some decent sightlines. The building itself will be the star attraction though.

Here's the latest updates (90 minutes fresh).

 

[Hipster Duck]

This is it. This is the architectural event of our generation.

 

[salvius]

^ please no. I want more of 'em!

 

[ShonTron]

Hipster Duck: You are probably right. This is probably the biggest architectural event since New City Hall opened.

Not to take too much credit for my work, but I notice that at certain angles, like the last of my pics in the latest bunch, the tonal differences look very good.

The web-cam shows the lighting very well if you go to look now. (I mean right now!)