Toronto's Top 40

[Archivist]

This year Rotterdam had an architecture festival and one of the highlights was a very nicely designed pamphlet that explained a small bit about each of them. Each building had a piece of purple affixed to it somewhere to help identify them. It was all very clever and well organized. Most of the buildings were modern, though about maybe eight were pre-WW II. Almost none were houses, though a few were apartment buildings.

If Toronto were to do this, what buildings would be included? Of course, the TD Centre, City Hall, OCAD, Old City Hall (as a token oldie), and the Eaton Centre. I would nominate Robarts, and the five towers of Regent Park as well.

 

[adma]

Were the pre-WWII ones Modernist as well? i.e. would an Old City Hall-type-thing make the grade in Rotterdam? (Not that there's a lot of that left that survived the bombing.)

Surely, a Toronto thing would include a few out-of-core things, like Scarborough College...

 

[ShonTron]

My Top Picks?

Georgian:
Osgoode Hall

Victorian:
The Distillery District (despite recent additions).
Don Jail
Gooderham Building
Humber College South Campus (former Ontario Hospital)
Old City Hall
Queen's Park
St. James Cathedral
St. Lawrence Hall
University College

Edwardian/Art Deco:
College Park/Carlu
Bank of Commerce
Bank of Nova Scotia
Canada Life
Canada Permanent Building
RC Harris
Royal York
Union Station
Whitney Block

Modern:
CNE Collection of remaining modernist buildings (Food, Queen Elizabeth, Better Living)
CN Tower
Eaton Centre
New City Hall
Ontario Science Centre
Prii's best work: Prince Arthur Towers.
Robarts (token brutalist)
Scarborough Civic Centre
Scarborough College
Toronto-Dominion Centre

Neo-modern/Contemporary:
AGO
BCE Place
Gardiner
OCAD
ROM

 

[Archivist]

Surely, a Toronto thing would include a few out-of-core things, like Scarborough College...

No. Sorry. All downtown.

 

[maestro]

^^alrighty then ... how about the Regal Constellation, Bata Headquarters, Inn on the Park ... oh wait

 

[adma]

Benvenuto?

 

[JasonParis]

Were the pre-WWII ones Modernist as well? i.e. would an Old City Hall-type-thing make the grade in Rotterdam? (Not that there's a lot of that left that survived the bombing.)

Strangely enough, Rotterdam Rathaus is one of the few surviving pre-WWII buildings in Rotterdam (not that has anything to do with this post).

 

[Hipster Duck]

Downtown only? in no particular order:

ROM
OCAD
McKinsey offices
Victoria College
Imperial Oil
Queen's Park
Old City Hall
BCE Place Galleria
TD Centre
Sun Life Towers
Distillery District
The Carlu
Reference Library
CCBR
Grad House
University College
Old Bank of Montreal (Hockey Hall of Fame)
Confederation Life (old)
St. Lawrence Hall
Twenty Niagara
Scotia Plaza
Union Station
Osgoode Hall
Ontario Place
New City Hall
Ontario Association of Architects
CBC building
Winter Garden Theatre
Central Tech addition
Canadian Carpet Manufacturing Warehouse (Liberty Village)
The Gladstone
Commerce Court
RC Harris
Bloor Viaduct
National Ballet School
Canada Permanent
McDonald Block
Massey College
Gardiner Museum
Lillian Smith library

 

[junctionist]

They're just so many quality buildings to choose from of different styles and eras! It makes it easier to just focus on modernism. Ontario Place is one that's often overlooked.

I'd add St. Paul's Basilica to this already extensive list. Also, what is the name of this building near St. Clair West station?

 

[Mystery White Boy]

They're just so many quality buildings to choose from of different styles and eras! It makes it easier to just focus on modernism. Ontario Place is one that's often overlooked.

I'd add St. Paul's Basilica to this already extensive list. Also, what is the name of this building near St. Clair West station?

Crapbox Residences.

 

[junctionist]

That was uncalled for.

 

[JasonParis]

Have you ever seen him make a positive comment on this forum?

 

[Observer Walt]

Why all downtown? Scarborough College would be highly appropriate.

Original CIBC building (Commerce Court North)
Hockey Hall of Fame (exterior, former bank building)
Old City Hall
New City Hall
TD Centre
Osgoode Hall *
Old Canada Life building *
Four Seasons Centre *
(* "All Star corner" of University and Queen, by far the best street corner)
OCAD
CHUM-City building
Old St. Lawrence Hall
CCBR building at U of T
Hart House
St. Paul's Anglican Church
Former Imperial Oil building (St. Clair Ave. West)
St. Anne's Anglican Church, Dufferin St. (especially the interior, with Group of Seven murals)
Vari Hall (York University)
R. C. Harris water filtration plant
Bloorview Childrens' Rehab Hospital

 

[Archivist]

I only said to keep it downtown to be annoying. Anywhere is OK really.

Well, no Mississauga. Of course.

I love the Tower Hill residences. They have this dual nature of appearing so big and heavy, but all covered in a kind of filigree that makes them seem so light and airy at the same time. The balconies create a truly delightful visual trick on the eye.

 

[adma]

Osgoode Hall *
Old Canada Life building *
Four Seasons Centre *
(* "All Star corner" of University and Queen, by far the best street corner)

Then why didn't you mention the Campbell House? And if not the old Bank of Canada, there's Parkin's Sun Life just to the south of it...