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Last weekend, May 23rd and 24th, Doors Open invited the public to explore 155 historically and socially significant buildings within the GTA. Varying its line-up from a sugar factory to university sports facilities, Doors Open Toronto gave visitors the opportunity to explore some of the greatest architectural works within the city, and some stunning photography in the UrbanToronto Flickr Pool is the result.
Completed in 1931, Commerce Court North was, until 1962, the tallest building within the British commonwealth. Designed by Toronto's Pearson and Darling Architects with the help of American bank specialist York and Sawyer, Commerce Court North served as the headquarters for the Canadian Bank of Commerce. Four decades after its construction, Commerce Court North was later to be joined by three other buildings—Commerce Court West, South and East—which now stand tall in the heart of Toronto's Financial District as Commerce Court. Contributor Ben Roffelsen captured the image above in Commerce Court North's beautiful Banking Hall.
Designated as National Historic Site in 1984, the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre Centre has been a part of Toronto's cultural landscape for a 102 years. Built as a flagship of the well-known Loews chain of vaudeville theatres, the complex is recognized as the last operating "double decked" theatre, with one built above the other. Seven storeys apart, the two theatres are both richly detailed but very different spaces. Higher up, the smaller Winter Garden's hand-painted scenery puts the audience into an idealized forest setting, the ceiling decorated with beech boughs and twinkling lanterns. Down at street level, the grander Elgin possessed more of a formal and opulent feel, with rich red fabrics and wall coverings, accented by gold leaf mouldings.
Constructed during the early years of the city, a time when water shortages and contaminated water troubled the citizens of Toronto, a campaign by public health advocates brought forth the construction of the R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant. The largest water treatment plant with the GTA, R.C. Harris pumps 950 million litres a day. With a design that showed off the civic pride of the time, the R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant is also known for its classic Art Deco style, earning it the nickname 'The Palace of Purification'.
Redpath Sugar was founded in Montreal, Quebec in the mid 1800s and helped the growth of the city we know now as Montreal. It was not until 1950s that Redpath Sugar opened its refinery on Toronto's Waterfront. Now about half of Canada's sugar is refined here. The only remaining industrial use on Toronto's central waterfront, Redpath's inspired the much awarded park Sugar Beach immediately to the east.
One of last year's biggest events in Toronto was the opening of the Aga Khan Museum and Ismaili Centre in Don Mills. While the grounds between them have been accessible ever since, the Aga Khan Park was officially dedicated over the weekend. The Park is designed by Vladimir Djurovic and hour-long tours of it will begin in early June. Sitting peacefully within the 6.8 hectares of parkland, the Aga Khan Museum is designed by award-wining architectural firm Fumihiko Maki and Associates, drawing its influence from the geometric patterns of Islamic ornamentation. The adjacent Ismaili Centre, designed by Charles Correa Associates, is primarily for the spiritual and community life of the local Ismailis, but will also help inform the public about various aspects of the Islamic world including its rich history, culture and the diversity.
If you have shots from Doors Open Toronto 2015, there's no reason why you can't still add them to the UrbanToronto Flickr Pool, and of course, as with the image above from an office that was open during Doors Open, we love any and all shots of Toronto added to the pool too. If you have a Flickr account, we would love to see your work here!
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