Architectural Drawings Toronto

[thecharioteer]

In this day of CAD, the art of the architectural drawing has been lost. Within the various collections of the City, TPL and Province are some wonderful examples.

 

[AlexCorey]

Amazing collection of architectural drawings - great to see the rendering and elevations for the Shell Oil/Bulova Tower. The level of detail, shading and overall skill evident in the CPR Building rendering really does make you nostalgic for pre-CAD drawings.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[thecharioteer]

You're welcome, Alex!

Some more:

 

[thecharioteer]

The art of the pen and ink drawing:

Masonic Hall, Toronto Street:

Tyrone Inn, Queen Street:

Judge Ferguson's House, NW corner of Dundas & Sherbourne:

Old Parliament Buildings, Front Street:

Central Library, College Street:

 

[thecharioteer]

One of the most complete sets of 19th Century architectural drawings is that of "The Jail" (i.e. the Don Jail) by William Thomas, drawn between 1857 and 1859, held in the Toronto Archives. They do not represent the building we see today:

"The Don Jail was designed by William Thomas, architect of some of Toronto’s finest buildings of the period, including St. Lawrence Hall. Thomas died before the building was completed in 1865, and one wonders if the stress of building it didn’t wear him out. The job took seven years from drawing to completion, suffered huge cost overruns with construction delayed by politics and contractors, had a flawed foundation that had to be redone, and was largely destroyed by fire as it neared completion (insurance didn’t cover reconstruction).

http://citiesintime.ca/toronto/story/old-don-jail/

 

[AndreaPalladio]

A few years ago the Archives of Ontario did a great online exhibition of http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/osgoode/index.aspx drawings of Osgoode Hall:

 

[Goldie]

In this day of CAD, the art of the architectural drawing has been lost. Within the various collections of the City, TPL and Province are some wonderful examples.

That's a beautiful collection of drawings, charioteer.
It's sure to revive memories in many of your viewers.
For example, I was reminded of the purchase of my first "serious" camera (Retina I) in the Kodak store on Yonge St.

 

[Mustapha]

The art of the pen and ink drawing:

I've never seen a 'picture' of the Orphanage. Thanks much for this thecharioteer.

On plinks Goads maps, it still appears as late as 1884. By 1893 it's gone, replaced by the present day houses # 20 through 34.

http://skritch.blogspot.ca/2012/04/goads-atlas-of-toronto-online.html

A writeup here:

http://www.lostrivers.ca/points/orphanshome.htm

 

[Mustapha]

The Circle theatre drawing is breathtaking. This theatre became a Powers supermarket in the 50s and 60s. The building is no longer; there is senior citizens housing there now. A few stores to the north of this location can be found 'Circle Shoes'; one of the oldest businesses along this stretch of Yonge; it's been there as long as I can remember; we used to take our shoes there for repair in the 60s.

 

[thecharioteer]

A few years ago the Archives of Ontario did a great online exhibition of http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/osgoode/index.aspx drawings of Osgoode Hall:

Thank you, Andrea! Some beautiful drawings.....

 

[thecharioteer]

That's a beautiful collection of drawings, charioteer.
It's sure to revive memories in many of your viewers.
For example, I was reminded of the purchase of my first "serious" camera (Retina I) in the Kodak store on Yonge St.

Thanks, Goldie! I think that the Kodak drawing is also a wonderful example of a truly lost medium: the blueprint. Funny how occasionally one might hear someone use the word "blueprint" as a synonym for origin or plan, yet I think that blueprints stopped being made in the 60's.

 

[thecharioteer]

The Circle theatre drawing is breathtaking.

I agree, Mustapha. The designer has chosen to use an axonometric to illustrate the building, which in some ways combines a plan and elevation and is drawn to scale (unlike a perspective). Architects love axonometrics because of their accuracy, yet perspectives are usually chosen from a representational point-of-view because they're seen as more "realistic". The Circle Theatre drawing is exceptional because it adds imagery to the base drawing, in terms of signage and decoration, thereby creating the "mood" of the finished building. The use of colour and detail complete the package and create a drawing more effective than any perspective.

 

[thecharioteer]

More pen and ink renderings:

Cawthra House, King and Bay, drawn in 1922:

Construction of the Union Bank (SE corner of King & Bay), drawn by Owen Staples, 1910:

The 1844 City Hall, Front & Jarvis:

 

[AndreaPalladio]

I was taught to make blueprints in my high school architecture course - that was at the very dawn of CAD - it must have been the very last gasp of blueprint production.

 

[SP!RE]

Brilliant idea for a thread. I'm drooling at some of these!