AlvinofDiaspar
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From Arch. Record:
Toronto in 36
Posted by rivy at 5/12/2007 11:31 AM
Having barely caught our breath, collectively, from the AIA convention in San Antonio, we hopped a flight to Toronto for the Canadian architects annual RAIC/OAA* convention. I personally looked forward to setting foot in a place that we have published repeatedly, but that I had never seen: the birthplace of Frank Gehry, the chosen home of Jane Jacobs, civilized city of diverse neighborhoods on the lakefront. Here are glimpses of what I saw in one full day.
The big city of 2.6 million (over 5 million in the metro area) rocked into full springtime, with pink cherries and tulips in full sway. The city’s scale exceeded my imaginings. Tall, broad buildings meet the street with the authority of Chicago or even Beijing. A razor-sharp clarity and generous urban sites render the blocks and the structures individually.
Superb architecture by familiar names lies throughout the downtown area, including buildings by Stefan Benisch (University of Toronto Science Center) and Ray Moriyama (University of Toronto Multifaith Centre--a meditation chapel-- where sliced alabaster, illuminated from behind, casts a warm glow) . You’ve seen the work of Payne Kuwabara McKenna and Blumberg (national ballet school) and Saucier and Perotte and Steven Teeple, but would you recognize the wonderful small transitional housing project in a gritty area by Architects Alliance ?
Along the way I visited Shim and Sutcliff’s superb new house under construction on a hillside in an affluent residential neighborhood, and passed by Daniel Libeskind’s and Frank Gehry’s additions and alterations to 2 art museums. Cheek by jowl with these named varieties reside a city filled with excellent works of architecture by designers whom I may never know.
Towers continue to rise like the thermometer with the economy (Canada has both oil and water, I was reminded). Donald Trump grinned his Cheshire cat smile from the front page of a business newspaper, describing the inevitability of his gift to Toronto—surprise!--a new downtown tower. Apparently everyone wants to be there. The cinder in the city’s eye seems to be that with all the newness, too much of value has been lost from the past.
The editor of the Canadian Architect magazine, Ian Chodikoff, generously shared his own vision of Toronto from the wheel of his Honda, including projects under construction that we ambled into with the confidence of contractors on the job. In addition to the driving overview, nothing beats getting out and discovering a place on foot, walking and running down University Avenue as office workers were arriving in the early morning.
Ultimately I met scores of Canadian architects, and delivered a talk to the assembly. That evening, the president of McGraw-Hill Construction, Norbert Young, received an Honorary Fellowship in the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada at formal ceremonies. Similar honors also went to Francine Houben of Mecanoo Architects in Delft, who showed her work under the soubriquet of “Dutch Mountains.”
As I flew out in the early morning, events continued to unfold at the Sheraton Centre for the RAIC and the OAA but I am headed for my next stop, somewhere down South, somewhere away from the architectural heat and light. Heat up the coffee. Merci and au revoir.
*RAIC/OAA: Royal Architectural Institute of Canada/Ontario Architects Association
http://archrecord.construction.com/...&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest
AoD
Toronto in 36
Posted by rivy at 5/12/2007 11:31 AM
Having barely caught our breath, collectively, from the AIA convention in San Antonio, we hopped a flight to Toronto for the Canadian architects annual RAIC/OAA* convention. I personally looked forward to setting foot in a place that we have published repeatedly, but that I had never seen: the birthplace of Frank Gehry, the chosen home of Jane Jacobs, civilized city of diverse neighborhoods on the lakefront. Here are glimpses of what I saw in one full day.
The big city of 2.6 million (over 5 million in the metro area) rocked into full springtime, with pink cherries and tulips in full sway. The city’s scale exceeded my imaginings. Tall, broad buildings meet the street with the authority of Chicago or even Beijing. A razor-sharp clarity and generous urban sites render the blocks and the structures individually.
Superb architecture by familiar names lies throughout the downtown area, including buildings by Stefan Benisch (University of Toronto Science Center) and Ray Moriyama (University of Toronto Multifaith Centre--a meditation chapel-- where sliced alabaster, illuminated from behind, casts a warm glow) . You’ve seen the work of Payne Kuwabara McKenna and Blumberg (national ballet school) and Saucier and Perotte and Steven Teeple, but would you recognize the wonderful small transitional housing project in a gritty area by Architects Alliance ?
Along the way I visited Shim and Sutcliff’s superb new house under construction on a hillside in an affluent residential neighborhood, and passed by Daniel Libeskind’s and Frank Gehry’s additions and alterations to 2 art museums. Cheek by jowl with these named varieties reside a city filled with excellent works of architecture by designers whom I may never know.
Towers continue to rise like the thermometer with the economy (Canada has both oil and water, I was reminded). Donald Trump grinned his Cheshire cat smile from the front page of a business newspaper, describing the inevitability of his gift to Toronto—surprise!--a new downtown tower. Apparently everyone wants to be there. The cinder in the city’s eye seems to be that with all the newness, too much of value has been lost from the past.
The editor of the Canadian Architect magazine, Ian Chodikoff, generously shared his own vision of Toronto from the wheel of his Honda, including projects under construction that we ambled into with the confidence of contractors on the job. In addition to the driving overview, nothing beats getting out and discovering a place on foot, walking and running down University Avenue as office workers were arriving in the early morning.
Ultimately I met scores of Canadian architects, and delivered a talk to the assembly. That evening, the president of McGraw-Hill Construction, Norbert Young, received an Honorary Fellowship in the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada at formal ceremonies. Similar honors also went to Francine Houben of Mecanoo Architects in Delft, who showed her work under the soubriquet of “Dutch Mountains.”
As I flew out in the early morning, events continued to unfold at the Sheraton Centre for the RAIC and the OAA but I am headed for my next stop, somewhere down South, somewhere away from the architectural heat and light. Heat up the coffee. Merci and au revoir.
*RAIC/OAA: Royal Architectural Institute of Canada/Ontario Architects Association
http://archrecord.construction.com/...&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest
AoD
