Toronto Architecture from the 1940's and 1950's

[thecharioteer]

One should also remember that the 40's and 50's were not all about Dickinson. Toronto was still a Georgian-revival kind of town, from new houses to commercial buildings.

50 St. Clair West, the Duplate Canada Ltd. Offices, 1952:

48 St. Clair Avenue West, The Dupont Building, 1958:

 

[adma]

If course, note that the tower had its facade proportions somewhat changed (including those vertical strip windows) in its condo conversion about a decade ago...

 

[thecharioteer]

If course, note that the tower had its facade proportions somewhat changed (including those vertical strip windows) in its condo conversion about a decade ago...

Might have been more interesting to treat the recessed portion between the two buildings as an all-glazed "reveal" and leave the original punched-windows facade alone. Always like that oversized roof portico.....

 

[thecharioteer]

The Bank of Nova Scotia, evolution in design sensibility:

Head Office, King and Bay, 1946-51, Mathers and Haldenbyhttp://artdecobuildings.blogspot.ca/2010/01/bank-of-nova-scotia-toronto.html):

Eglinton & Weston, 1952, Adamson:

Queen & McCaul, 1955, Arthur Eadie:

Yonge & St. Clair, 1955, Parkin:

Don Mills, 1956, Parkin:

Agincourt, 1956, Brennan and Whale:

Bloor & Spadina, 1957, Arthur Eadie:

Belleville 1958:

 

[junctionist]

Like most banks before perhaps 1980, Scotiabank had an impressive level of dedication to the architectural quality of their office buildings and branches.

 

[themarc]

Like most banks before perhaps 1980, Scotiabank had an impressive level of dedication to the architectural quality of their office buildings and branches.

The posting before junctionist was purely beautiful considering its era. Queen and McCaul still exists. Does Lawrence East?

 

[LowPolygon]

that Eglinton and Weston location remain relatively unmolested. the fantastic aluminum (?) window frame on the Hollis street side is still there. its always had the most unusual location, set so far back from the corner, with that giant rolling lawn in front of it. it's seconds from the old Kodak plant, so it may have had a certain importance as a location....

there's another Bank of Nova Scotia on the corner of Weston and Lawrence that also has some interesting features, in a different style, possibly earlier i suppose. it's also in reasonably unscathed condition.

 

[adma]

And don't forget maybe the most magnificent such branch of all, the 1954 one on Gore Park in Hamilton

 

[thecharioteer]

And don't forget maybe the most magnificent such branch of all, the 1954 one on Gore Park in Hamilton

Do you think this was a Parkin, adma?

 

[Anna]

The posting before junctionist was purely beautiful considering its era. Queen and McCaul still exists. Does Lawrence East?

Yes.

 

[thecharioteer]

Isn't it ironic that one of the first things people do in these glass pavilions is put up blinds?

Except for Phillip Johnson, of course. His Glass House 1949:

But, a more direct inspiration to Parkin's BNS building on Lawrence, would have had to be Mies' Farnsworth House, completed in 1951:

 

[Anna]

Since you can see a corner of it there, here's the mess that is the Bank of Montreal next door.
Before

After

 

[thecharioteer]

Since you can see a corner of it there, here's the mess that is the Bank of Montreal next door.

What a shame about the BMO building! The two banks in their isolated Modernist neoclassical simplicity makes me think of the Greek temples at Paestum:

 

[thecharioteer]

It's nice to know (and I'm actually shocked!) that the Parkin bank at 885 Lawrence Avenue East was listed on the Inventory of Heritage Properties in 1997.

http://app.toronto.ca/HeritagePreservation/details.do?folderRsn=2438471&propertyRsn=425424

 

[Chip?]

It's nice to know (and I'm actually shocked!) that the Parkin bank at 885 Lawrence Avenue East was listed on the Inventory of Heritage Properties in 1997.

http://app.toronto.ca/HeritagePreservation/details.do?folderRsn=2438471&propertyRsn=425424

Both the BMO and Bank of Nova Scotia buildings on Lawrence Ave E are heritage buildings. Was the renovation of the BMO building done after it was designated?

If you look carefully, the Bank of Nova Scotia building has been altered slightly. Notice how it originally had 6 columns running along the front of it--now it has 8. Also, the 3 rows of lights on the underside of the driveway canopy have been reduced to one row. http://maps.google.ca/maps?q=don+mills&hl=en&ll=43.736024,-79.34853&spn=0.00082,0.001742&hnear=Don+Mills,+Toronto,+Toronto+Division,+Ontario&gl=ca&t=h&z=20&layer=c&cbll=43.736024,-79.348786&panoid=oPTr4Ns-RRWr15tjzYGptA&cbp=12,126.11,,0,-2.01 Has the building been elongated?

I wonder why the Don Mills Library was never listed? Unfortunately it's facade has been butchered.

On a side note--does anyone have any information on Greenview Lodge--across the street from the two banks? It's a really attractive building but it seems so out of place in Don Mills. It's ornate brick work is unique in the neighbourhood. The lettering above the main entrance reminds me of Old City Hall. http://maps.google.ca/maps?q=don+mills&hl=en&ll=43.736024,-79.34853&spn=0.00082,0.001742&hnear=Don+Mills,+Toronto,+Toronto+Division,+Ontario&gl=ca&t=h&z=20&layer=c&cbll=43.736024,-79.348786&panoid=oPTr4Ns-RRWr15tjzYGptA&cbp=12,357.94,,1,-1.51