Toronto Ryerson Student Learning Centre | 50.59m | 8s | Ryerson University | Zeidler

Actually, a fake media tower is kind of an interesting idea. It would be in the same vein as a facade district. You could also have reproduction signs from Simpsons, Eatons, the O'Keefe brewery, A&A, etc. I'm not sure how the legalities of using signage from defunct companies would work, but it really would be an appropriate homage to the area.
 
I think the sign should be placed on top of 10 Dundas East. It would fit right in with all the other ugly signs and billboards.
 
I know that Metroman. I just thought it might be a more appropriate setting for the sign. Mix the old with the new. I do agree though that if Ryerson signed an agreement to keep the sign as part of the new development then they should keep up there end of the deal and find a suitable place for it.
 
Well, what some seem to be advocating is the permanent installation of the Sam's sign somewhere in the hood. Emphasis here is on "permanent." I still maintain that the disembodied sign, free of any context in which it could have a use or meaning, will be simply a minor, out-of-place element once there is no one living who can remember what the hell it is. This should take, at most, about 40 years. About the same length of time the sign was up, and, I might point out, a mere blip in the overall history of Yonge St. Why do we valorize this particular artifact as significant, beyond the fact that it is significant to us because we remember it in our lifetimes? Is that alone worth making it a permanent feature of the street, no matter how ludicrously out of place it will seem in decades to come?
 
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^ I guess you could make the same argument about some of the recent facade incorporations like BAC or 1 Bedford. If you can't save the whole building that was previously on a site, should we try and save a piece of it, whether it's one wall or a large neon sign. I would say we should. This particular sign is probably the only remaining artefact of someone who contributed greatly to the city as a retailer and a booster of Canadian Music. The physical form of something shouldn't dictate whether it's destroyed or not. As long as the sign is placed in a fairly prominent location with some accompanying panels outlining the sign's significance, then it's worthwhile. Check out the new information panels in the Stollery Parkette at Yonge & Davenport. Very attractive and full of information about Davenport Road, etc. I got a great feeling when I walked through there and read all the panels. I was happy that there are plenty of people around who care enough about our past to install these things.
 
Mississauga Slim said:
Why do we valorize this particular artifact as significant, beyond the fact that it is significant to us because we remember it in our lifetimes? Is that alone worth making it a permanent feature of the street, no matter how ludicrously out of place it will seem in decades to come?
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Isn't that kind of what heritage is all about? Valorizing the things that we find significant because of some connection to our identity? The signs are emblematic of a Yonge St. that doesn't exist any more, and preserving the signs (preferably in-situ, but that's looking increasingly unlikely) is a way of preserving some connection to that past.
 
whatever said:
The signs are emblematic of a Yonge St. that doesn't exist any more, and preserving the signs (preferably in-situ, but that's looking increasingly unlikely) is a way of preserving some connection to that past.
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Also, the signs are iconic because they're cool. They deserve to be reinstalled because they have a cool urban vibe that is difficult to replicate.
 
The idea of hanging it in the lobby of the Student Learning Centre while creating a modern light based art piece outside reminiscent of the original sign is an idea that is growing on me.

Surely there has to be some room for it in here:

urbantoronto-1418-4489.jpg


United Visual Artists are becoming a staple of Toronto design and I'd love to see what they can do in a modern interpretation of the SAM's spinning records.
 
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Interesting idea.

I'm also warming to the possibility of simply having a future Y&D development take them on as their public art component.
 
... but that shouldn't let Ryerson off the hook!

I'm not sure I like the idea of the signs being inside. They were meant to be outside and part of the public realm, and the unique public realm that was Yonge Street in its heyday... and these signs are very worthy of preservation in that they are popular relics that recall that culturally significant period of time in an engaging way.
 
The appeal of the sign lies in the realm of pure nostalgia for those of us who remember the golden age of vinyl, though I have no idea what younger people think of it. I believe that the passage of time has freed the sign from the requirement that it be anchored to its original location in order to be enjoyed as an artefact. It could go just about anywhere - in a museum of Toronto history, at some sort of music hall of fame, in an advertising agency lobby, at the Royal Conservatory, at OCAD, at the Power Plant gallery, at Pearson's arrivals lounge, the possibilities are endless ...
 
Either way, I can't wait for this to start ! The cladding will make or break this ... has anyone seen a rendering from the back ? i.e. the east / south side.

I'm a little worried about it, it looks like it may potentially be all concrete / precast ?
 
EllisDon Awarded Contract to Build New Ryerson University Student Learning Centre


Construction services company helping shape the landscape of downtown Toronto

MISSISSAUGA, ON, Nov. 24, 2011 /CNW/ - EllisDon has been chosen by Ryerson University as the Construction Manager to build its new Student Learning Centre in downtown Toronto. The 155,463 square-foot, eight-storey building at the corner of Yonge and Gould Streets includes an impressive glass facade and will be a significant contributor to the revitalization of the city's core.

"The Student Learning Centre will be a truly transformative space where our students can collaborate, create and innovate," said Sheldon Levy, President of Ryerson University. "We're delighted to partner with EllisDon, one of Canada's leading construction firms, to build this centre. They were chosen because of their extensive building experience in the education sector, the quality of their team and the commitment that they have shown to Ryerson on this complex project."

Bruno Antidormi, Senior Vice President of EllisDon, said, "We are excited to be starting a new relationship with a cutting-edge educational institution such as Ryerson University. The new Student Learning Centre will not only be the gateway to the school but an architectural landmark for downtown Toronto."

The building will be a stunning addition to the city and the university campus, providing students with a variety of space for individual and group study. Along with the glass facade, there will be an elevated plaza, a bridge connecting to the existing Library and academic, study and collaborative spaces. The ground floor will feature prominent commercial retail space facing outwards onto Yonge Street. Acclaimed international architectural team Zeidler Partnership Architects of Toronto, Canada, and Snøhetta of Oslo, Norway, designed the building and unveiled the renderings to the Ryerson community last April. "With the investment of $45 million from the province, and the talent and expertise of our partners EllisDon and our fine team of architects, this building will make a bold statement on Yonge Street and help to rejuvenate the heart of this city," said Julia Hanigsberg, Vice-President, Administration and Finance, Ryerson University.

EllisDon will break ground on the $112-million project early next year and construction is expected to be completed by winter 2014.
 
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