mikes334
New Member
That is would. Nice picture.
|
|
|
Toronto scraps museum project, plans to raze site instead
- Thread starter Automation Gallery
- Start date
syn
Senior Member
This is very disturbing news. I wonder what Toronto has against its history sometimes. These are landmark buildings that would really benefit from a creative solution.
wyliepoon
Senior Member
I'd like to see it turn into a space like the British Museum's Great Court, complete with a signature structure built inside.
MatrixElement
Active Member
Canada Malting Silo Pictures, September 12
The malting silos are definitely in awful shape. Lots of rebar is showing, and there are even some outright holes. Some pictures from September 12:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/41002894@N07/3914425840/in/set-72157622352506760
http://www.flickr.com/photos/41002894@N07/3914426238/in/set-72157622352506760
The malting silos are definitely in awful shape. Lots of rebar is showing, and there are even some outright holes. Some pictures from September 12:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/41002894@N07/3914425840/in/set-72157622352506760
http://www.flickr.com/photos/41002894@N07/3914426238/in/set-72157622352506760
dt_toronto_geek
Superstar
To illustrate how quickly these are deteriorating/loose concrete being drilled out that hole on the left silo in the first photo was not there in August of 2008.
Last edited by a moderator:
junctionist
Senior Member
They're now deteriorating much faster than I thought.
dt_toronto_geek
Superstar
The photo below was taken in August 2008. Circled is the area that matches the section with the hole in it shown in photo above taken by MatrixElement on Sept. 12th. More photos of the silos (Ireland Park, specifically) can be found at - http://www.urbantoronto.ca/showthread.php?t=9123&page=3 post #42
Click on the thumbnail to enlarge, then click again on the image for full size.
Click on the thumbnail to enlarge, then click again on the image for full size.
Last edited:
Jarrek
Active Member
This has Walnut Hall written all over it.
Toronto, just does not appreciate its history.
Toronto, just does not appreciate its history.
Whoaccio
Senior Member
I, for one, really couldn't care less. It's a dilapidated industrial facility with no obvious conversion value. The silos probably can't, without major structural redesigns, be converted into habitable structures. Their profiles are too slim, and I would be surprised if the supporting walls could support grafting ~6 stories of stuff onto the inside, plus supports like elevators, ventilation, emergency stairs, plumbing and so forth. We've had nearly 20 years to find an alternate use for this thing, and in that time no one has suggested anything that came close to reality. What conclusions can anyone draw from that?
Tewder
Senior Member
^ The inescapable conclusion is that Toronto cares little for its history or past. No news here really.
As one who does care about history I think it's a shame that we destroy buildings and other structures without really understanding or appreciating their meaning and context or the inherent beauty they offer if we're willing to see them in the right light.
Quebecers in the 19th century almost tore down their city ramparts because they were considered ugly and useless. In France chateaux were pulled down for more luxurious and 'modern' structures... thinking of which the silos always sort of reminded me of the castle keep at Vincennes, recently restored by the French at great expense over many years by the way:
Mr~Poussnik flickr.com
As one who does care about history I think it's a shame that we destroy buildings and other structures without really understanding or appreciating their meaning and context or the inherent beauty they offer if we're willing to see them in the right light.
Quebecers in the 19th century almost tore down their city ramparts because they were considered ugly and useless. In France chateaux were pulled down for more luxurious and 'modern' structures... thinking of which the silos always sort of reminded me of the castle keep at Vincennes, recently restored by the French at great expense over many years by the way:
Mr~Poussnik flickr.com
Whoaccio
Senior Member
What is the meaning or context of the Malting Silos? Their original meaning was clearly to facilitate the trade of grain in the context of industrial era trading patterns along the Great Lakes. It is self evident that neither of these is relevant any more. So, what is their contemporary use? As an abandoned industrial site they have no use. Apparently nobody could make the math work on converting them to another function (i.e. museum), so that is out. If something has no uses, how does it help anyone to keep it on life support?
junctionist
Senior Member
Metronome proposed a music facility, West8/DTAH proposed a water filtration facility for swimming in the harbour, and the City proposed a museum partly funded by private development. Those are three reuse proposals which were deemed by someone's planners as feasible, but which didn't receive funding.
It has many possible uses, so let's stop making excuses for neglect of a building which makes a last shade of this city's history apparent to all.
Whoaccio
Senior Member
And not one of them got past the drawing boards. Not one of them even got close to completion. Metronome was almost totally promotional, West8/DTAH's idea was 100% conceptual, and the City's museum thing has fallen apart. If anyone was ever going to do anything with this site, it would have already happened or be in the process of happening.
MatrixElement
Active Member
Good eye! Thanks for the comparison.
Perhaps this was posted earlier, but the last three pages of this document have a nice summary of the historical background of the silos:
http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2009/pb/bgrd/backgroundfile-19569.pdf
junctionist
Senior Member
That sounds so defeatist. In theory, a variety of things can happen in the future, like the economy picking up and a commercial partner found to get a project off the ground. Plenty of buildings have been derelict for a lot longer than this and eventually reused.