St. James Cathedral is one of the oldest buildings in Toronto's downtown core. The site has been used for ecclesiastical purposes since 1807, while the parish dates back to 1797. The cathedral we have today was built in the gothic-revival style, designed by Frederick William Cumberland and officially opened in 1853. The building had seen little change since then, however the demand for new facilities has led to the construction of a distinctly contemporary addition to the Parish House, featured in today's Photo of the Day.

St. James Cathedral Parish House, image by rdaner

The addition has been designed by architectsAlliance, and is expected to be completed this year. One of the most challenging design features in attempting to connect new and old are the points of intersection, where the two structures make physical contact. The photo above, taken by forum member rdaner shows two of these points —the covered walkway in the centre of the picture, and the meeting of the glass and brick walls on the left. What do you think of the addition, and in particular of these contrasting styles? Let us know below, or join the discussion in the associated Forum thread.