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Sourced by Forum member thedeepend, this archival image is a look back at a city on the cusp of the explosive growth that would vault it into architectural modernity. The dominant materials in mid-1950's Toronto were still limestone and brick and the vertical reach of its projects were timid in comparison to what would soon be constructed. Visible on the upper right-hand side of the photo, however, is a clear expression of the modernism that was emerging in the city. Designed by Peter Dickinson and completed in 1956, the north wing of what was then the Park Plaza Hotel was a wonderful burst of colourful exuberance. Unfortunately, the building didn’t survive the modernization of the late 1990s that saw its exterior stripped away and replaced by a collection of mediocre materials and dull architectural gestures.
What do you think of our choice for photo of the day?
