2008: Buildings of the City part 2

In a city as old as Toronto there is a large amount of architecture. Some old, a lot new. We may not be as old as some of the European cities, but we are up there for North American standards. Unfortunately a lot of the original buildings are no more. Either buried, burned down, or torn down to make way for new buildings. Still the fight goes on to save some of our older buildings now from the turn of the 20th century at the least.

The interesting thing is what modern architects are doing now. I showed a picture previously of the new design of the Royal Ontario Museum. That design was called "Crystal". And yes it does look like a giant mineral crystal. Another interesting building is the Ontario College of Art and Design. It has been hailed as genius and fugly. I think it's literally a box on stilts. Just some architects trying to do something different.


It just stands there hovering over the older college building and around the surrounding buildings. I can't say either way if it's a good building. I can just say that having a class up there would sure make me nervous.

Another new design is the Art Gallery of Ontario or AGO for short. I took the following pictures when it was still under major renovations. They are done now and fully open to the public. I went there on the grand reopening and was dazzled with the way it looked. I will have to return one day when I have the time and money to really go through the place. Only thing I don't like about the location is all the trolley wires. It makes it hard to capture what the place really looks like.



Other buildings are just as interesting. For instance the BCE place down by Yonge and Front streets. Vaulted arch ways, glass and steel, very modern in design. During the day when the sun is shining it's a very bright place. They have also encapsulated an old bank building and the front is still in the main concourse. This location is also used for all sorts of public art festivals. I have a few pictures there from Luminato I took this year.


Well I think that will be it for today. See you all later, and may you start walking as well.

PaladinPhil