Envisioned in the 1950's to replace the aging City Hall, New City Hall was to be a modernist masterpiece that would also be a city landmark and public space. And now, almost a full half-century after construction, it still stands out as a striking example of modernist architecture, complete with a central public space in Nathan Phillips Square.
Location | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Downtown | ||||||
(Toronto, Ontario, Canada) | ||||||
Built | Status | Difficulty | ||||
1965 | Active (Tour Event) | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ | ||||
Hazards Risk | Security Risk | AUE Rating | ||||
★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ||||
Hazard Observations | Security Observations | |||||
None Specified | Active Facility |
The building stands out due to the fact it sits on a large chunk of downtown real estate, along with a unique design. A bulging pod, used for council meetings, sits in the middle of two towers that not only rise above, but also curve around it. The towers are also uneven; the east tower rises several floors higher than the west tower, and is also capped off with a now-closed observation deck.
Occasionally, the deck is opened to the public for special events... and that is how I got the photos below. It is an impressive view, although it would have been better back when the building was first built, before the bank towers to the south blocked the view of Lake Ontario.
There are other areas to explore in City Hall, but I have yet to check them out. The building always has heavy security patrols, and I don't imagine they'd take kindly to me poking around.