Hi Lovely people! This week my blog post is on my trip to the downtown area of Toronto. It included stops in a number of public spaces and buildings along Queen Street just a short distance from the Eaton Centre. It was a beautiful sunny day and lots of people were enjoying the warm weather.
LOCATIONS:
OLD CITY HALL (Completed 1899)
ARCHITECT: E.J Lennox
TORONTO CITY HALL (Opened 1965)
ARCHITECT: Viljo Revel
NATHAN PHILLIPS SQUARE (Opened 1965)
ARCHITECT: Viljo Revel
OSGOODE HALL (Opened 1979)
ARCHITECT: John Ewart and W.W Baldwin
OLD CITY HALL
This was a fascinating historical building with so many intricate details! One could spend a good minute examining the doors and pillars due to the amount of details featured in their design.
Click on the marker in the map above to get the exact location of the site!
NATHAN PHILLIPS SQUARE AND TORONTO CITY HALL
Nathan Phillips square sits in front of Toronto City Hall. It is A semi vibrant public space. I loved some parts of the square; such as the TORONTO sign that was added last year for the PanAmerican games of which the city was host to. However I really felt that more could be done to spruce up the site and reach its greatest potential. Maybe a future project proposal?
This grey textured concrete wall however was a perfect backdrop for some portrait shots!
At the front of the plaza area one could take a fairly unused staircase up to a platform where you could get a nice view of the plaza at Nathan Phillips square, Toronto City Hall, Old City Hall and the adjacent Queen Street all in a 360 turn and in an uninterrupted solace.
What a beautiful view of Nathan Phillips Square!
Love the TORONTO sign! It really has made the square a landmark.
The stage at Nathan Phillips square that plays host to events such as the Jazz festival and New Year's Day Celeberation concerts.
Unique Sculpture
INSIDE NEW CITY HALL
I ventured into the foyer of City Hall to see what it was all about and was met to my left with a gorgeous model of the downtown Toronto area. To my right was a peculiar but beautiful wall art/ sculpture that seemed to be made of Nails.
Click on the marker in the map above to get the exact location of the site!
PEACE GARDEN
Back outside and adjacent to Nathan Phillips Square is the " Peace Garden" which was initially located in the middle of the square and was created in 1984 as an affirmation of then mayor Art Eggleton's administration declaring Toronto as a "nuclear-free zone" . It is interesting to note that the garden itself was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II.
Click on the marker in the map above to get the exact location of the site!
Toronto Courthouse
On our way to the Osgoode Hall we passed through the Toronto Courthouse and surrounding landscapes. There was not much that stood out to me. It was a very passive space.
Click on the marker in the map above to get the exact location of the site!
OSGOODE HALL
Osgoode Hall was our final stop. Tucked away and protected by a fence protecting it and its grounds from the hustle and bustle of the city. This building was designed in the late georgian/ palladian and neoclassical styles. Just like old city hall there was an immense amount of detailing put into the building's facade. The grounds of the Osgoode hall offer visitors a quiet area to recharge and relax amonsgt beautiful greenery and planting.
Click on the marker in the map above to get the exact location of the site!
So that concludes my blogpost for this week! Hope you enjoyed it. As always wishing you love and light!
-Katia