10 lost gems of Modern architecture in Toronto

Modernist architecture has never received the respect is deserves in Toronto, an observation that's underscored by the number of important mid-century buildings that have been demolished here. Even as these buildings have been wiped from the landscape, they do however continue to exert influence on the way that this city is designed today.

Here are 10 lost gems of modern architecture in Toronto.

The Inn on the Park (Demolished 2006-2014)
Architect Peter Dickinson had joined forces with Isadore Sharp on the groundbreaking Four Seasons Motor Hotel in 1961, but the two took the concept to its natural conclusion with the sprawling Inn on the Park, which brought a luxury resort to Eglinton and Leslie. The triangular forms lean on Frank Lloyd Wright for inspiration, but the sweeping porte-cochère is a Dickinson hallmark.

Aeroquay One (Demolished 2004)
Those who around to travel through Aeroquay One recall the observation deck and elegant control tower beside the modernist terminal. Designed by John C. Parkin and opened in 1964, the circular gate design, underground parking, and attention to passenger flow was widely considered groundbreaking. Alas, the novel design was rendered obsolete in the era of big jets.

Bata Building (Demolished 2007)
Also the work of John C. Parkin, the pavilion-like Bata Shoes Head Office was widely considered a Canadian icon of modernist architecture with its minimalist concrete and glass design. It was demolished to pave the way for the Aga Khan Museum when Bata relocated to Switzerland.

Don Mills Curling Rink (Demolished 1986)
They don't design them like this anymore! Part of the complex that housed Don Mills Mall, this flower-like structure was designed by architect Douglas M. Hall. The area was a blank slate when it was built in 1960, which allowed for the ambitious architecture, but curling diminished in popularity and it became a bingo hall before eventually being torn down in the 1980s.

Riverdale Hospital
This one stings. When Bridgepoint Health expanded with a new complex in 2013, the half-round gem that was the old Riverdale Hospital was demolished. Designed by architects Howard Chapman and Len Hurst, the building was proven to be structurally sound and capable of reuse at the time, but it was sadly deemed expendable in the absence of heritage designation.

Parkin Offices (Demolished 1980s?)
While the offices of John B. Parkin and Associates looked entirely utilitarian, the warehouse-like design was in fact entirely novel in 1958 when Toronto was mostly brick buildings. This was a factory for architecture, and, composed almost entirely of glass, it was importantly open to the world at large. Interior photos show a light-filled, collaborative work space.

Shell Oil Tower (Demolished 1985)
Built in 1955, this 36 metre welded steel tower was one of a number of modern structures built at the CNE, but probably its most recognizable until its unfortunate removal from the Exhibition grounds. Along with acting as the central meeting place at the Ex, the George Robb-designed structure offered a spectacular perch to view the action below.

Seaway Hotel
Unlike the ramshackle motels along Lake Shore to the west of the Humber River, the Seaway Hotel and the Seaway Towers Motor Hotel were more elegantly designed waterfront accommodations, the former of which won a Massey Medal for Architecture in 1955. The original hotel lived its last years as a bastardized Four Points Sheraton, and the whole complex will soon be condos.

CNE Grandstand (Demolished 1999)
There were three grand stands at the CNE over the years, the first two consumed by fire. Perhaps because many remember how terrible it was to watch baseball at Exhibition Stadium (which used the Grandstand), the novelty and design of the 1948 structure is often forgotten. That's a shame. It was a beauty, from its monumental roof to its red brick exterior.

Imperial Oil Ontario Regional Headquarters
Our architectural are so fickle in Toronto. A recipient of a Massey Medal in 1964, Imperial Oil's Ontario headquarters was unceremoniously demolished for a parking lot in the 1990s when the company vacated the space. It might not astound us today, but its bold pre-cast panels in the International Style showed a new way of thinking about buildings in Toronto.

Is there a modern building that you miss in Toronto? Let us know in the comments.

Photos via Chuckman's Blog, Toronto Modern, Patrick Hirlehey, and the Panda Fonds.

by Derek Flack via blogTO