We love Toronto, so being part of building the next chapter of our amazing city is an honour we don’t take lightly. In the grand scheme, we’re a young city, so Toronto is still finding the aesthetic that defines us, and the best way to serve our citizens. In the meantime, we’re looking to some other amazing cities around the world for a few lessons.
1. Green Rooftops
Toronto actually has its fair share of green rooftops, all of which we’d recommend checking out before the weather gets too cold. However, we’re lagging behind in terms of urban green space and we’re all about the other cities that have embraced plant life as an architectural necessity. Check out this gorgeous plant-draped community centre in Malaysia. It’s just one example of how a little greenery can turn an urban centre into a miniature oasis – and the pond doesn’t hurt!
2. Public Art
Toronto’s art scene is thriving, and there’s tons of places to check out amazing public art – Queen St.’s Graffiti Alley and Underpass Park jump to mind – but we’d love to see this trend grow out of the downtown core into Toronto’s most far-flung enclaves. Public art can turn even the most utilitarian spaces – what’s more utilitarian than an underpass? – into something worth visiting over and over. Sao Paolo’s amazing public phone art project is a great example of turning the mundane into something amazing.
3. Shipping Containers
This trend is taking over the world, from micro-homes to huge skyscrapers and hotels, but it hasn’t landed in Toronto just yet. There’s so much that can be done with this upcycled material, so it’s obvious what we’re seeing so far is just the beginning. This Lisbon artists’ community is almost entirely shipping containers, and possible modifications and additions are basically endless. There’s even a proposed shipping container hotel we’d love to stay in one day!
4. Wooden Architecture
This sustainable trend is back in a big way all over Europe. The earthy, gorgeous look of wood combined with its durability have made it the trend du jour, but we’d be happy to have it stick around. Wood is just as versatile as any other building material, and it would be an amazing contrast beside Toronto’s sea of glass and steel. This Finnish apartment block just won the Finlandia Architecture Prize for 2015.
Which architecture trends would you love to see here at home? Which unique-to-Toronto designs are your favourites?
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Title image from here.
