Toronto gets a new building by Will Alsop

I’m late to this, but if you haven’t heard already Toronto is getting a new design by the British architect Will Alsop. The building will be the flagship for the mammoth new film studio development being installed in the portlands – Filmport.

Most people in Toronto will know Alsop by his incredible (and incredibly controversial) Sharp Centre for Design at the Ontario College of Art and Design.

Although I’m by no means a raving Will Alsop fan I do really appreciate the amount of high profile commissioning going on in Toronto right now. Buildings like this pave the way for more innovative design in this city – something that benefits Toronto in many ways. There are the obvious pluses like increased tourism of course, but beyond that I think beautiful, challenging architecture creates a much more inspiring urban climate for citizens. When we are surrounded by buildings that challenge us I believe it becomes easier for us all to have thoughts and ideas beyond the ordinary and mediocre.

2 Comments

• 
  will alsop August 16, 2007 at 9:48 am

  I really want you to a raving fan.
• 
  Pema August 16, 2007 at 11:52 am

  Thanks for dropping by, Will.

  I’m a huge fan of what your buildings are doing for Toronto. As a New Zealander who lived in London for 4 years I think your buildings (OCAD for now) played a role in my wife and I choosing to live in Toronto. For us they symbolized an ambition that this city has and a level of innovation that people here appreciate.

  Keep up the incredible work!

  BTW – My personal architectural preference is more in this direction, hence the “not a raving Alsop fan” comment above. I’m coming around though ;)