Montréal’s steadfast, enviable care for public art, as a community (elected and unelected alike), is no better exemplified than in what flaps gloriously in the breeze just off the south-west corner of Parc La Fontaine in another little park unto…

I`ll soon be aboard an evennig train home. Oh, but I love Montréal! – Syndicated from http://myjourneywithaids.wordpress.com

– Syndicated from http://myjourneywithaids.wordpress.com

A tour of the last surviving World War II German POW camp in Canada reveals hopeful plans for its future.

Seventy years ago, a provincial reform school for boys on the outskirts of Bowmanville was transformed into a POW camp for captured German officers during World War II. Today, the surviving structures of Camp 30 are fighting another war, against vandals and time. Victory appears to be a possibility. Recently, Torontoist joined a tour of [...]

An architect-led Jane’s Walk approaches the financial district from a kid’s-eye view.

Toronto: City as Urban Playground (as part of Jane’s Walk) Meet at the central fountain in Berczy Park (by the Flatiron Building) Saturday, May 5, 10 a.m. FREE Picasso once said that every child is an artist. It’s a famous quote, with a famous conundrum: “The problem is how to remain an artist once he [...]

Full Frontal T.O., a new collection of the photography of Patrick Cummins, reveals hidden tales of the naked city.

The CONTACT Photography Festival runs from May 1 to May 31. We’ll be profiling selected artists and shows throughout the month. Full Frontal T.O. Urban Space Gallery (401 Richmond St. W., Suite 117) Book launch: May 9, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Photo exhibition: May 1–May 31; Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m.–7 p.m. Free Over [...]

Ancient Rome is Fascinating. Especially in photos. Looking at the city from both night and day gives you a different feeling. Streets are crazy busy during the day yet hauntingly peaceful at night.

– Syndicated from http://myjourneywithaids.wordpress.com

Did you remember to celebrate the thriftiness of others?

Did you remember to celebrate Life Insurance Day earlier this year? Were the benefits you derived from the prudent savings of others at the top of your mind the last time you checked your safety deposit box or investment status update? Have you thanked your lucky stars and your broker that somebody else’s thriftiness has [...]

Perth Town Council has taken the bold, even if obviously necessary, step of creating a formal Downtown Heritage Conservation District. It comes in the form of a by-law which outlines the boundaries of the district – North and Harvey Street (to th…

If you’ve hopped on Google for a little search today then you’ve probably noticed that the Google Doodle is housed in a modernist building. This is to commemorate famed German-born architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s 126th birthday. Considered one of the fathers of modern architecture, Mies designed minimalist spaces and favoured industrial materials like steel and plate glass. After fleeing Germany prior to World War II, Mies set up shop in Chicago where he would spend the rest of … Read More

An outpouring of community and corporate support bolsters plans to rebuild the beloved Jamie Bell playground.

A fire that police believe was set deliberately inside the wooden castles of a beloved High Park playground has elicited anger and shock from the surrounding community. But the desire to rebuild is just as strong, according to Councillor Sarah Doucette (Ward 13, Parkdale-High Park). “If we were to set them a date, I’d have [...]

Frank Lloyd Wright designed hundreds of landmark buildings and homes during a prolific career that spanned more than seven decades. But in what is widely considered a first and only for the famed architect, Wright indulged a young boy’s humble request …

West-end residents fear a new condo may set off “crowding” of Toronto’s largest park.

The row of boarded-up Victorian houses fronting High Park has long been an eyesore. Now though, a developer that’s looking to bring a 14-storey high-rise to the site is doing so in the face of fierce community opposition. Concerned about the design of the proposed condo at 1844 Bloor Street West, residents formed a committee [...]

By now we’re all accustomed to the glassy and glossy skylines of many northern cities, with glass monoliths popping up all over Vancouver, Toronto, and other major metropolises. But recently Lisa Rochan at The Globe and Mail weighed in on what effect sky-high glass towers are having on our environment, after Ted Lesik’s recent attack on the 82-story Aqua Tower in Chicago. While they may reflect one heck of a sunset, buildings produce as much as 48 per cent of … Read More

Hundreds of years before the advent of satellite photography and Google Earth, French monarchs used detailed scale models to micromanage their realm… Not only is it fascinating these intricate models of cities and forts would have been commissioned…

It’s hard to believe that it will be forty-five years ago this spring since the opening of Canada’s first World’s Fair – Expo ’67. I have assembled a number of post-card images from that summer (some photos, a few just art…

Happy Family Day! Do you even care about the news today? Are you even awake yet? Well good, ’cause today’s a slow one, kids: Gary Webster may not be the only transit manager on the chopping block; old TTC buses are slated to retire; Ryerson Architecture professors confirm smartness; and U of T grad students are curating a collection of brass psychological instruments.

If we’ve learned anything from our city’s ongoing transit debacle, it’s that Mayor Rob Ford doesn’t like to be disagreed with. It’s therefore unsurprising—though no less frightening—that, in addition to a recent push by five city councillors to fire the TTC’s Chief General Manager Gary Webster, rumours are now afoot that other senior transit managers [...]

I always like to stop at St Paul’s Church in Covent Garden when I’m in London. It provides an oasis of calm and quiet in that frantic area of the city.  The building was designed in 1631 by Inigo Jones, a significant British architect kn…