City Design Styles in Toronto the Good

Provincial Capital of Ontario, in the Great North (Canada)

by James Schultz

"Toronto map" by Lencer - en.wikipedia.org

High Park offers an escape for
Torontonians through sculptured
landscapes, forest paths, and a
city zoo, and provides a home for
deer, coyotes, and beavers. The
park also connects pedestrians to
the boardwalk along the shore of
Lake Ontario, as well as the
Humber River, providing
(arguably) contiguous green
space. The fish elevators in the
Humber, as well as the breakers
just off the shore along the
boardwalk, provide examples of
functional green urban design.
Traditional City Design
Queens Park in Toronto, Canada
The Legislative Buildings of this
provincial capital are emphasized
through the use of University Avenue as
a view corridor. The avenue is a straight,
wide road with a green island separating
the opposing lanes; it also boasts ample
sidewalks and large buildings along each
side. When it reaches the Legislative
Buildings, the avenue splits to a
symmetrical oval surrounding the
buildings and a public green.
Spadina Crescent, to the west of
University Avenue, shows a similar
symmetry (though less pronounced) as it
forms a circle around a Gothic Revival
university building.
Designed as a multi-purpose
family entertainment site,
Ontario Place boasts various
examples of Systems Design. The
geodesic dome is made of
uniform scaffolds and rigid
triangles. The Atlantis night club
is one of a series of connected
diamond-shaped buildings
suspended over the water, and
various smaller booths and
buildings scattered around the
island are a further testament to
the possibilities of modular
design.

photos sourced via Google Maps (Street View)