[jje1000]

These maps remind me of my one critique of the New City Hall development- its failure to reach up to Dundas. If it had been done so, it would have spurred the creation of public space linking Queen and Dundas. As of now, the public space is limited to the Queen Street frontage, and the area behind City Hall has been permanently deadened.

Even if it wasn't done, Armory Street and Hagerman Street should be potentially connected in the future to reduce the impact of City Hall's back of house.

 

[thecharioteer]

What's important about this photograph is that it's clear that Osgoode Hall's east portico is supposed to be York Street's terminating vista. Old City Hall, Osgoode Hall and Queen's Park are a trio of terminating vistas from the 19th century. I'd like to see this vista restored. It would require some pruning and maybe even cutting down a mature tree or two, but it would be worth it.

You raise an interesting point about axial views in Toronto. Unlike Washington DC or Paris, most of Toronto's buildings that terminate axial views were only intended to be seen from one side (Osgoode, Old City Hall, Campbell House, The Grange). Some buildings made attempts to make the back more interesting from the reverse axial view (Queen's Park, Knox College, UCC), but they are clearly "backs".

jje1000's comment about the New City Hall's "back of house" and the deadening effect of the architecture to the north is accurate (in the same way as the back of the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.) The Parisians somehow knew how to treat the backs of major buildings so much better.

 

[Conrad Black]

Not having to provide for cars helps older Parisian buildings.

 

[Red October]

We're also talking about Napoleonic Paris vs. Toronto.