DSC
Superstar
Committee of Adjustment June 12
hawc
Senior Member
JasonParis
Moderator
Whatever became of the restaurant space up there? I think it was called C5.
Richard White
Senior Member
I think they turned that into additional exhibit space.
If I recall none of the restaurants were very popular.
CanadianNational
Senior Member
An article in TorontoToday about the Crystal renovation, with a couple pics.
The article mentions the pics are Alex Bozikovic's, from a post of his on X (Twitter).
TorontoToday - Rom Crystal
TorontoToday Staff
If you walk by the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) today, you’ll notice one of the building’s most prominent features, the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal, is under construction.
The ROM’s Crystal — designed by Daniel Libeskind — as well as much of the museum, is being renovated as part of the OpenROM project. Announced in February, the construction work will transform the museum’s main area and Bloor Street entrance, expand gallery space and allow for guests to tour the ground floor for free.
On Thursday, the Globe and Mail’s architecture critic Alex Bozikovic shared images of the Crystal being partially demolished to the social media platform X. A construction crew can be seen standing alongside a cherry picker in front of the empty panes where the Crystal’s glass was once featured.
The ROM’s Crystal remains polarizing, with staunch views both for and against its design. Built in 2007, the Crystal is inspired by the museum’s gem and mineral collection.
Though fans of the Crystal have praised its aesthetic design and ability to beautifully reflect the sunshine on Bloor Street, its critics feel the structure is ineffective.
Since it was constructed, some Torontonians have been vocal about the design being disorienting from inside the museum. With its slanted windows, some museum goers have lamented the Crystal making nearby artwork difficult to display — or even leading to headaches.
Construction on the ROM began in February and is expected to last three years, finishing in 2027.
As well as building on Crystal, the OpenROM project will see “an expansive bronze canopy” installed over the museum's Bloor Street entrance.
Construction plans include a year-round water feature at the corner of Bloor Street and Queen’s Park and 6,000 square feet of new gallery space on the second and third levels, among other changes.
The OpenROM project costs $130 million, the museum said, and much of the renovation has been paid for by the Hennick Family Foundation. The foundation donated $50 million to the museum, the largest cash donation in the ROM’s history.
The money will help fund the building of the Hennick Commons, which the ROM described as “the new heart” of the museum. Its design will feature “a soaring, sunlit four-storey atrium capped with a sweeping, high-performance diagrid glass ceiling.”
The ROM will remain open during construction.
The article mentions the pics are Alex Bozikovic's, from a post of his on X (Twitter).
TorontoToday - Rom Crystal
Royal Ontario Museum begins partial demolition of its Crystal
The Royal Ontario Museum’s controversial Crystal is undergoing construction as part of a project that will make ground floor exhibits freeTorontoToday Staff
If you walk by the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) today, you’ll notice one of the building’s most prominent features, the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal, is under construction.
The ROM’s Crystal — designed by Daniel Libeskind — as well as much of the museum, is being renovated as part of the OpenROM project. Announced in February, the construction work will transform the museum’s main area and Bloor Street entrance, expand gallery space and allow for guests to tour the ground floor for free.
On Thursday, the Globe and Mail’s architecture critic Alex Bozikovic shared images of the Crystal being partially demolished to the social media platform X. A construction crew can be seen standing alongside a cherry picker in front of the empty panes where the Crystal’s glass was once featured.
The ROM’s Crystal remains polarizing, with staunch views both for and against its design. Built in 2007, the Crystal is inspired by the museum’s gem and mineral collection.
Though fans of the Crystal have praised its aesthetic design and ability to beautifully reflect the sunshine on Bloor Street, its critics feel the structure is ineffective.
Since it was constructed, some Torontonians have been vocal about the design being disorienting from inside the museum. With its slanted windows, some museum goers have lamented the Crystal making nearby artwork difficult to display — or even leading to headaches.
Construction on the ROM began in February and is expected to last three years, finishing in 2027.
As well as building on Crystal, the OpenROM project will see “an expansive bronze canopy” installed over the museum's Bloor Street entrance.
Construction plans include a year-round water feature at the corner of Bloor Street and Queen’s Park and 6,000 square feet of new gallery space on the second and third levels, among other changes.
The OpenROM project costs $130 million, the museum said, and much of the renovation has been paid for by the Hennick Family Foundation. The foundation donated $50 million to the museum, the largest cash donation in the ROM’s history.
The money will help fund the building of the Hennick Commons, which the ROM described as “the new heart” of the museum. Its design will feature “a soaring, sunlit four-storey atrium capped with a sweeping, high-performance diagrid glass ceiling.”
The ROM will remain open during construction.
Northern Light
Superstar
Let me tag @AlexBozikovic so that he knows his photos have been posted here, and to express my appreciation for his sharing them on Twitter/X
hawc
Senior Member
Natika33
Active Member
When I first heard about it a few months back I was equally surprised. The new design might be more functional (maybe), but it certainly won't really feel like a crystal anymore, since it's facets will be interrupted.
hawc
Senior Member
Toronto is outdoing itself here.
Not only do we 'Frankenstein' new architecture on to old buildings.
But now we also Frankenstein even newer architecture on to the new architecture that's frankensteined on to the old buidling.
Looking forward, in another 17 years or so, to seeing what is being built now, then partially demolished to graph yet another thing on top of it too.
And so on and so on...
Not only do we 'Frankenstein' new architecture on to old buildings.
But now we also Frankenstein even newer architecture on to the new architecture that's frankensteined on to the old buidling.
Looking forward, in another 17 years or so, to seeing what is being built now, then partially demolished to graph yet another thing on top of it too.
And so on and so on...
UtakataNoAnnex
Senior Member
...I think they're trying to correct some of the what looked great on paper didn't work out so well in reality. Granted, the changes may also not work out so well either. Only time will tell. /cross fingers and touch wood
picard102
Senior Member
Hope I live long enough to see them reclad the whole thing in something more appealing.
jje1000
Senior Member
It's being done because the original crystal architecture frankly has underperformed programmatically (or even failed if one wishes to be harsher about the amount of remedial work being done on what would have been considered an 'untouchable' piece of art).
Last edited:
CapitalSeven
Senior Member
Similar story at the AGO. Layer upon layer of architectural style as architects gleefully destroyed the work of previous generations.
hawc
Senior Member
Exactly. It's so goofy.