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^ That's a good point. I too like to see heritage preservation in action, and projects which integrate old and new. (There is a great example just up the street, namely the Department of Economics building.) But that house at Rotman has seemed to be poorly integrated into the project and "out of place". I wonder if it would have been better just to demolish it. It's not as if there were no others like it in the immediate neighbourhood.
 
Observer Walt said:
^ That's a good point. I too like to see heritage preservation in action, and projects which integrate old and new. (There is a great example just up the street, namely the Department of Economics building.) But that house at Rotman has seemed to be poorly integrated into the project and "out of place". I wonder if it would have been better just to demolish it. It's not as if there were no others like it in the immediate neighbourhood.
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But why is it that you wonder if "it would have been better just to demolish it" if you appreciate heritage enough to want to preserve it? I wonder why the Modern building doesn't do a good job of integrating the old and new, especially since two beautiful examples are found a few seconds away: the Max Gluskin House for the Department of Economics, and the Munk Centre for International Studies.

These houses deserve respect. Until the middle of the 20th century, St. George Street through the U of T campus was lined with beautiful and relatively densely-built Victorian houses like these. Some were Annex Style houses, a style unique to Toronto which combines Queen Anne and Romanesque features, with big attics and grand Romanesque arches. It's positive to preserve the few that remain to inject the streetscape with an additional layer of history and architecture, showing that it changed and evolved from something else. Building a city with many layers of history is what helps make it seem more interesting and beautiful to a greater number of people. It encourages engagement with the past.

It's up to contemporary architects to build on the past, rather than ignoring it. I don't know why KPMB is struggling with it now. The Munk Centre by KPMB is a masterpiece of integrating old and new, as well as repurposing the old. When you first look at the walkways added to the exterior, for instance, at first it's not even clear they're recent being so close in colour to the stone and brick of the old building and in terms of design elements like the Gothic arched doors. But upon a closer look, it's evident that they are contemporary, with impeccable attention to detail and clear inspiration from the past. The granite and glass additions are clearly contemporary, but positioned around the corners as to not overwhelm the old architecture. These subtle additions look grand and refined themselves. It's a stark contrast to the subpar way the old and new are treated at One Bedford or the Dominion Meteorological Building at 315 Bloor Street.[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]
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Taken yesterday from the 9th floor of Robarts Library. Look like they're finally getting read to install cladding on the upper floors.
Still think that house is a terrible fit. Hopefully they'll give it plenty of TLC after finishing the new structure.

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People will no doubt be swayed to love this building since it's all nice and glassy and shiny and new, but the massing is just offensive. And how it hems in that house... yuck.
 
I had been meaning to take a recent picture of the building with the new cladding on it since I pass it every day. Despite being more dark than I anticipated, this looks as though it's going to turn out really well.
 
nice pic, M___J1, and nice first post, welcome to the forum......:)
 
Looking at this project as it nears completion, it doesn't work at all for me. The integration of the heritage building doesn't look good at all. I would have rather them move the house and build a grand entrance to the new building in it's spot.

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