Toronto City Hall and Civic Square, Toronto (1958)

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Part of

• Fonds: John C. Parkin fonds, 1929-1987
•    Series: Architectural projects, 1945-1986
•      Project: Toronto City Hall and Civic Square, Toronto (1958), 1958-1966

People

• John Cresswell Parkin (archive creator)
• John Cresswell Parkin (architect)
• John B. Parkin (architect)
• Viljo Revell (architect)

Title

Toronto City Hall and Civic Square, Toronto (1958)

Dates of creation

1958-1966

Level of archival description

Project

Extent and Medium

• 124 drawings (including 109 reprographic copies)
• 1 mounted photograph
• 0.027 l.m. of textual records

Scope and Content

This project series documents the design and construction of Toronto City Hall and Civic Square in Toronto from 1958-1965. The office identified the project number as 5867.

The design of Toronto's New City Hall, built next to its older counterpart, was realized through an international architectural competition that attracted more than 500 entries from around the world. Eventually, a unanimous jury chose Finnish architect Viljo Revell's design, cementing the age of modernist architecture in Toronto. However, the rules stated that if the winning architect was not part of the Ontario Association of Architects, they were required to partner with a local firm. In this way, John B. Parkin Associates was chosen as the associate architects for this project. The design was comprised of a concrete dome house, which contained the city council chambers, surrounded by two curved office towers, all perched on top of a podium, with a public square to the south, known as Nathan Phillips Square. The buildings were 816,000 square feet in size, the west tower having 18 office floors and the east tower with 25.

The project is recorded through drawings, a mounted presentation photograph of the project and textual records dating from 1958-1966. The drawings are mostly reprographic copies, which include plans, elevations, sections, details and perspectives. The textual records consist of a competition synopsis book, a book of submission materials for the competition, and correspondence between Parkin and Revell.

Reference Number

AP018.S1.1958.PR03

Arrangement

Materials in this project series have been compiled from different accessions and/or arranged by material type.

Conditions governing reproduction

• Jennifer A.C. Parkin holds copyright for materials from accession AR1997:0021. Permission must be sought from the copyright holder before reproductions can be made.

Location

Toronto Ontario Canada

Related units of description

• Records for related projects are also included in this fonds, see: AP018.S1.1986.PR02, Toronto City Hall, Renovations to Press Gallery, Toronto. Additional materials for this project are held at the University of Calgary in the John B. Parkin/NORR fonds.

Inventory

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  • Reference Number: AP018.S1.1958.PR03.001
  • Title: Plans, sections, elevations and details, Toronto City Hall and Civic Square, Toronto
  • Dates of creation: 1965
  • Form: drawings
  • Catalogued items within this file 0

  People:

  • John Cresswell Parkin (archive creator)

  Quantity / Object type:

  1 File

  Extent and Medium:

  • 15 reprographic copies

  Dimensions:

  Sheet: 122 x 82 cm

  Conditions governing reproduction:

  • Jennifer A.C. Parkin holds copyright. Permission must be sought from the copyright holder before reproductions can be made.

  Credit line:

  John C. Parkin fonds
  Collection Centre Canadien d'Architecture/
  Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montréal
  Don de Jennifer A.C. Parkin/
  Gift of Jennifer A.C. Parkin
  

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  • Reference Number: AP018.S1.1958.PR03.002
  • Title: Floor plans and west elevation, Toronto City Hall and Civic Square, Toronto
  • Dates of creation: circa 1958
  • Form: drawings
  • Catalogued items within this file 0

  People:

  • John Cresswell Parkin (archive creator)

  Quantity / Object type:

  1 File

  Extent and Medium:

  • 4 drawings

  Dimensions:

  Sheet: 149 x 93 cm

  Conditions governing reproduction:

  • Jennifer A.C. Parkin holds copyright. Permission must be sought from the copyright holder before reproductions can be made.

  Credit line:

  John C. Parkin fonds
  Collection Centre Canadien d'Architecture/
  Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montréal
  Don de Jennifer A.C. Parkin/
  Gift of Jennifer A.C. Parkin
  

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  • Reference Number: AP018.S1.1958.PR03.003
  • Title: Floor plans, interior perspectives and north elevation, Toronto City Hall and Civic Square, Toronto
  • Dates of creation: circa 1958
  • Form: drawings
  • Catalogued items within this file 0

  People:

  • John Cresswell Parkin (archive creator)

  Quantity / Object type:

  1 File

  Extent and Medium:

  • 4 drawings

  Dimensions:

  Sheet: 149 x 93 cm

  Conditions governing reproduction:

  • Jennifer A.C. Parkin holds copyright. Permission must be sought from the copyright holder before reproductions can be made.

  Credit line:

  John C. Parkin fonds
  Collection Centre Canadien d'Architecture/
  Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montréal
  Don de Jennifer A.C. Parkin/
  Gift of Jennifer A.C. Parkin
  

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  • Reference Number: AP018.S1.1958.PR03.004
  • Title: Floor plan, sections and elevations, Toronto City Hall and Civic Square, Toronto
  • Dates of creation: circa 1958
  • Form: drawings
  • Catalogued items within this file 0

  People:

  • John Cresswell Parkin (archive creator)

  Quantity / Object type:

  1 File

  Extent and Medium:

  • 7 drawings

  Dimensions:

  Sheet: 149 x 93 cm

  Conditions governing reproduction:

  • Jennifer A.C. Parkin holds copyright. Permission must be sought from the copyright holder before reproductions can be made.

  Credit line:

  John C. Parkin fonds
  Collection Centre Canadien d'Architecture/
  Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montréal
  Don de Jennifer A.C. Parkin/
  Gift of Jennifer A.C. Parkin
  

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  • Reference Number: AP018.S1.1958.PR03.005
  • Title: Set of structural drawings, Toronto City Hall and Civic Square, Toronto
  • Dates of creation: 1961
  • Form: drawings
  • Catalogued items within this file 0

  People:

  • John Cresswell Parkin (archive creator)

  Quantity / Object type:

  1 File

  Extent and Medium:

  • 54 reprographic copies

  Dimensions:

  Sheet: 124 x 83 cm

  Physical Description:

  Note that these drawings are torn. Handling should be limited.

  Credit line:

  John C. Parkin fonds
  Collection Centre Canadien d'Architecture/
  Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montréal
  Don de John C. Parkin/
  Gift of John C. Parkin
  

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  • Reference Number: AP018.S1.1958.PR03.006
  • Title: Construction plans, layouts, elevations, sections and details, Toronto City Hall and Civic Square, Toronto
  • Dates of creation: 1966
  • Form: drawings
  • Catalogued items within this file 0

  People:

  • John Cresswell Parkin (archive creator)

  Quantity / Object type:

  1 File

  Extent and Medium:

  • 40 reprographic copies

  Dimensions:

  Sheet (smallest): 106 x 55 cm Sheet (largest): 124 x 84 cm

  Physical Description:

  Note that these drawings are torn. Handling should be limited

  Credit line:

  John C. Parkin fonds
  Collection Centre Canadien d'Architecture/
  Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montréal
  Don de John C. Parkin/
  Gift of John C. Parkin
  

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  • Reference Number: AP018.S1.1958.PR03.007
  • Title: Presentation board of project photograph, Toronto City Hall and Civic Square, Toronto
  • Dates of creation: circa 1958
  • Form: photographs
  • Catalogued items within this file 0

  People:

  • John Cresswell Parkin (archive creator)

  Quantity / Object type:

  1 File

  Extent and Medium:

  • 1 mounted photograph

  Dimensions:

  Sheet: 101 x 77 cm

  Credit line:

  John C. Parkin fonds
  Collection Centre Canadien d'Architecture/
  Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montréal
  Don de John C. Parkin/
  Gift of John C. Parkin
  

  Folder Number:

  018-227-03

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  • Reference Number: AP018.S1.1958.PR03.008
  • Title: Presentation book of submission drawings for competition, Toronto City Hall and Civic Square, Toronto
  • Dates of creation: circa 1958
  • Form: textual records
  • Catalogued items within this file 0

  People:

  • John Cresswell Parkin (archive creator)

  Quantity / Object type:

  1 File

  Extent and Medium:

  • 0.01 l.m. of textual records

  Conditions governing reproduction:

  • Jennifer A.C. Parkin holds copyright. Permission must be sought from the copyright holder before reproductions can be made.

  Credit line:

  John C. Parkin fonds
  Collection Centre Canadien d'Architecture/
  Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montréal
  Don de Jennifer A.C. Parkin/
  Gift of Jennifer A.C. Parkin
  

  Folder Number:

  018-211-06

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  • Reference Number: AP018.S1.1958.PR03.009
  • Title: Synopsis of the competition with competing designs, Toronto City Hall and Civic Square, Toronto
  • Dates of creation: 1958
  • Form: textual records
  • Catalogued items within this file 0

  People:

  • John Cresswell Parkin (archive creator)

  Description:

  This book was produced by the City of Toronto Planning Board.

  Quantity / Object type:

  1 File

  Extent and Medium:

  • 0.007 l.m. of textual records

  Conditions governing reproduction:

  • Jennifer A.C. Parkin holds copyright. Permission must be sought from the copyright holder before reproductions can be made.

  Credit line:

  John C. Parkin fonds
  Collection Centre Canadien d'Architecture/
  Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montréal
  Don de Jennifer A.C. Parkin/
  Gift of Jennifer A.C. Parkin
  

  Folder Number:

  018-219-36

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  • Reference Number: AP018.S1.1958.PR03.010
  • Title: Revell and Parkin correspondence, Toronto City Hall and Civic Square, Toronto
  • Dates of creation: 1958-1959
  • Form: textual records
  • Catalogued items within this file 0

  People:

  • John Cresswell Parkin (archive creator)

  Quantity / Object type:

  1 File

  Extent and Medium:

  • 0.01 l.m. of textual records

  Conditions governing reproduction:

  • Jennifer A.C. Parkin holds copyright. Permission must be sought from the copyright holder before reproductions can be made.

  Credit line:

  John C. Parkin fonds
  Collection Centre Canadien d'Architecture/
  Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montréal
  Don de Jennifer A.C. Parkin/
  Gift of Jennifer A.C. Parkin
  

  Folder Number:

  018-219-37