Renaissance ROM

If you've walked by the Royal Ontario Museum lately, you've no doubt noticed a gigantic mess of steel beams reaching every which way. Do not worry. The ROM has not sold out to a wrecking yard. Slated to open in the spring of 2006, Renaissance ROM is the Royal Ontario Museum's $200 million restoration and expansion project. Although right now, a few guard dogs would not look out of place.

Currently, less than 5% of the ROM's collection can be exhibited due to lack of space. Even with regular rotations, many important objects never make it to the floor. The decision to expand would have been evitable, but the question is, did the ROM make the right decision in Daniel Libeskind and his multi-crystal design?

Libeskind is also heading the restoration of the Hummingbird Centre and most notably, the new World Trade Centre in New York City. His work is distinctive, super-sized, and favours the use of irregular angles and smooth futuristic surfaces. But flushed against the historical landmark structure of the current ROM building and completely blocking it from the Bloor Street side has made some residents very angry. Others however, are ready for Toronto to join the ranks of other global cities with avant-garde cutting edge architecture.

Whichever side you are on (or perhaps you're undecided), take a peek at the ROM's website. From start to finish, it will all be captured via a webcam located on the roof of the Park Hyatt hotel and broadcasted live on the ROM's website.