best building toronto

People have thoughts about which building best symbolizes Toronto

Okay, so most of us can probably agree that the CN Tower is Toronto's most iconic structure (nerd fact: it's technically not classified as a building), but the runner-up to this prized title appears to still be very much up for debate.

Brandon Donnelly, Managing Director of Development at Slate Asset Management, reached out to his Twitter following on Wednesday evening with a simple question, asking, "Next to the CN Tower, which building or structure would you say best symbolizes Toronto?"

And the Toronto Twitter world had thoughts, dozens of people chiming in with a mix of thoughtful contributions and classic internet sarcasm.

A top-ranking choice was City Hall, lauded not just for its Modernist design but also what it represented for a growing city in the mid-20th century. It was even featured in Star Trek.

One of Toronto's tallest buildings, Scotia Plaza, was another clear favourite, its Postmodern design and red granite cladding among the most recognizable points in our skyline.

Though the CN Tower might be the most globally-known icon of Toronto, one only has to look next door for another prominent landmark known by sports fans worldwide.

One commenter even argues that the title clearly belongs to the Cinesphere, the illuminated globe-like movie theatre at Ontario Place, home to the world's first permanent IMAX screen.

Even single-family homes got a mention, specifically the bay-and-gable-style houses that define many of Old Toronto's quiet, residential streets.

In the sarcastic nomination department, we saw everything from the nondescript condo towers that increasingly dominate our skyline to local landmarks known more for their questionable patronage than their architectural contributions to our cityscape.

Other nominations were less mocking, including the famous flatiron Gooderham Building, the famous "crystal cathedral of commerce" at Brookfield Place, and even the Eaton Centre.

Lead photo by

Jack Landau


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