People are trying to save Toronto's iconic cube house from demolition

Dozens of artists, creative professionals, tenants, and community advocates in Toronto are coming together as part of a last-ditch effort to save one of the city's most eccentric buildings — the Cube House. 

Built in 1996 at 1 Sumach Street by architect Ben Kutner and his partner, Jeff Brown, the intriguing trio of giant green boxes have long mystified both pedestrians and drivers heading to and from the Don Valley Parkway. 

The unusual building — inspired by Dutch architect Piet Blom's work in Rotterdam and Helmond — might cease to exist very soon, as a proposed 35-storey mixed-use development is slated to take its place. 

A fundraiser was launched earlier this month by local artists and creatives who regularly use the building's studio spaces to save the quirky piece of architecture from demolition. 

The future is still uncertain for Toronto's bizarre cube house https://t.co/bir3n0rABh #Toronto pic.twitter.com/F1oANvyu9l

— blogTO (@blogTO) March 15, 2020

"To many local artists, musicians, producers, and creative professionals it's considered a unique and iconic architectural structure, the inside of which they call their creative home," the campaign reads. 

"At The Cube, we offer not only fully functional recording studios for all avenues and trades in the creative/music/audio industries, we also curate experiences unlike any other, providing all the equipment, sound/mixing gear, visual & light equipment, creative production setups, and space for creative inspiration/motivation to create and produce such innovative projects and creative projects," concerned advocates wrote. 

"To keep the Cube House and the creative industry in Toronto alive, we are opening up any donations to keep up with rental costs and costs needed for production maintenance and space upkeep needed to keep the studio space from demolishment, and with only two weeks (January 31) time to save the Cube." 

This is what Toronto's bizarre cube house could soon be replaced with https://t.co/kjfKxYbQmb #Toronto #TorontoRealEstate #RealEstate

— blogTO (@blogTO) August 23, 2021

Designed by architects at gh3*, the proposed mixed-use development for Block Developments will deliver 119 affordable purpose-built rental house units along with 324 market condominium suites. 

The landmark building does have "listed status" in the City of Toronto's Heritage Register, which includes properties that are "believed to have culture heritage value but are not designated." 

Unfortunately, non-designated listed properties do not have any protection under the Ontario Heritage Act, except that an owner must give the council at least "60 days' notice of their intention to demolish or remove a structure" from the property. 

"Any donation amount helps and will be used in any capacity to keep The Cube and its community of artists and producers alike, alive — whether it be at the Toronto cultural landmark that is The Cube House, or another creative hub," the fundraiser concludes. 

At the time of publication, the campaign has raised a little over $300 out of its $10,000 goal.