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.
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.
Title: Plans, sections, elevations and details, Toronto City Hall and Civic Square, Toronto
Dates of creation: 1965
Form: drawings
Catalogued items within this file 15
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
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 4
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
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 4
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
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
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
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
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 1
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
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 1
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
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 1
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
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
