Toronto City Hall

The Toronto City Hall, or New City Hall, is the seat of the municipal government of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and one of the city's most distinctive landmarks. Designed by Viljo Revell and engineered by Hannskarl Bandel, the building opened in 1965. The building is located adjacent to Nathan Phillips Square, a public square at the northwest intersection of Bay Street and Queen Street, that was designed and officially opened alongside Toronto City Hall.

Toronto City Hall replaced the neighbouring Old City Hall, which had been occupied by the municipal government since 1899.^[5] The building also served as the seat for the Metropolitan Toronto regional government from 1965 to 1992.

City leaders had been looking to build a more modern city hall to house its growing municipal government since at least 1943, when a report to city council recommended a new city hall and square in the block bounded by Queen Street West, Bay Street, and Chestnut Street. The recommendation was rejected by the electorate in a referendum on New Year's Day in 1947. However, in October 1952, a panel of citizens appointed by city council made the same recommendation. In 1954, leaders selected a partnership of three of Toronto's largest architectural firms: Marani and Morris, Mathers and Haldenby, and Shore and Moffat, to create a design. Presented in November 1955, their design proposed a conservative, symmetrical limestone-clad building in the Modernist style facing a landscaped square. Unlike the design that would ultimately be built, it retained the stone Beaux-Arts Registry Office on the western part of the site and also included a landscaped public space in front of it. The podium of the new city hall was to house the council chambers, and was given columns to complement the eight columns of the Registry Building, with which it was aligned across the new public space in front of it.

The scheme was panned by leading architects, including Frank Lloyd Wright (who called it a "sterilization" and "a cliché already dated") and Walter Gropius (who deemed it a "very poor pseudo-modern design unworthy of the city of Toronto"),^[6] and all classes of the University of Toronto Faculty of Architecture co-authored a letter condemning the proposal and calling for an international competition. The whole $18 million proposal was scrapped when voters rejected it in a December 1955 referendum. The parti was adapted by the architects and built as the Imperial Oil Building on St. Clair Avenue West.

Led by Mayor Nathan Phillips, the Toronto city council decided in 1956 to hold an international competition to choose the new design under terms created by the International Union of Architects.^[7] This caused some controversy as some felt the work should be done by a Canadian. The Ontario Association of Architects (OAA) was persuaded successfully to allow an international competition as long as international architects paired with a local architect.^[8] Planning Commissioner Matthew Lawson and advisor Eric Arthur, a University of Toronto architecture professor, selected a five-person panel of judges from international architecture experts.^[9] The panel included American Eero Saarinen, Briton planner William Holford, British-Canadian Gordon Stephenson, Italian architect Ernesto Nathan Rogers and Canadian architect Charles E. "Ned" Pratt.^[10] One of the conditions was a $5 entry fee, however, Arthur did not specify Canadian funds. Arthur would receive pesos, pesetas, kroner, marks and many currencies, along with books worth more than $5, all of which were returned to failed entries. One entrant offered a free vacation in Hungary.^[11]

The response from architects was enthusiastic. By October 1957, 731 entries were received.^[8]. This was pared down to 540 satisfactory entries by the deadline of April 18, 1958, from 42 countries, led by 132 from the United States, 75 from Canada and Great Britain with 65.^[12] Arthur arranged to rent the CNE's Horticultural Building for two weeks to house all models received. A context model of the surrounding neighbourhood was created and each model was placed in turn in the center of it to judge its overall fit.^[13] The jury "looked primarily for designs that have architectural quality combined with imagination", and "original solutions to this difficult problem." Many of the models followed the style of prominent architects like Mies van der Rohe, Frank Lloyd Wright and Le Corbusier as well as Neo-Classical designs fitting the 1910s era and Soviet-style palaces.^[14] One unique design included a dance floor, bar and orchestra on the ground floor of the public space.^[14] The jury was able to reduce the count of possible designs to 200 rather quickly. The initial discards included Viljo Revell's design. Saarinen arrived a day and half late and demanded to see the discards. He chose Revell's design and convinced the other judges to reconsider it.^[15][16] Revell's design was included among the eight finalists, the only Finnish entry among one Canadian, one Danish and five American designs.^[17] Two alternates, an American and a German design were also chosen, in the event that any of the eight finalists would not continue, although all eight did choose to continue.^[15]

The finalists included:^[18]

• John Andrews,
• Gunnlogson and Nielsen
• William Hayward,
• David Horne,
• Frank Mikutowski,
• I.M. Pei,
• Perkins and Will, and
• Viljo Revell

They were each paid CA$7,500 (equivalent to $79,611 in 2023) to expand upon or revise their submissions and four months to complete a final design.^[15] The finalists were instructed about the total square footage needed, that an reasonably economic structure should be proposed, and to consider the severity of Toronto's climate. The council chamber and public space design was left to the finalists.^[19]

The finished designs of the finalists arrived in September 1958 and were assembled in the Old City Hall. The jurors worked into the early morning of September 26, in time for Mayor Phillips announcement at 8am. The jury decided on Revell's design. The other finalists were judged lower on the basis of one or another characteristic of their designs: entrances, an impractical set of two squares, a lack of expression of the council chamber to the outside, and putting the library in a separate building. Pratt, Rogers and Saarinen voted for Revell's design with Holford and Stephenson dissenting. Holford and Stephenson liked the originality of Revell's design, but were skeptical that the design could be built within the $18 million budget set by the city.^[20]

The win was announced by Mayor Phillips, who actually disliked the winning design, and made snide remarks about it. According to Lawson, Phillips was concerned that voters would not take to the exotic proposal.^[21] The winning model, the finalists and a selection of other designs were displayed in a public exhibition at Eaton's College Street store. Frank Lloyd Wright dismissed Revell's design as a "head marker for a grave" and "the spot where Toronto fell." Some critics called it "two sewer pipes standing on end" and a politician said it looked like a "Mexican Hotel." Arthur stated that Revell had won because he had paid careful attention to the emphasis placed in the conditions of a building that expressed the various functions of City Hall.^[22] The conditions pointed to a 'sculptural' form and Revell's was the "most representative."^[11] Revell's mentor Alvar Aalto, wired Revell: "Seldom does a colleague feel so happy over another's victory."^[11]

Revell received a CA$25,000 (equivalent to $258,388 in 2023) prize plus an estimated $1 million in fees to supervise construction. As part of the OAA conditions, he partnered with John B. Parkin Associates as the local architect.^[23] Revell and his family moved to Toronto, and resided in Don Mills, near the Parkin offices. His design collaborators, Heikki Castren, Bengt Lundsten, and Seppo Valjus also came to Toronto in 1959 for extended stays.^[24] Revell felt strongly that his collaborators were co-architects. Revell faced tax problems leading him to conclude his tax exposure to Canada and Finland exceeded his actual revenue. For this reason, Revell moved to Boston in 1962 and taught at MIT, while commuting to Toronto just three days per week.^[25] Revell suffered a stroke in the autumn of 1963 while in Mexico. After this, Revell returned to Helsinki. After October 1963, Revell only visited Toronto once to view the project. Only a week after his visit in October 1964. Revell died of a heart attack at the age of 54.^[26]

Construction began in 1961, and the building was completed four years later. The time capsule for City Hall was placed in a large ceremony on November 7, 1962 and Governor General Georges Vanier officially opened the new structure on September 13, 1965.^[27]

The area of Toronto City Hall and the civic square was formerly the location of Toronto's first Chinatown, which was expropriated and bulldozed during the mid-1950s in preparation for a new civic building.^[28] On the site of the new public square was the 1917 Land Registry Office. It was designed in the Roman Classical style and was itself intended as part of a prior urban renewal plan for the area. It was demolished in 1964.^[29]

The south side of Queen Street opposite City Hall was considered a 'commercial slum' and in August 1964, Toronto City Council voted to expropriate the south side for development appropriate to the new civic square.^[30] The businesses on that side of the street included two burlesque theatres, pawn shops and a cinema. The south side was vacant at the time of the City Hall opening but was eventually occupied by a new hotel, connected by a bridge over Queen Street to the square.

To the west of the new City Hall, the University Avenue Armouries at University Avenue just north of Osgoode Hall was bought from the Government of Canada for CA$2 million to make way for a new provincial court building and pedestrian mall, as part of the new civic square project.^[31]

The building was officially opened to the public on September 13, 1965, by Georges Vanier, the governor general of Canada. The opening ceremony was attended by 14,000 dignitaries, including Lester B. Pearson, the prime minister of Canada, and John Robarts, the premier of Ontario.^[32]

In 1990, Hester How Daycare Centre was opened in the building, and named after a Toronto teacher Hester How, who helped turn around delinquent boys in the second half of the 19th Century.

City Hall was designated as a property of historical and architectural significance under the Ontario Heritage Act in 1991.

Minor upgrades designed by Toronto architect Bruce Kuwabara were implemented from 1997 to 1998 to connect the two towers and upgrade the council chambers. A green roof was added in late 2009 and opened to over 10,000 visitors on Doors Open Toronto weekend in May 2010. The roof is the largest publicly accessible green roof in the city.^[33][34]

While the building's base is rectangular, its two towers are curved in cross-section and rise to differing heights. The east tower is 27 storeys (99.5 metres (326 ft)) tall and the west tower is 20 storeys (79.4 metres (260 ft)). Between the towers is the saucer-like council chamber, and the overall arrangement is somewhat like two hands cradling the chamber. The outer surfaces of the curve are covered with concrete bearing a rib pattern that provides strength and prevents collapse of the fabric as a result of the expansion of the exterior surfaces, and the tearing apart of the fabric as a result of differences in air pressure on the two sides of each wing-like tower during the high winds characteristic of the Great Lakes. The north, west, and east elevations are more abstract and sculptural in contrast with the extensive glazing of south elevation facing the square; each presents a view of concave panels of concrete textured with split-faced strips of Botticino marble. To the east of the square is Old City Hall which was converted to courts and was vacated in spring 2025.^[35]

From the air, the building is seen as a giant unblinking eye, thus the building's original nickname of "The Eye of Government". When finished, the building generated widespread controversy among many who felt that it was "too futuristic" for the city.^[36] In Arthur's 1964 book, Toronto, No Mean City, he praised the new City Hall, writing: "Taller buildings will be built before the end of the century here and elsewhere in North America, but there will be no comparable or no more renowned city hall."^[37]

The building also includes observation decks. The East Tower Observation on the 27th floor is closed to the public, although access to the observation deck, and other areas in the building complex, have been provided during the annual Doors Open Toronto event.^[38] Access to the floor is via two sets of stairs as elevators end at 25th floor.

The building also includes a branch of the Toronto Public Library, although it has been reduced in size since its opening.^[39]

The city council chambers is a semi-circular room located on the second floor supported on a single massive column below. On the main level of the chambers are the seats for the 25 members of council, arranged in a semi-circle.

In front of the councillors is the podium and seat for the Speaker of Toronto City Council (or Deputy Speaker when Speaker is not present). Flanking the Speaker are two long tables for Commissioners (i.e., department heads); City Manager, Deputy City Manager, City Solicitor and Chief Financial Officer are seated to the right and City Staff on the left. In front of the Speaker is the horseshoe shaped desk for the City Clerk and Clerk staff. The mayor, is seated amongst councillors in the first row to the Speaker's right. A removable podium is located to the right of the Speaker for guest speakers. The room is covered by a shallow dome resting on 23 pairs of v-shaped supports that rise from the base. The space behind the supports is filled with glass.^[40]

Behind the councillors is the public seating gallery which accommodates 250 in tiered rows. Adjacent to City Council chambers are two committee rooms, as well as the offices of the mayor and city councillors. Two sets of elevators provide access to the floors below (ground floor and to the parking garage below).

The design for the public space in front of the new city hall, Nathan Phillips Square, was part of the competition. The square's reflecting pool and concrete arches, fountain, and overhead walkways were thus also part of Revell's submission. It has since seen several monuments, sculptures, and other works of public art added, and was renovated, but it continues to complement the city hall with its original Modernist design elements.

The public square is one of the main hosts of different festivals and events in Toronto. New Year's celebrations are held there every year which include fireworks and musical performances. The annual Cavalcade of Lights Festival decorates the square from the end of November until the end of December.

Even as early as 1969, the building appeared as a futuristic alien building in a Star Trek comic; it was later seen in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Contagion" as one of the possible destinations of an alien portal.^[41] The 2010 film Red featured Toronto City Hall and various other city locations.^[42]

• Metro Hall
• East York Civic Centre
• Etobicoke Civic Centre
• North York Civic Centre
• Scarborough Civic Centre
• York Civic Centre

• City of Toronto's history page
• Historical photos: Viljo Revell, the design competition, construction, and opening
• Emporis database listing
• Open Buildings:Toronto City Hall profile Archived March 25, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
• Contemporary photo gallery Archived January 20, 2020, at the Wayback Machine
• A grand design: Toronto City Hall and Square competition - submissions from architects for the 1958 design competition