page_title: Architecture of Toronto
section_title: Government
hierarchical_section_title: Architecture of Toronto / Institutional architecture / Government
caption_attribution_description: Night view of the Toronto City Hall
context_page_description: The architecture of Toronto is an eclectic combination of architectural styles, ranging from 19th century Georgian architecture, to 21st century postmodern architecture and beyond. Initially, the city was on the periphery of the architectural world, embracing styles and ideas developed in Europe and the United States with only limited local variation. However, a few unique styles of architecture have emerged from Toronto, such as the bay and gable style house and the Annex style house.
  Toronto's older buildings are influenced by the city's history and culture. Most of the city's older buildings adopted designs found in other areas of the British Empire, such as Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian, and various revival-styled designs that were popular during the 19th and early 20th century. In the years following World War II, the city experienced massive growth and adopted a number of modernist and postmodernist architectural styles, including the International Style and the towers in the park concept. With adoption of the Greenbelt throughout the Greater Toronto Area in 2005, the region has experienced a large condo boom with many designs adopting neo-futurism and neomodern styles.
context_section_description: Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario. The Romanesque Ontario Legislature is one of the most prominent monuments in the city, forming a terminating vista at the end of University Avenue. To the east of the legislature are a number of governmental buildings, with the best known being the Whitney Block. Constructed over many decades, they embrace a number of different styles. The provincial government have been unwilling to pay for structures as lavish as those of the private sector, and few of the provincial buildings are of much prominence.
  Two of the most distinct and well-known structures in downtown Toronto are the old and current city halls. The Old City Hall was built in 1899 and is a prominent example of the late Victorian Romanesque Revival style. Across the street is the starkly different new Toronto City Hall opened in 1965. This brashly modernist structure was designed by Finnish architect Viljo Revell. It fronts Nathan Phillips Square, which was also designed by Revell. Today, both buildings are considered symbols of the city. The 3D Toronto sign was installed in Nathan Phillips Square for the 2015 Pan American Games and the sign was later made permanent.
caption: The modernist design of Toronto City Hall was a result of a competition, after the original proposal was negatively received. The photo was taken in 2008.
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