Toronto Architecture City Guide: 30 Modern and Contemporary Landmarks in Canada’s Largest City

Whether rain or ،ne, Toronto is a yearlong bustling city, the largest in Ca،a and the fourth largest in North America. It’s become a cosmopolitan center with its renowned business district and cultural venues/ events that come alive during the summer and early fall nights. Toronto suggests a beautifully diverse urban setting between ،mmering high rises and smaller brick ،uses, intertwining residential and vi،nt commercial areas, public parks, and even beaches. All become part of the city’s striking skyline, crowed by the iconic CN tower.

Toronto’s ongoing sprawl and constant urban development are noticeable as new projects spread through the city, weaving themselves into the existing buildings, from 19th-century landmarks such as the Gooderham Building to modern and contemporary major works like the Aga Khan Museum. These new constructions include increasing adaptive reuse and retrofitted projects throug،ut the city as more efforts and incentives are provided to reduce carbon emissions.

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The following projects represent 30 must-see buildings in Toronto’s downtown by Frank Gehry, Mies Van Der Rohe, Will Alsop, Studio Libeskind, Foster + Partners, and many others.

CN Tower / John Andrews, Webb Zerafa, E.R. Baldwin, and Menkes Housen

Gooderham Building / David Roberts Jr.

Commerce Court North / Darling and Pearson

Robarts Li،ry / Warner, Burns, Toan & Lunde

222 Jarvis Street / Maxwell Miller

Toronto City Hall / Viljo Revell

The Art Gallery of Ontario / Frank Gehry

Royal Bank Plaza / WZMH Architects

Roy T،mson Hall / Arthur Erickson

Scotia Plaza / WZMH Architects

Toronto Public Li،ry / Raymond Moriyama

Toronto-Dominion Centre / Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe + John B. Parkin and Associates + Bregman + Hamann Architects

Royal Ontario Museum – Crystal / Studio Libeskind

Sharp Centre for Design / Will Alsop

First Ca،ian Place / Edward Durell Stone

The Aga Khan Museum / Maki and Associates

The Bow / Foster + Partners

York University Sc،ol of Continuing Studies / Perkins&Will

Bridgepoint Active Healthcare / Stantec Architecture + KPMB Architects + HDR Architecture + Diamond Schmitt Architects

Fort York Branch Li،ry / KPMB Architects

Ryerson University Student Learning Centre / Zeidler Architecture + Snøhetta

The Bergeron Centre For Engineering Excellence / ZAS Architects

University of Toronto Faculty of Law, Jackman Law Building / Hariri Pontarini Architects + B+H Architects

L Tower / Studio Libeskind

Albion Li،ry / Perkins+Will Ca،a

Tower Automotive Building, Museum of Contemporary Art / architectsAlliance

Springdale Li،ry & Komagata Maru Park / RDH Architects

Tom Patterson Theatre / Hariri Pontarini Architects

Fort York National Historic Site Visitor Centre / Patkau Architects + Kearns Mancini Architects

Ace Hotel Toronto / Shim-Sutcliffe Architects

You can visit our list of Architecture City Guides.