This weekend (May 26 and 27) makes the 8th annual Doors Open in Toronto, with a special focus on new and retrofit green, sustainable buildings.
This year there are 150 building participating, allowing visitors free access to properties that are either not usually open to the public, or would normally charge an entrance fee. Many locations have organized guided tours, displays and activities to enrich the visitor experience.
From heritage landmarks to modern structures, hidden gems, green roofs, places of worship, halls of learning, boardrooms, bedrooms, breweries, lighthouses, mansions, museums, theatres, national historic sites, centres of rail travel, cemeteries, factories, banking halls, architects’ offices and more.
In past years we have visited: The Carlu, Canada Life, Distillery Historic District, The Sharp Centre for Design (aka Ontario College of Art & Design or “The Table Top Building”), George Brown House, the 175 year old Osgoode Halland many others.
I’m not sure what the plan is for this go around, but various venues leap out : The BMO Field soccer stadium at Exhibition Place; Canada’s National Ballet School; Don Valley Brick Works (where some of Infest Wisely was filmed);Four Seasons Opera Centre for the Performing Arts; The MaRS Centre (where I will be for next weeks Mesh conference ); Levitt Goodman House (which we have admired form the street). (Not on the list is the new ROM Crystal which has its opening on June 2nd.)
See the complete list (and schedule ) of buildings to plan your week end.
What a great way to get to know a City!!
There are similar events held at various dates around Ontario, Canada and the world (Great Britain , Europe and New York City )