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Carlaw & Dundas Triangle, Toronto, 2020[for complete experiece open full screen version]  

 
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This surprising urban triangle is part of the Carlaw+Dundas Community Initiative neighbourhood revitalization (CDCI) that began in 2014.

The area is home to dozens of the heritage buildings, parks and significant thoroughfares which are being incorporated into the revitalization project. Initiative key goals include improving streetscapes and public spaces, strengthening the community as a hub for small business and cultural activities, and to maintain the historic industrial character of the area.

"Brick Obelisk" by Pierre Poussin, paced here, was selected to serve as the neighbourhood's signature marker. It is a three-sided pyramid which responds to the shape of the Carlaw+Dundas Triangle.

The maps that Poussin chose for Brick Obelisk are dated 1851, 1899, 1923, 1960, and 2016. They wrap around the obelisk in bands with the earliest map at the base and the current one at its tip.

  Poussin showcases the neighbourhood's development by using rusted corten steel to give the obelisk the appearance of a modern industrial smokestack—a sibling to the two in the area that date back to Leslieville's industrial days.

Toronto's impressive urban development, typically characterized by the rapidly morphing silhouette of the downtown skyline, is not limited to sky-high office buildings and luxury condos. In older Toronto neighbourhoods revitalization projects are cropping up to align community infrastructure with changing demographics and to pay tribute to the literal building blocks of our now-sprawling metropolis.

My personal connection to this space is connected to my project, all the photos and the website, especially to the heritage part of this website, for the Carlaw Industrial Centre, designated heritage building complex, marked with white dotted lines on the map bellow.

I started this project back in 2014 and during frequent visits to the area I was a witness of significant changes happening, converting area previously occupied by heavy industry and manufacturing, mostly neglected over time, to the vibrant "neighbourhood".

  The downtown east neighborhood of Toronto, Leslieville, has become quite popular in the recent years; buildings are being converted to lofts and condominiums, others are under renovation, There is a lot of new development breathing life into structures from the early 20th century.

On the Toronto map from the year 1930, Carlaw Industrial Centre is marked with the red box. Notice that Dundas Street just south of this complex does not exist yet. Today's port area, south of "Roadway" (now Lake Shore Boulevard) is marked as a "Proposed Industrial Zone".

During this challenging period of Covid19 pandemic, whole area, and for that matter the whole world, is much less visited and numerous cafés, restaurants, gyms, boxing and dance studious and other social gathering spots are mostly closed. We all hope that this is just temporary and pedestrian life will come back and value of the social places like this one will be recognized.

One more tought. This might be a path to postmetropolis, what do you think?

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  East York Civic Centre Park, Toronto, Map  
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Last time updated on July 4, 2021 17:20