Toronto City Hall

Historical Context and Site

The land now occupied by Toronto City Hall and Nathan Phillips Square has a deep and complex history. For generations, this area was part of St. John's Ward, commonly called The Ward, one of Toronto's oldest and most densely populated immigrant neighbourhoods. The Ward developed in the 19th century as a primary settlement area for successive waves of newcomers, including Irish, Jewish, Italian, and Chinese immigrants. It was a place of small businesses, religious institutions, and tightly knit communities where newcomers often found their first homes and support networks. By the early 20th century, city officials increasingly viewed the area as problematic due to overcrowded housing, inadequate sanitation, and public health concerns. This perspective, combined with changing urban planning ideals, set the stage for large-scale redevelopment. The construction of the new civic complex in the 1960s was presented as a symbol of Toronto's future, but it required the removal of much of the physical fabric of this historic past. Most buildings in the block were small two-storey structures, and the area also contained the large Shea's Hippodrome theatre, which operated until 1956.

The Drive for a New Civic Centre

By the end of the Second World War, the old City Hall, designed by E.J. Lennox and opened in 1899, was completely full, forcing municipal employees to work in scattered locations. Interest in a new city hall and a grand civic square was renewed, with plans dating back to early 20th-century proposals inspired by the City Beautiful movement. A 1943 report to city council recommended a new complex on the block bounded by Queen Street West, Bay Street, Chestnut Street, and a line 460 feet north of Albert Street. Voters approved a referendum on New Year's Day in 1947 to spend CA$2 million on land acquisition for this purpose. Acquisitions proceeded, but no further action was taken for years. Initial design proposals in the early 1950s, including one from a partnership of three local architectural firms presented in November 1955, were met with harsh criticism. Their design proposed a conservative, symmetrical limestone-clad building that was panned by architects like Frank Lloyd Wright and Walter Gropius. The entire CA$18 million proposal was scrapped when voters rejected it in the 1955 municipal election, though they did approve in principle the plan to build a new hall and square at that cost.

The International Design Competition

Led by Mayor Nathan Phillips, Toronto City Council decided in 1956 to hold an international design competition, a novel approach for Canada at the time. This required the Ontario Association of Architects to change its rules to allow international entrants, provided they partnered with a local architect. Planning Commissioner Matthew Lawson and advisor Eric Arthur, a University of Toronto architecture professor, selected a five-person jury including Eero Saarinen, Ernesto Nathan Rogers, and Canadian Charles E. Pratt. The competition generated enormous interest, attracting 540 satisfactory entries from 42 countries by the April 18, 1958 deadline, with the United States submitting 132, Canada 75, and Great Britain 65. The entries were displayed in the CNE's Horticulture Building, where jurors assessed scale models placed within a model of the surrounding neighbourhood. Viljo Revell's initial submission was among the discards until Saarinen arrived a day and a half late, demanded to review them, and championed Revell's design. Revell's proposal was reinstated as one of eight finalists, each paid CA$7,500 to develop their designs further over four months. In September 1958, after a late-night deliberation, the jury selected Revell's Neo-Expressionist design. The vote was three to two, with jurors William Holford and Gordon Stephenson dissenting over concerns the design could not be built within the CA$18 million budget.

Reaction and Architectural Significance

Public and critical reaction to the winning design was sharply divided. The announcement by Mayor Phillips, who privately disliked the design, was broadcast live on CBC television. Some architects and critics praised its originality and strength, but others were scathing. Frank Lloyd Wright famously dismissed it as a 'head marker for a grave' and 'the spot where Toronto fell'. Other detractors called the towers 'two sewer pipes standing on end' and a politician said it looked like a 'Mexican Hotel'. Despite this, the jury's formal report to the city praised its monumental qualities as being of a high order and a composition of great strength. The competition itself marked a cultural turning point in Canada, opening a national discussion on the meaning of public buildings and the role of design competitions. It established a new norm for selecting architects for civic projects and inspired similar competitions in cities like Winnipeg, Red Deer, and Brantford. Architectural historian Claude Bergeron describes Toronto's civic square as being 'Canada's first modern civic square', influencing designs in Windsor, West Vancouver, and Whitby. The project marked a point where architectural competitions and public buildings became matters of national public interest.

Construction and Challenges

Construction officially began with a sod-turning ceremony on November 7, 1961. The contract was awarded to Anglin Norcross Ontario for CA$23.58 million, coming in under the revised CA$24 million budget, which allowed city council to add a floor to each tower. The project faced significant delays and challenges throughout its build. Drawings were delivered late to the contractor, and indecision over elements like the location of a cafeteria caused further setbacks. By March 1963, structural work was five months behind schedule, leading city council to vote to stop payments to the contractor and prohibit further design changes. The distinctive exterior of the towers is clad in precast concrete panels with vertical strips of Botticino marble, designed to help the walls sparkle when floodlit. These panels, costing CA$2.5 million, also served as the formwork for the 18-inch-thick reinforced concrete structural walls. A time capsule was placed in a foundation column on November 7, 1962, Mayor Phillips's 70th birthday, containing municipal handbooks, coins, stamps, and microfilms of city newspapers. Tragically, architect Viljo Revell suffered a stroke in the autumn of 1963 while in Mexico and died of a heart attack in October 1964, just one week after his final visit to the site.

Design and Features of the Complex

Toronto City Hall is a seminal example of Neo-Expressionist Modern architecture. Its most distinctive feature is the pair of curved office towers of different heights that bracket the low, saucer-domed council chamber. This sculptural composition was a radical departure from the rectilinear office blocks of the era. Revell paid careful attention to expressing the various functions of city hall, resulting in a form the jury described as the most representative. The towers are clad in panels of precast concrete embedded with thin strips of marble. The building is set within the expansive Nathan Phillips Square, which was designed concurrently as an integral part of the civic complex. The square features a large reflecting pool that converts to a skating rink in winter, concrete ramps and podiums, and the Three-Way Piece No. 2 (The Archer) sculpture by Henry Moore. The design intentionally created a new kind of urban public space for gatherings, protests, and celebrations, becoming the city's primary civic forum. The council chamber and public space design were elements left to the finalists' discretion, and Revell's solution powerfully integrated both.

The Architect's Personal Story

The story of Viljo Revell's involvement with the project is marked by professional triumph and personal difficulty. Upon winning the competition, Revell received a CA$25,000 prize plus an estimated CA$1 million in fees to supervise construction. He and his family moved to Toronto, residing in Don Mills near his local partners' offices. His design collaborators, Heikki Castren, Bengt Lundsten, and Seppo Valjus, whom Revell considered co-architects, also came to Toronto in 1959 for extended stays. A significant complication arose from his residency, as both the Canadian and Finnish governments claimed he owed tax on his city hall work. Revell concluded his tax exposure to both countries exceeded his actual revenue. To resolve this, he moved to Boston in October 1962 to teach at MIT, commuting to Toronto for only three days per week to eliminate Canadian taxation. His health declined after a stroke in 1963, after which he returned to Helsinki and visited the construction site only once more before his death in 1964 at age 54.

Legacy and Contemporary Role

More than six decades after its opening, Toronto City Hall remains one of Canada's most recognizable buildings and a powerful symbol of the city. Nathan Phillips Square serves as the central gathering place for major public events, from New Year's celebrations and cultural festivals to political rallies and vigils. The building itself continues to house the offices of the Mayor, City Councillors, and municipal staff, functioning as the active seat of local government. It is also a popular tourist destination and a staple of Doors Open Toronto, the city's annual architectural open house event held each May. The story of its creation on the site of The Ward continues to inform discussions about urban development, heritage, and the displacement of communities. The international competition that produced it fundamentally changed how Canadian cities approach the design of public buildings, cementing its legacy as a landmark of both architecture and civic planning. The building's image appears in countless photographs and media, solidifying its status as a defining element of Toronto's identity.

Questions about Toronto City Hall

Who designed Toronto City Hall?

Toronto City Hall was designed by Finnish architect Viljo Revell, who won an international design competition in 1958. As per the competition rules set by the Ontario Association of Architects, Revell partnered with the local firm John B. Parkin Associates. The structural engineer for the project was Hannskarl Bandel. Revell's collaborators, whom he considered co-architects, included Heikki Castren, Bengt Lundsten, and Seppo Valjus, who all came to Toronto to work on the project.

When did Toronto City Hall open and how much did it cost?

Toronto City Hall opened in 1965. The final construction budget was settled at CA$24 million, an increase from the originally approved CA$18 million, which required Ontario Municipal Board approval. The construction contract was won by Anglin Norcross Ontario with a bid of CA$23.58 million. Coming in under the CA$24 million budget allowed city council to approve the project and even add an extra floor to each of the two curved towers.

What was on the site before Toronto City Hall was built?

The site was formerly part of The Ward (St. John's Ward), one of Toronto's oldest and most densely populated immigrant neighbourhoods. It housed Toronto's first Chinatown along with small businesses and residences for generations of Irish, Jewish, Italian, and Chinese immigrants. The block also contained the large Shea's Hippodrome theatre. Much of this area was expropriated and bulldozed to make way for the new civic complex, displacing the community which largely relocated west to Dundas Street West and Spadina Avenue.

What was the design competition for Toronto City Hall?

In 1956, Toronto City Council, led by Mayor Nathan Phillips, launched an international design competition to select an architect for the new city hall. It was the first such competition in Ontario to allow international architects. The jury, which included Eero Saarinen, received 540 entries from 42 countries by the deadline. The eight finalists, including I.M. Pei and Viljo Revell, were each paid CA$7,500 to develop their designs further over four months. Revell's winning design was selected after jury deliberations in September 1958.

Can the public visit Toronto City Hall?

Yes, the public can visit Toronto City Hall. The building is open for civic business, and Nathan Phillips Square is a public space hosting numerous events year-round. Furthermore, the building is frequently included in the Doors Open Toronto event, typically held each May, which provides free public access to architecturally significant buildings across the city. The event has run since 2000 and is the largest of its kind in Canada.

Why is the square called Nathan Phillips Square?

The public square adjacent to City Hall is named after Nathan Phillips, who was the Mayor of Toronto from 1955 to 1962. Phillips was the driving political force behind the international competition to build a new city hall. During the construction process, city council voted unanimously to name the square in his honour. The official sod-turning ceremony in 1961 was performed by Phillips, who spoke about the shared dream of the project.

Sources: Wikipedia and current public reporting, checked by the Your Space Hamilton desk. Last updated 2026-10-19.