BCE Place
Encyclopedia
Brookfield Place is an office complex in Downtown
Toronto
, Ontario
, Canada
, comprising the 2.1 hectare (5.2 acre) block bounded by Yonge Street
to the east, Wellington Street West to the north, Bay Street
to the west, and Front Street
to the south. The complex contains 242000 square metres (2,604,866 sq ft) of office space, and consists of two towers, the Bay Wellington Tower and the TD Canada Trust Tower, linked by the six-storey Allen Lambert
Galleria. Brookfield Place is also the home of the Hockey Hall of Fame
.
and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the tower was completed in 1990 was known as the Canada Trust
Tower until 2000 when Canada Trust was purchased by the Toronto-Dominion Bank
. The "TD" logo is prominently displayed on the Canada Trust Tower, unlike the nearby towers of the Toronto-Dominion Centre
.
Although Brookfield Place is a modern office complex, it contains a significant heritage component. In the 19th century, this block was described in the Globe newspaper as "the most valuable business block in the city", although much of it was subsequently destroyed in the 1904 Toronto fire
. The fire spared a row of a dozen commercial buildings at the corner of Yonge and Wellington streets, the facades of which were restored decades later and incorporated "in situ" into the Brookfield Place development. The facade of the 1890s-era Merchants' Bank building, originally located on Wellington Street, was similarly restored, although it was moved and incorporated into the Allen Lambert Galleria. The opulent former Bank of Montreal
branch at the northwest corner of Yonge and Front streets, built in 1885, also forms part of the complex, and now serves as part of the Hockey Hall of Fame. It contains portraits of all Hall of Fame inductees, and houses a number of hockey trophies, including the Stanley Cup
.
Brookfield Place is connected to the underground PATH
system and to the subway
. Brookfield Commercial Properties owns the Bay Wellington Tower, and OMERS Realty owns the TD Canada Trust Tower.
which connects Bay Street with Heritage Square. The six storey high pedestrian thoroughfare is structured by eight freestanding supports on each side of the Galleria, which branch out into parabolic shapes evoking a forest canopy or a tree-lined avenue because of the presence of building facades along the sides of the structure.
The Galleria was the result of an international competition and was incorporated into the development in order to satisfy the City of Toronto's public art
requirements. It is a frequently photographed space, and is heavily featured as a backdrop for news reports, as well as TV and film productions.
The parabolic, arched roof that Santiago Calatrava created for the assembly hall of the Wohlen High School in Switzerland is generally considered to be a precursor of the vaulted, parabolic ceiling in the Galleria.
Downtown Toronto
Downtown Toronto is the central business district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is approximately bounded by Bloor Street to the north, Lake Ontario to the south, the Don River to the east, and Bathurst Street to the west...
Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, comprising the 2.1 hectare (5.2 acre) block bounded by Yonge Street
Yonge Street
Yonge Street is a major arterial route connecting the shores of Lake Ontario in Toronto to Lake Simcoe, a gateway to the Upper Great Lakes. It was formerly listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest street in the world at , and the construction of Yonge Street is designated an "Event of...
to the east, Wellington Street West to the north, Bay Street
Bay Street
Bay Street, originally known as Bear Street, is a major thoroughfare in Downtown Toronto. It is the centre of Toronto's Financial District and is often used by metonymy to refer to Canada's financial industry since succeeding Montreal's St. James Street in that role in the 1970s...
to the west, and Front Street
Front Street (Toronto)
Front Street is an east-west road in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The street marks the rough outline of the shoreline of Lake Ontario as it existed during the original English settlement of York, then called Palace Street...
to the south. The complex contains 242000 square metres (2,604,866 sq ft) of office space, and consists of two towers, the Bay Wellington Tower and the TD Canada Trust Tower, linked by the six-storey Allen Lambert
Allen Lambert
Allen Thomas Lambert, OC was a Canadian banker and former Chairman of the Toronto-Dominion Bank.-Junior to General Manager:...
Galleria. Brookfield Place is also the home of the Hockey Hall of Fame
Hockey Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
.
Design
The Bay Wellington Tower is a 49 storey office tower, designed by Bregman + Hamann Architects and completed in 1992. The TD Canada Trust Tower is noted for its recessed design and spire on the upper levels and stands at 53 storeys. Designed by Bregman + Hamann ArchitectsBregman + Hamann Architects
B+H Architects , founded in 1953, is an international architecture, interior design and urban planning firm...
and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the tower was completed in 1990 was known as the Canada Trust
Canada Trust
CT Financial Services Inc. was a trust company that was founded in London, Ontario and later had its headquarters in Toronto, Ontario and operated in Canada through subsidiaries including Canada Trustco Mortgage Company and The Canada Trust Company...
Tower until 2000 when Canada Trust was purchased by the Toronto-Dominion Bank
Toronto-Dominion Bank
The Toronto-Dominion Bank , is the second-largest bank in Canada by market capitalization and based on assets. It is also the sixth largest bank in North America. Commonly known as TD and operating as TD Bank Group, the bank was created in 1955 through the merger of the Bank of Toronto and the...
. The "TD" logo is prominently displayed on the Canada Trust Tower, unlike the nearby towers of the Toronto-Dominion Centre
Toronto-Dominion Centre
The Toronto-Dominion Centre, or Centre, is a cluster of buildings in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, consisting of six towers and a pavilion covered in bronze-tinted glass and black painted steel. It serves as the global headquarters of the Toronto-Dominion Bank, as well as providing office and...
.
Although Brookfield Place is a modern office complex, it contains a significant heritage component. In the 19th century, this block was described in the Globe newspaper as "the most valuable business block in the city", although much of it was subsequently destroyed in the 1904 Toronto fire
1904 Toronto fire
The Great Fire of Toronto of 1904 was the second great fire that destroyed a large section of Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada on April 19, 1904.-Incident:The fire was first spotted at 8:04 p.m. by a constable on his regular street patrol...
. The fire spared a row of a dozen commercial buildings at the corner of Yonge and Wellington streets, the facades of which were restored decades later and incorporated "in situ" into the Brookfield Place development. The facade of the 1890s-era Merchants' Bank building, originally located on Wellington Street, was similarly restored, although it was moved and incorporated into the Allen Lambert Galleria. The opulent former Bank of Montreal
Bank of Montreal
The Bank of Montreal , , or BMO Financial Group, is the fourth largest bank in Canada by deposits. The Bank of Montreal was founded on June 23, 1817 by John Richardson and eight merchants in a rented house in Montreal, Quebec. On May 19, 1817 the Articles of Association were adopted, making it...
branch at the northwest corner of Yonge and Front streets, built in 1885, also forms part of the complex, and now serves as part of the Hockey Hall of Fame. It contains portraits of all Hall of Fame inductees, and houses a number of hockey trophies, including the Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
.
Brookfield Place is connected to the underground PATH
PATH (Toronto)
PATH is a network of pedestrian tunnels beneath the office towers of Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. According to Guinness World Records, PATH is the largest underground shopping complex in the world with 371,600 m² PATH is a network of pedestrian tunnels beneath the office towers of Downtown...
system and to the subway
Toronto subway and RT
The Toronto subway and RT is a rapid transit system in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, consisting of both underground and elevated railway lines, operated by the Toronto Transit Commission . It was Canada's first completed subway system, with the first line being built under Yonge Street, which opened in...
. Brookfield Commercial Properties owns the Bay Wellington Tower, and OMERS Realty owns the TD Canada Trust Tower.
Allen Lambert Galleria
The Allen Lambert Galleria, sometimes described as the "crystal cathedral of commerce", is an atrium designed by Spanish architect Santiago CalatravaSantiago Calatrava
Santiago Calatrava Valls is a Spanish architect, sculptor and structural engineer whose principal office is in Zürich, Switzerland. Classed now among the elite designers of the world, he has offices in Zürich, Paris, Valencia, and New York City....
which connects Bay Street with Heritage Square. The six storey high pedestrian thoroughfare is structured by eight freestanding supports on each side of the Galleria, which branch out into parabolic shapes evoking a forest canopy or a tree-lined avenue because of the presence of building facades along the sides of the structure.
The Galleria was the result of an international competition and was incorporated into the development in order to satisfy the City of Toronto's public art
Public art
The term public art properly refers to works of art in any media that have been planned and executed with the specific intention of being sited or staged in the physical public domain, usually outside and accessible to all...
requirements. It is a frequently photographed space, and is heavily featured as a backdrop for news reports, as well as TV and film productions.
The parabolic, arched roof that Santiago Calatrava created for the assembly hall of the Wohlen High School in Switzerland is generally considered to be a precursor of the vaulted, parabolic ceiling in the Galleria.