Tag Archives: architecture

In Ontario, Arts and Crafts architecture may be referred to as English Domestic Revival, English Cottage, or Cotswold Cottage. Many other terms may be in common use, reflecting pastoral ideals or country influence on a particular design, but most commonly architects and home owners are familiar with the term Arts and Crafts. In Cabbagetown, among many other old architectural forms, the Arts and Crafts style can be found on two streets in the Cabbagetown South Heritage District: Nasmith Avenue and Gifford Street.    The Arts and Crafts Movement Arts and Crafts originates back to the Industrial Revolution, when a social …

The Cabbagetown Northwest Conservation District is abundant with cherished Victorian homes. This neighbourhood’s rich diversity of 19th-century properties coalesce into one distinct identity for Toronto. Architectural styles such as the Bay and Gable, Gothic Revival, Second Empire, Georgian, and Worker’s Cottage are common in this area; however, there are three properties in the heritage district that stand-out from the rest: 29 Aberdeen Avenue, 216 Carlton Street, and 5-7 Millington Street. What’s so special about these homes is that they are examples of contemporary architecture; they mark the turn of the 20th-century in Cabbagetown. Contemporary Architecture Characteristics Defining contemporary architecture is …

The Winchester Hotel is a three-and-a-half storey red brick structure, adjoined to the equally renowned Winchester Hall, located at the south-east corner of Parliament and Winchester. Sometimes referred to as the Lake View Hotel, architects Kennedy and Holland completed the building’s construction in 1888, contributing a much needed low-rise lodge to the neighbourhood. In 1941, architect Benjamin Swartz altered the hotel’s interior, changing the design to fit the tropes of the Art Moderne style. Today, the Winchester Hotel is still opened for business and stands as a fundamental Second Empire example in Cabbagetown, despite alterations to the interior. Key Characteristics …

The St. James the Less Chapel has served as both a parish church and cemetery for the historic St. James Cathedral for over a century, making it one of Toronto’s central cultural facilities. The rich origins of the St. James the Less Chapel compel tourists and historians from all around the world to visit the Cabbagetown community and walk the Chapel’s religious grounds every year. As St. James the Less Chapel is a also a bold example of Gothic Revival architecture, the structure is considered to be a great pride of the Cabbagetown Conservation District. A Brief History of the St. …