Interwoven in this narrative is the specific story of this competition and its participants. The competition jury was comprised of a broad spectrum of progressive architectural and urban planning tendencies, and who were familiar with design issues in both North America and Europe: Sir William Holford (1907 – 1975) from London, England; Charles Edward “Ned” Pratt (1911 – 1996) from Vancouver; Ernesto Nathan Rogers (1909 – 1969) from Milan, Italy; Eero Saarinen (1910 – 1961), who had served on the jury for the Sydney Opera House; and Gordon Stephenson (1908 – 1997), who had recently arrived in Toronto from Britain. This jury represented a mix of national origins, professional backgrounds, and architectural formations, and a cross-section of proto-and neo-modernists, signalling to all entrants the progressive and international ambitions of this competition. The balance of critics, educators, and practitioners lent an air of experimentation to the competition.

The conditions for the Toronto City Hall and Square competition closely followed established precedents recognized by the Union Internationale d’Architects (UIA). It would be an open, two-stage competition with eight finalists. The only stipulation: entrants must be “authorized to practise in their own country.” Finalists would be awarded $7,500, and the winning entry a cash prize of $25,000 and the commission. In an effort to encourage broad participation by architects at all stages in their careers and avoid causing them undue hardship, submission requirements were modest: a small massing model, unrendered plans, and elevations, sections, and perspective drawings in pencil or ink. Furniture layouts were required only for important rooms and spaces. 

The competition brief comprised the City Hall complex, a civic square, and a library. Program requirements for the City Hall included the creation of a grand space for the public to access government services, the council chamber and offices for elected officials and their staff, and offices for the official registration of personal information and property transactions. The civic square had been an ambition of the city since its first plan of 1905. Few parameters were set for this public space, except a limitation on above-grade construction in the southern quarter of the site, where an underground parking garage was already under construction. Lastly, a library was proposed to serve both public and municipal use. No height limitations were imposed for the city hall.

By its closing date in April 1958, an astonishing 509 bona fide entries had been received, making this the largest architectural competition of its kind to date. Entries came from 42 countries, with the largest percentage originating in the USA (26%), followed by Canada (16%) and the United Kingdom (13%). The majority of Canadian entrants were from Ontario (62%), and over one-quarter were submitted by Quebec-based architects (27%). The Commonwealth accounted for over one-third of entries (35%), Europe accounted for almost one-quarter (24%), and Central and South America approximately 7%. Japan represented the largest number of non-western submissions (5%), followed by India (2%). The number of female participants is not known, but, writing in the Toronto Globe and Mail, art critic Lotta Dempsey identified at least five (1%). 

Of the 509 entries, seven submissions were received from Indian architects: Dr. V. J. Mistry (New Delhi, Entry Number 8), V. H. Karandikar (Bombay, Entry Number 23), P. M. Thacker (Madras, Entry Number 40), A. P. Kanvinde (New Delhi, Entry Number 336), B. V. Doshi (Ahmedabad, Entry Number 339), B. D. Kshirsagar (Luckhow, Entry Number 458), and J. Narwekar (Bombay Entry Number 460). An eighth architect, D. M. Asarpota (Ahmedabad, Entry Number 476) was registered but it appears that no materials were submitted. Submissions were micro-filmed and models photographed before being returned to architects. Extant records of each of these submissions are available on the website of the Toronto Public Library.  

The names of the eight finalists were made public shortly after the end of stage one evaluation: Perkins and Will of White Plains, NY; David Horne of Toronto; William Beckley Hayward of Philadelphia, PA; Halldor Gunnløgsson and Jørn Nielsen of Copenhagen, Denmark; Frank Mikutowski of St. Paul, MN; Viljo Revell of Helsinki, Finland; John Andrews of Cambridge, MA; and Ieoh Ming Pei and Associates of New York City. On September 26, 1958, Toronto’s Mayor Nathan Phillips announced that the design by Finnish architect Viljo Revell had been selected as the winning entry.

The winning design stands out for its simplicity and clarity. Revell located the city hall on the northern third of the site, creating a two-storey podium on which he placed a pair of curving towers with a low broad dome nestled in between, containing the council chamber. Spaces flow directly from the outdoor civic plaza to the indoor public access areas. The under-surface of the council chamber’s dome is an inverted reflection of its profile, and forms an important feature of the interior public space. The low building contains public access areas and offices for elected officials, while the towers contains office space, which focuses inwardly upon the domed structure at the centre.

Toronto’s 1958 city hall competition had enduring and far-reaching effects. Toronto was ready for the competition and its citizens eager for their city hall to reflect their aspirations for the future. As with Expo 67 a decade later, the competition for the new city hall represented a new spirit in architecture. Not only did it produce an elegant building and handsome public space, it became an energizing symbol for the post-war inhabitants of a fast-growing metropolis. It raised the profile of public architecture in Canada and provided an impetus for aspiring young architects to pursue modern design in Canadian buildings. Civic leaders and their constituencies sought to replicate these ideals both in form and in spirit in their own communities. The assertive and unapologetic modernism of Toronto’s city hall provided a catalyst and vision for transforming Canada’s architectural imagery. Departing from European neo-classicism and regional adaptations of the traditional architecture of French and English Canada, the new spirit of Canadian architecture was progressive, reshaping national identity and reflecting a modern country. 

In 2016, an exhibition and book celebrated the 50th anniversary of the competition. The book, Competing Modernisms: Toronto’s New City Hall and Square (Dalhousie Architectural Press, 2015), authored by Professor George Thomas Kapelos of Ryerson University (Toronto), with an introduction by Christopher Armstrong chronicled the competition and its impact on Canadian architectural culture. Weaving a tale that is equal parts civic, cultural, and architectural history, this thoroughly illustrated publication explores the impact of the competition on the design of public institutions and urban spaces in Canada, and reflects upon the value of architectural competitions as modern architecture developed in the mid-20th century. It features a selection of over 50 official entries each illustrated with original drawings and models, as well as a complete listing of the more than 500 participating architects and architectural firms. The submission by Indian architect, B. V. Doshi, was one of the twenty-five international entries that were included in this publication. It was published to coincide with the exhibition “Shaping Canadian Modernity: The 1958 Toronto City Hall and Square Competition and Its Legacy,” held at the Paul H. Cocker Architecture Gallery, Ryerson University (Toronto) from September 1 to October 9, 2015. 

George Thomas Kapelos OAA, FRAIC
Professor, Department of Architectural Science
Ryerson University
Toronto, Ontario Canada