Misplaced Pages

#348651

33-567: Established in 1909, the Toronto Reference Library initially operated from another building on College Street . In the late-1960s, management of the library was assumed by the Metropolitan Toronto Library Board. Believing the space in the original structure to be inadequate, Raymond Moriyama was tasked to find a new site, and was later commissioned by the board to design a new building for

66-505: A direct relation to the visual impact a building makes, massing is one of the most important architectural design considerations. Massing also has an effect on building energy efficiency . A complex shape can present more opportunities for heat loss through the building envelope. Reducing the number of exterior walls, along with a low vertical surface area to floor area ratio (VFAR) decreases heat loss potential. Some architectural styles are closely associated with massing. For example,

99-484: A mass by removing parts of it). Massing can also be significantly altered by the materials used for the building's exterior, as transparent, reflective, or layered materials are perceived differently. It is widely accepted that architectural design begins by studying massing. From a distance, massing, more than any architectural detail, is what creates the most impact on the eye. Architectural details or ornaments may serve to reinforce or minimize massing. Because it has

132-581: A number of different student services, including the main campus bookstore, career centre, and health clinic. The ornate building is located at the northwest corner of St. George and College Street streets in a building that was formerly the home of the Toronto Reference Library . The building was opened in 1909 as the Toronto Public Library 's Central Reference Library, Ontario's largest Carnegie library . It remained

165-428: A number of items from Toronto based S. Tepper Bigelow. The reference library is the most visited branch of Toronto Public Library, with the Toronto Reference Library averaging more than 1.5 million visitors each year. The library provides members of TPL with access to its collections, event and study rooms, the workstations and computers in the library, and seating; of which there is approximately 1,250 seats available in

198-462: A number of reading events at its 575-seat theatre, free to the public. The reference library has also been the filming location for a number of films and music videos like Red , The Weeknd: Secrets , and The L.A. Complex . Koffler Student Centre The Koffler Student Centre is the main student centre at the University of Toronto , located at 214 College Street . The centre houses

231-534: Is a term in architecture which refers to the perception of the general shape and form as well as size of a building. Massing refers to the structure in three dimensions (form), not just its outline from a single perspective (shape). Massing influences the sense of space which the building encloses, and helps to define both the interior space and the exterior shape of the building. The creation of massing, and changes to it, may be additive (accumulating or repeating masses) or subtractive (creating spaces or voids in

264-426: Is approximately 36 metres (119 ft) at its highest point. The first level is approximately 78 by 78 metres (255 ft × 255 ft). The first level of the structure was designed to align in height with adjacent buildings, with the first level being 14-metre-high (45 ft). The other levels of the building are pushed further back into the property, away from the street; forming a pyramid shape to decrease

297-558: Is used to house the library's collection, with over 1.6 million items on its open shelves. As of March 2016, the library has approximately 15,000 vinyls in its collection. In addition to its regular collection, the reference library also holds several special collections of the Toronto Public Library, many of which are held at the Marilyn & Charles Baillie Special Collections Centre on the building's fifth level, or

330-464: The Bram and Bluma Appel Salon, and a new glass-cube entrance for the building. The renovations were completed on 19 September 2014. The revitalization efforts saw the library expanded in floor size, and a number of technological innovations incorporated into the library, event spaces created, and the reconfiguration of the library's bookshelves. The Toronto Comic Arts Festival Store (TCAF) was opened inside

363-668: The TD Gallery on the building's first level. Over 2 million items are stored in the Marilyn & Charles Bailie Special Collections Centre. The Baldwin Collection of Canadiana is a special collection of primary sources and materials on the history of pre-Confederation Canada. The collection was named after Robert Baldwin , leader of the Reform movement in Upper Canada during the mid-19th century. Rare book collections held at

SECTION 10

#1732775788349

396-459: The Toronto Reference Library initially as a pop-up shop in December 2014. In 2015, it became a long-term store on the ground floor of the library, Page & Panel , but closed in 2022. The building was designed by Raymond Moriyama Architects during the mid-1970s. At 39,626.4 square metres (426,535 sq ft), the five-double-storey building is the largest TPL branch by area. The building

429-418: The Toronto Reference Library. It addition to access to its collections, the library also provides a number of technical services and facilities to the public. As of June 2018, the library operated three 3D printers available for use for TPL members. The library also has a printing press for self-publishing paperbacks, green screen room for photography and sound/video recording. The reference library also hosts

462-517: The central atrium are plant and water features, inspired by the Hanging Gardens of Babylon . Renovations were undertaken from 2009 to 2014, which saw the building expanded to its present size with a transparent glass cube built onto the structure; the glass cube holds an expanded lobby that includes a shop and café. The design of the cube is reminiscent of the original proposal submitted by Moriyama in 1973. Several social spaces were built into

495-445: The city served as predecessors to Toronto Public Library . TPL was established in 1884 within a former Mechanics' Institute building. During the late-19th century, TPL absorbed a number of Mechanics' Institutes Toronto, reorganizing them into public libraries. On 8 September 1909, TPL officially opened the Toronto Reference Library at a building on the northwest corner of College and St. George streets. The Beaux-Arts styled building

528-559: The former library's piano nobile . A second, less prominent ground level entrance, located towards the western part of the College Street façade, balances the composition. This main façade fronting College Street is characterized by a sequence of lower paired windows set in a smooth grey stone wall. Its contrasting yellow brick upper section features six two-storey windows set between Corinthian columns. The original library's reading and reference room overlooked College Street through

561-504: The home of the reference library until 1977, when it relocated to its current home at Bloor and Yonge. The building was then acquired by the University of Toronto , converted into the student services centre, and renamed after university supporter Murray Koffler of Shoppers Drug Mart . Designed by Alfred H. Chapman, the Beaux Arts building features a grand entrance fronting College Street by St. George Street, with stairs rising to

594-644: The large front windows. An addition by Chapman and Oxley in association with Wickson and Gregg was completed along St. George Street in 1930, the theatre was renovated in 1961 by Irving Grossman, and 1985 marked the renovation and restoration of the building headed by Howard D. Chapman (son of Alfred H. Chapman) and Howard V. Walker. The building was listed a heritage structure in Toronto's inventory of heritage properties in 1973. 43°39′33″N 79°23′49″W  /  43.659056°N 79.396895°W  / 43.659056; -79.396895 Massing Massing

627-448: The library board had approved the purchase of the site for C$ 7 million, and allocated a further C$ 23 million to construct a new building. The initial design presented by Moriyama was a similar in design to the current building, although the original designs had the southern and western façade of the structure clad in reflective glass that became transparent at night; with concrete used on its other sides. A direct access point that connected

660-475: The library during the renovations, including an event centre and the special collections rotunda. The revitalization efforts were led by Moriyama & Teshima Architects , the successor architectural firm to Raymond Moriyama Architects. The Toronto Reference Library is the largest public reference library in Canada. Because it operates as a reference library, most items in its collections are non-circulating; with

693-822: The library include the Arthur Conan Doyle collection. The items are held in a Victorian-esque room modelled after the study at 221B Baker Street , the home of Doyle's fictional character Sherlock Holmes . The basis of the collection was formed in 1969, after TPL purchased approximately 500 books from the estate of Toronto-based Arthur Vincent Baillie, 200 of which were books about Holmes. The collection has since expanded to include thousands of original manuscripts, photographs of Doyle, as well as translations of his works. The collection had since been supplemented by over 1,500 items from Harold Mortlake based in London, over 200 editions from American collector Nathan L. Bengis, and

SECTION 20

#1732775788349

726-505: The library's main lobby to Bloor-Yonge subway station was planned although it was not incorporated in the final design. Although the design was initially supported by the library board and the Metro Toronto government, the design faced opposition from the municipal government of Toronto ; with the overuse of glass in the midst of the 1970s energy crisis being questioned, concerns that the structure would be too imposing in contrast to

759-403: The massing of the building. The building was primarily built out of steel reinforced concrete and is clad with orange-reddish brick to match the building material of the other buildings in the area; although glass portions on the sections of the building facing Yonge Street also exists. Street-friendly programming was incorporated into the design of the entrance to provide a "lively connection" from

792-483: The new Toronto Public Library system. In 1999, TPL launched the Virtual Reference Library, providing an online catalogue of the library's collection. From 2009 to 2014, the Toronto Reference Library building underwent a C$ 34 million renovation of its building. The library interior was used as a filming location for Red in 2010. Renovations and expansions to the library during this time includes

825-409: The new building being opened to the public on Asquith Avenue and Yonge Street on 2 November 1977. The former reference library building was closed in 1977, and is presently used as the University of Toronto 's Koffler Student Centre . As a result of Metropolitan Toronto's dissolution and amalgamation into Toronto in 1997, the Metropolitan Toronto Library Board was also dissolved and amalgamated into

858-497: The original building was situated far too west for it to properly serve as a library for the metropolitan region. In 1971, Raymond Moriyama was commissioned by the library board to perform a site study for a replacement building; with the board specifying the location had to be between St. Clair Avenue and Queen Street , and near a Toronto subway station. Moriyama eventually choose a location on Asquith and Yonge Street , partly due to its proximity to Bloor–Yonge station . In 1972,

891-568: The public is unable to borrow these items for use outside the library. In addition to providing access to its collection, the library also hosts a number of public reading events, as well as provide technical access and services to the public. The earliest reference library opened in Toronto was the York Mechanics' Institute , opened to the public in 1830. Acting as a reference library and public resource, Mechanics' Institutes throughout

924-442: The public unable to borrow most of these items for use outside the library. However, the Toronto Reference Library's collections do include a small number of circulating books, DVDs, and musical scores that may be loaned for outside use to TPL members. In 2018, it saw a circulation of over 375,000. Items are largely split between the different levels of the building by discipline and subject. Over 80 kilometres (50 mi) of shelving

957-452: The rest of the neighbourhood, and budgetary concerns resulted in the initial design to be rejected in December 1973. After several months of consultation with the local government, revised designs were approved in April 1974; which slightly reduced the size and height of the building, reduced its massing , and changed its cladding to brick. Construction for the new building began in 1974, with

990-422: The sidewalk. Energy conservation methods were employed in the design of the interior and its HVAC systems. The building climate is regulated through an internal heat pump system that recovers the heat from its lights, visitors, and the solar radiation that passes through the window. The open-space curved central atrium features a skylight and is also designed to allow air to circulate freely. Spread throughout

1023-591: The site. The new building was opened to the public in 1977 as the Metropolitan Toronto Reference Library, and the library continued to operate under that name until 1998, when it reverted to its original name. The building underwent renovations and expansion from 2009 to 2014. The library is the largest public reference library in Canada with an extensive collection of books, manuscripts, microfilm , and other items. Most items in its collection are designated for reference-use only;

Toronto Reference Library - Misplaced Pages Continue

1056-486: Was designed by Wickson & Gregg and Alfred H. Chapman . The building was the largest Carnegie-funded library built in Ontario. When the reference library first opened, its collection contained 97,788 books. In addition to the reference library, a TPL branch with a circulating collection was completed in the basement of the building in 1930, and was opened on 21 April. In 1967, the Metropolitan Toronto Library Board

1089-483: Was established by the Metropolitan Toronto government in order to bring together the resources and collections of the central libraries and library systems within Metro Toronto; including the Toronto Reference Library. By 1968, the board had decided to build a replacement building for the Toronto Reference Library, with spacing becoming an issue in the original 1909 building. Additionally, the board viewed

#348651