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Festivals and Parties  » "Doors Open" - Toronto's Architectural Festival - Free of

"Doors Open" - Toronto's Architectural Festival - Free of

Article:

You may have figured out by now that I am bit of an architecture

buff. Well, the great thing is, since 2000 Toronto has its very

own free-access architecture weekend where you can get access to

more than 140 interesting buildings, many of which are usually

closed to the public.

It's a great event and it's grown every year, both in attendance

and buildings to visit. This year Doors Open will be held on May

28 and 29, 2005. Locals and visitors alike enjoy getting

first-hand access to some of Toronto's unique architectural

gems. Here is an interview with Kristen Juschkewitsch, (Acting)

Supervisor, Museums and Heritage Services, for the City of

Toronto's Culture Department.

1. Please give us a brief overview of the annual "Doors Open

Toronto" event. When is it held, what type of event is it?

One weekend, once a year in May, over 100 Toronto buildings open

their doors for free inviting residents and tourists to step

inside. The 2-day event, taking place Saturday and Sunday, May

28 & 29, celebrates Toronto's architecture, urban design,

cultural spaces and places. Visitors can explore places of

worship, roof gardens, industrial sites, police stations,

historic houses, campuses, transportation hugs, architects'

offices, theatres, contemporary structures, urban landmarks and

more.

This year, 148 extraordinary buildings are taking part and many

of the participating buildings are not normally open to the

public. Most venues organize guided tours, special exhibits or

activities to enrich the experience. Doors Open Toronto is

designed to appeal to an audience with different interests,

cultural backgrounds and ages. The event is a success because

not only does it allow Torontonians the opportunity to express

extraordinary enthusiasm for their city, but also it taps into

people's interest in architecture, history and allows them to be

part of their community.

Visit www.doorsopen.org for complete details.

2. Please tell us a bit about the history of "Doors Open". Who

came up with the idea, how did it come about?

Karen Black, Manager of Museums and Heritage Services, City of

Toronto Culture Division and Jane French, Project Manager, Doors

Open Toronto, brought Doors Open to Toronto. Developed as a

millennium project for May 2000 and modeled on Doors Open Days

in Scotland, Doors Open Toronto was the first of its kind in

North America.

Doors Open Toronto is a signature event of the City of Toronto

Culture Division, which is committed to the development and

promotion of arts and culture in the city. The event relies on

the support of its sponsors, partners and volunteers in the

community. Without this level of support Doors Open Toronto

wouldn't be the success it is today.

3. How has the event evolved since the beginning? And how big is

the attendance? Please give us some of the facts and figures.

In its first year, Doors Open Toronto attracted over 70,000

visitors to 96 buildings. Over the past five years, there has

been a steady climb in attendance due to the event's growing

popularity. In 2004 over 185,000 visits were logged at 155 of

the Doors Open Toronto participating locations. These figures

clearly show that the Doors Open weekend has struck a chord with

Torontonians and visitors alike.

The success of Doors Open Toronto can be measured in a variety

of ways. As I mentioned, the number of participating buildings

has grown from 96 in the first year to 155 last May. Also,

architects, developers, leaders in education, business,

cultural, recreational and faith communities from around the

city now approach us wanting to participate.

Doors Open Toronto has inspired programs throughout Ontario with

the launch of Doors Open Ontario by the Ontario Heritage

Foundation in 2002. The Heritage Canada Foundation has

encouraged communities across Canada, including St. John's and

Calgary, in developing their own Doors Open programs.

In October 2003 Open House New York was launched with generous

acknowledgement from organizers of the influential role played

by Doors Open Toronto. The First Annual Doors Open Denver was

also a huge success this past April.

4. What type of buildings does it include and how many? Are

these buildings accessible at other times of year?

The program allows visitors free access to architecturally

and/or culturally significant properties that are either not

usually open to the public, or would normally charge an entrance

fee. Buildings are selected based on a number of criteria

developed by the City's Culture Division including buildings of

architectural and/or historic significance, not normally open to

the public; sites that are open to the public to some degree

i.e. theatres, places of worship, museums, etc. are required to

provide behind-the-scenes access and/or enhanced interpretive

programming; significant interior spaces with original design

and/or successful adaptive re-use features and buildings

representing the cultural diversity of Toronto

The roster of buildings reflects Toronto's built heritage and

cultural diversity, ranging from War of 1812-era structures to a

modern mosque and environmentally progressive 'green' buildings.

We have 148 buildings across the city opening their doors this

year. For a complete list of buildings visit the official Doors

Open Toronto website at www.doorsopen.org

5. You have added quite a few new buildings for 2005. Please

tell us some of the highlights.

New buildings are introduced each year, which keeps the interest

high among residents and tourists alike. This year, Doors Open

Toronto welcomes 26 new buildings including the Canadian

National Institute for the Blind's recently opened

state-of-the-art facility, Toronto's newest police station, 51

Division, the Hare Krishna Temple, Upper Canada College, the

exquisite Shree Swaminarayan Hindu Mandir (near 427 and Finch)

and the Bay at Queen, featuring a special exhibit and

architectural tours.

. Doors Open has teamed up with Metamorphosis - Toronto's

Festival of Transformation and the Arts. Please give us more

information about that.

Doors Open Toronto is pleased to partner with Metamorphosis -

Toronto's Festival of Transformation and the Arts. This year,

during the Doors Open Toronto weekend, a number of Doors Open

Toronto venues will be animated with music, theatre, art and

dance inspired by the theme of transformation. Also, giant

stilt-walking puppets representing five major Toronto cultural

institutions act as the chorus in The Space Between, a new work

by Toronto's Clay & Paper Theatre, which will be performed on

Nathan Phillips Square. This production, featuring live music,

invites the audience to contemplate the role of art, our values

and the myths that shape us. For a complete list of

Metamorphosis performances go to

http://www.doorsopen.org/about/news.htm

7. You also have a special highlight on buildings that have been

transformed. What types of transformations are we talking about?

This year, Doors Open Toronto puts a special spotlight on

buildings that have been structurally and, in some cases,

spiritually transformed to celebrate its partnership with

Metamorphosis - Toronto's Festival of Transformation and the

Arts. I've listed a few of the many buildings on this year's

roster that have undergone transformations below. To find out

more about these buildings, visit the "Buildings to Visit"

section of the Doors Open Toronto web site: www.doorsopen.org

51 Division (former gasworks from 1899) Beaty & Armstrong Row

House (Toronto's Old Town First Mennonite Mission) Canadian

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Opera Company (originally Consumers' Gas Company's Purifying

House No. 2, Standard Woollen Mills and Dalton's, a manufacturer

of foods and household goods) Cedar Ridge Creative Centre

(originally the summer home for the Charles C. Cummings family)

Courthouse Market Grille (former York County Courthouse; later

Arts & Letters Club) Design Exchange (former Toronto Stock

Exchange building) Market Gallery (originally Council Chamber of

Toronto's 1845 City Hall) Moriyama & Teshima (originally 1923

service station; later brewery outlet and drapery showroom) Parc

Downsview Parc (former aircraft manufacturing buildings) Riwoche

Tibetan Buddhist Temple (former Heintzman Piano Company) Steam

Whistle Brewing, The Roundhouse (former Roundhouse for Toronto's

railways) Tarragon Theatre (former cribbage board factory) The

Great Hall (originally West End YMCA)

8. What other forums and events are part of Doors Open?

There are two free public events leading up to the Doors Open

Toronto weekend. The public is invited to join us for Waiting

for Toronto: What Makes for a Clean and Beautiful City? a free

public forum at the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts on Wed. May

25 at 7:30 p.m. and at the Royal Ontario Museum for the Doors

Open Toronto Launch on Friday, May 27 at 6 p.m. For complete

details visit our website.

9. What is the cost of attending Doors Open Toronto?

Doors Open Toronto is a FREE event. There is no fee to

participate.

10. Do I need to pre-book or obtain tickets?

No pre-registration or tickets are required. Please note:

building hours vary but most buildings are open 10 a.m. to 4

p.m. on one or both days. It's important to confirm times for

each site when planning your route.

11. How do I obtain a program guide?

The Doors Open Toronto official Program Guide will be included

in the Toronto Star's "What's On" section on Thursday, May 19.

After May 24, the program guides will also be available (in

limited quantities) at all participating Doors Open Toronto

venues, Toronto Public Library branches, Toronto City Hall and

the civic centres, lead-up events and at the Doors Open Toronto

Weekend Information Centre in the CBC Broadcasting Centre.

12. You also offer family-friendly programs. Please tell us more

about that.

Some locations that are participating in Doors Open Toronto

offer engaging family-friendly programs for kids. For example

the Canadian Opera Company has organized a couple of

performances throughout the weekend - On Saturday, May 28, the

Zellers Ensemble Studio School Tour presents Hansel and Gretel

at 11:30 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. On Sunday, May 29, the Zellers

Ensemble Studio School Tour presents The Brothers Grimm at 11:30

a.m. and 2:15 p.m. Performances are free, with tickets available

one hour in advance of each performance. Kids can also visit the

special children's area with dress up, face painting and more.

The Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art is featuring hands-on clay

programs for kids of all ages and The Bay at Queen is offering

family-sketching activities.

Thanks, Kristen. I know where I'll be heading the weekend of May

28 and 29......

About the author:

Susanne Pacher is the publisher of

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