Doors Open Toronto Unveils Exciting Program for May 27 and 28
The 18th annual Doors Open Toronto presented by Great Gulf announced its roster of buildings, talks and special programs for May 27 and 28. The weekend celebration of architecture includes 50 new building participants, a speaker series and new music program, city-wide walking tours and more. Details are now available at http://www.toronto.ca/doorsopen.In celebration of Canada's 150th birthday, this year's event features more than 150 buildings representing each decade since the 1860s, as well as a collection of buildings from the pre-Confederation era.Doors Open Toronto is part of TO Canada with Love, the City of Toronto's year-long program of celebrations, commemorations and exhibitions marking Canada's 150th birthday. It is presented by Great Gulf and produced by the City of Toronto in partnership with the Province of Ontario and the broader community.The weekend's activities will be kicked off at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 26 at East Harbour (former Unilever Factory) with a keynote event by acclaimed architects from across Canada and beyond. The talk "What is Canadian Architecture?" will examine whether a distinctly Canadian voice exists in buildings and spaces created by Canadian architects, and will address the many varied perspectives of Canadian identity and their impacts on architecture.A second talk, "MIA: Where are the Women Architects?" at 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 27 at the Great Hall on Queen Street West will explore the various barriers women face in the field of architecture.Toronto City Hall and Nathan Phillips Square will be abuzz with activity during the Doors Open Toronto weekend. Visitors to the building can experience rare access to the 27th floor observation deck, the council chamber, special exhibitions and family-friendly activities, including:- Celluloid City – film screenings of iconic Canadian buildings, architects and incredible engineering feats from across the country- Standing On A Corner: Photographs from Yonge and Dundas – a selection of images from Geoffrey James, Toronto's first Photo Laureate, that highlight the significance of Yonge and Dundas, and- MomenTO – a pop-up museum featuring artifacts from the City's historical collections, historical interpreters highlighting the past 150 years of Toronto architecture on the 27th floor observation deck and projections showcasing the evolution of some of Toronto's and Canada's most significant landmarks.In partnership with Sofar Sounds, Batuki Music Society and other key music organizations, this year's Doors Open Toronto will augment the cultural significance of unique and unexplored spaces through performance, providing the audience the opportunity to experience psychedelic rock, experimental music, kora music from Mali, blues and more in various locations across Toronto. The music program is supported by TD Bank Group.Eleven free walking tours will extend throughout the weekend, delving deep into the history and architecture of a wide variety of neighbourhoods and architecture.More details about Doors Open Toronto, including a complete list of this year's buildings, walking tours and talks, are available at http://www.toronto.ca/doorsopen.High resolution images and background information about the event are available at http://www.toronto.ca/special_events/media.About Doors Open TorontoSince its inception in 2000, Doors Open Toronto has attracted more than two million visits to over 700 unique locations across the city. It is Canada's largest Doors Open event and one of the three largest Doors Open events in the world. Doors Open Toronto is dedicated to celebrating built heritage, architecture and design. It is presented by Great Gulf and produced by the City of Toronto in partnership with the broader community. Look for information and updates at http://www.toronto.ca/doorsopen and on social media:Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/doorsopenTOTwitter at http://www.twitter.com/Doors_OpenTO andInstagram at http://www.instagram.com/doors_opento.The event hashtag is #DOT17.