9 World-Renowned Buildings Designed by Canadian Architects
As Canada 150 puts the focus on us, we decided to spotlight buildings that, while designed by homegrown luminaries, shine bright beyond our shores. These architectural landmarks tick all the boxes: form, function and full-on bragging rights – something we humble Canadians may not be known for. Here are 10 stunning structures with some glorious and free pedigree.
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Guggenheim Museum: Frank Gehry
1/18Guggenheim Museum: Frank Gehry
1/18Photo Credit: Edwin Poon via Wikimedia CommonsSource: commons.wikimedia.org
Set alongside Spain’s Nervion River, The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain is one of Frank Gehry’s most acclaimed structures. Its fanciful and forward exterior – a series of unexpected undulating curves – is an appropriate intimation of the contemporary and modern art that lies within.Great Canadian Homes9 World-Renowned Buildings Designed by Canadian ArchitectsGuggenheim Museum: Frank Gehry
PHOTO 1 of 18READ LESS -Set alongside Spain’s Nervion River, The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain is one of Frank Gehry’s most acclaimed structures. Its fanciful and forward exterior – a series of unexpected undulating curves – is an appropriate intimation of the contemporary and modern art that lies within.Photo Credit: Edwin Poon via Wikimedia CommonsSource: commons.wikimedia.org
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Guggenheim Museum: Frank Gehry
2/18Guggenheim Museum: Frank Gehry
2/18Photo Credit: Europ via FlickrSource: www.flickr.com
The extraordinary facade is crafted from titanium, limestone and glass to capture and reflect light. Its silhouette, which resembles the prow of a ship, integrates itself into the riverside setting and is a nod to Bilbao’s history as a port city.Great Canadian Homes9 World-Renowned Buildings Designed by Canadian ArchitectsGuggenheim Museum: Frank Gehry
PHOTO 2 of 18READ LESS -The extraordinary facade is crafted from titanium, limestone and glass to capture and reflect light. Its silhouette, which resembles the prow of a ship, integrates itself into the riverside setting and is a nod to Bilbao’s history as a port city.Photo Credit: Europ via FlickrSource: www.flickr.com
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Dancing House: Frank Gehry
3/18Dancing House: Frank Gehry
3/18Photo Credit: Carl Mikoy via Flickr Source: www.flickr.com
This iconic structure in central Prague gets its name from its shape – the forms, albeit deconstructed, of a man and woman (Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers) dancing. Its daring style evokes visceral reactions – it is either loved or hated.Great Canadian Homes9 World-Renowned Buildings Designed by Canadian ArchitectsDancing House: Frank Gehry
PHOTO 3 of 18READ LESS -This iconic structure in central Prague gets its name from its shape – the forms, albeit deconstructed, of a man and woman (Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers) dancing. Its daring style evokes visceral reactions – it is either loved or hated.Photo Credit: Carl Mikoy via Flickr Source: www.flickr.com
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Dancing House: Frank Gehry
4/18Dancing House: Frank Gehry
4/18Photo Credit: Dror Feitelson via Wikimedia CommonsSource: commons.wikimedia.org
A corporate space not open to the public, the House took two years to build and is constructed from glass and concrete panels each uniquely shaped through a process using wooden forms. It has been commemorated on a Czech Bank-issued gold coin, a fitting tribute as its unlimited building budget was funded by another bank, ING.Great Canadian Homes9 World-Renowned Buildings Designed by Canadian ArchitectsDancing House: Frank Gehry
PHOTO 4 of 18READ LESS -A corporate space not open to the public, the House took two years to build and is constructed from glass and concrete panels each uniquely shaped through a process using wooden forms. It has been commemorated on a Czech Bank-issued gold coin, a fitting tribute as its unlimited building budget was funded by another bank, ING.Photo Credit: Dror Feitelson via Wikimedia CommonsSource: commons.wikimedia.org
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ArtScience Museum: Moshe Safdie
5/18ArtScience Museum: Moshe Safdie
5/18Photo Credit: Andrew via FlickrSource: www.flickr.com
Singapore’s iconic building has been likened to everything from a lotus flower to a welcoming hand. It comprises two components: the base (which is surrounded by water and an enormous lily pond) and the petal-like top.Great Canadian Homes9 World-Renowned Buildings Designed by Canadian ArchitectsArtScience Museum: Moshe Safdie
PHOTO 5 of 18READ LESS -Singapore’s iconic building has been likened to everything from a lotus flower to a welcoming hand. It comprises two components: the base (which is surrounded by water and an enormous lily pond) and the petal-like top.Photo Credit: Andrew via FlickrSource: www.flickr.com
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ArtScience Museum: Moshe Safdie
6/18ArtScience Museum: Moshe Safdie
6/18Photo Credit: Tony Hisgett via FlickrSource: www.flickr.com
The staggered heights of each component create visual interest and allow for an interesting play of light both outside and in through the skylight panels. Safdie, an Order of Canada recipient, calls himself a modernist and in Canada is probably best known for his <a href="http://www.hgtv.ca/real-estate/photos/canadas-world-famous-architecture-1052364/#currentSlide=3" target="_blank">Habitat 67</a> building in Montreal.Great Canadian Homes9 World-Renowned Buildings Designed by Canadian ArchitectsArtScience Museum: Moshe Safdie
PHOTO 6 of 18READ LESS -The staggered heights of each component create visual interest and allow for an interesting play of light both outside and in through the skylight panels. Safdie, an Order of Canada recipient, calls himself a modernist and in Canada is probably best known for his <a href="http://www.hgtv.ca/real-estate/photos/canadas-world-famous-architecture-1052364/#currentSlide=3" target="_blank">Habitat 67</a> building in Montreal.Photo Credit: Tony Hisgett via FlickrSource: www.flickr.com
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New York State Capitol: Thomas Fuller
7/18New York State Capitol: Thomas Fuller
7/18Photo Credit: wadester16 via FlickrSource: www.flickr.com
The New York State Capitol in Albany was completed at the very end of the 19th century and was constructed with a then-whopping budget of US$25 million, distinguishing it as the most costly building of its era. Thomas Fuller was one of four architects on the project.Great Canadian Homes9 World-Renowned Buildings Designed by Canadian ArchitectsNew York State Capitol: Thomas Fuller
PHOTO 7 of 18READ LESS -The New York State Capitol in Albany was completed at the very end of the 19th century and was constructed with a then-whopping budget of US$25 million, distinguishing it as the most costly building of its era. Thomas Fuller was one of four architects on the project.Photo Credit: wadester16 via FlickrSource: www.flickr.com
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New York State Capitol: Thomas Fuller
8/18New York State Capitol: Thomas Fuller
8/18Photo Credit: Daniel Case via Wikimedia CommonsSource: commons.wikimedia.org
The top of the building, which is said to be fashioned after Paris’s City Hall, and its intricate tile work, are an engaging example of Romanesque Revival style architecture.Great Canadian Homes9 World-Renowned Buildings Designed by Canadian ArchitectsNew York State Capitol: Thomas Fuller
PHOTO 8 of 18READ LESS -The top of the building, which is said to be fashioned after Paris’s City Hall, and its intricate tile work, are an engaging example of Romanesque Revival style architecture.Photo Credit: Daniel Case via Wikimedia CommonsSource: commons.wikimedia.org
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Lotus Temple: Fariborz Sahba
9/18Lotus Temple: Fariborz Sahba
9/18Photo Credit: Arian Zwegers via FlickrSource: www.flickr.com
Famed for its floral form, the Lotus Temple in Delhi, India is a Bahá’í House of Worship, which means it is open to everyone, regardless of religious denomination. Designed by Iranian-born Canadian Fariborz Sahba, it's said to be the world’s most visited structure.Great Canadian Homes9 World-Renowned Buildings Designed by Canadian ArchitectsLotus Temple: Fariborz Sahba
PHOTO 9 of 18READ LESS -Famed for its floral form, the Lotus Temple in Delhi, India is a Bahá’í House of Worship, which means it is open to everyone, regardless of religious denomination. Designed by Iranian-born Canadian Fariborz Sahba, it's said to be the world’s most visited structure.Photo Credit: Arian Zwegers via FlickrSource: www.flickr.com
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Lotus Temple: Fariborz Sahba
10/18Lotus Temple: Fariborz Sahba
10/18Photo Credit: Nam via FlickrSource: www.flickr.com
Clad in marble, the building features 27 free-standing components built to resemble petals.Great Canadian Homes9 World-Renowned Buildings Designed by Canadian ArchitectsLotus Temple: Fariborz Sahba
PHOTO 10 of 18READ LESS -Clad in marble, the building features 27 free-standing components built to resemble petals.Photo Credit: Nam via FlickrSource: www.flickr.com
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Bahá’í Temple of South America: Hariri Pontarini Architects
11/18Bahá’í Temple of South America: Hariri Pontarini Architects
11/18Photo Credit: Hariri Pontarini ArchitectsSource: www.hariripontarini.com
Designed by Toronto architect Siamak Hariri of Hariri Pontarini Architects, the Bahá’í Temple in Santiago, Chile is set within the Andean Foothills. Though completed in 2016 (after 14 years in the making), the graceful curved structure is already being hailed as an architectural wonder.Great Canadian Homes9 World-Renowned Buildings Designed by Canadian ArchitectsBahá’í Temple of South America: Hariri Pontarini Architects
PHOTO 11 of 18READ LESS -Designed by Toronto architect Siamak Hariri of Hariri Pontarini Architects, the Bahá’í Temple in Santiago, Chile is set within the Andean Foothills. Though completed in 2016 (after 14 years in the making), the graceful curved structure is already being hailed as an architectural wonder.Photo Credit: Hariri Pontarini ArchitectsSource: www.hariripontarini.com
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Bahá’í Temple of South America: Hariri Pontarini Architects
12/18Bahá’í Temple of South America: Hariri Pontarini Architects
12/18Photo Credit: Hariri Pontarini ArchitectsSource: www.hariripontarini.com
An ambitious undertaking, the building's striking exterior was crafted from translucent marble and 1,129 unique cast-glass pieces that form nine torqued "wings". The landmark is the last of eight Bahá'í Temples built around the world (the previously pictured Lotus Temple in Delhi, India was the fourth).Great Canadian Homes9 World-Renowned Buildings Designed by Canadian ArchitectsBahá’í Temple of South America: Hariri Pontarini Architects
PHOTO 12 of 18READ LESS -An ambitious undertaking, the building's striking exterior was crafted from translucent marble and 1,129 unique cast-glass pieces that form nine torqued "wings". The landmark is the last of eight Bahá'í Temples built around the world (the previously pictured Lotus Temple in Delhi, India was the fourth).Photo Credit: Hariri Pontarini ArchitectsSource: www.hariripontarini.com
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Seagram Building: Phyllis Lambert
13/18Seagram Building: Phyllis Lambert
13/18Photo Credit: Getty Images
Phyllis Lambert, scion of the wealthy Bronfman family, was the driving force behind New York's perfectly proportioned Seagram Building. She tirelessly sourced architects for the project, even saying no to Swiss-French icon Le Corbusier.Great Canadian Homes9 World-Renowned Buildings Designed by Canadian ArchitectsSeagram Building: Phyllis Lambert
PHOTO 13 of 18READ LESS -Phyllis Lambert, scion of the wealthy Bronfman family, was the driving force behind New York's perfectly proportioned Seagram Building. She tirelessly sourced architects for the project, even saying no to Swiss-French icon Le Corbusier.Photo Credit: Getty Images
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Seagram Building: Phyllis Lambert
14/18Seagram Building: Phyllis Lambert
14/18Photo Credit: Dan DeLuca via FlickrSource: www.flickr.com
Lambert's vision was for a timeless structure, a building with simple lines and straightforward design. This Park Avenue landmark is often considered the epitome of post-war architecture.Great Canadian Homes9 World-Renowned Buildings Designed by Canadian ArchitectsSeagram Building: Phyllis Lambert
PHOTO 14 of 18READ LESS -Lambert's vision was for a timeless structure, a building with simple lines and straightforward design. This Park Avenue landmark is often considered the epitome of post-war architecture.Photo Credit: Dan DeLuca via FlickrSource: www.flickr.com
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Two California Plaza: Arthur Erickson
15/18Two California Plaza: Arthur Erickson
15/18Photo Credit: Bloomberg / Getty Images
This 750-foot-high skyscraper by Vancouver native Arthur Erickson is one part of downtown LA's California Plaza project. It was finished in 1992 and offers over 1.3 million square feet of corporate space.Great Canadian Homes9 World-Renowned Buildings Designed by Canadian ArchitectsTwo California Plaza: Arthur Erickson
PHOTO 15 of 18READ LESS -This 750-foot-high skyscraper by Vancouver native Arthur Erickson is one part of downtown LA's California Plaza project. It was finished in 1992 and offers over 1.3 million square feet of corporate space.Photo Credit: Bloomberg / Getty Images
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Two California Plaza: Arthur Erikson
16/18Two California Plaza: Arthur Erikson
16/18Photo Credit: Jay L. Clendenin / Getty Images
One of LA's most notable landmarks, it features two different shades of blue glass and a softly curved side. Both elements make it visually interesting and invite the eye to wander upward.Great Canadian Homes9 World-Renowned Buildings Designed by Canadian ArchitectsTwo California Plaza: Arthur Erikson
PHOTO 16 of 18READ LESS -One of LA's most notable landmarks, it features two different shades of blue glass and a softly curved side. Both elements make it visually interesting and invite the eye to wander upward.Photo Credit: Jay L. Clendenin / Getty Images
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Canadian Chancery and Official Residence in Dhaka: MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple
17/18Canadian Chancery and Official Residence in Dhaka: MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple
17/18Photo Credit: MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects LimitedSource: www.mlsarchitects.ca
Nova Scotia-based firm MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects are the design force behind the Canadian Chancery and Official Residence in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is constructed in respect to its setting near the Ganges Delta, which offers two resources: silt for making bricks and people for laying them.Great Canadian Homes9 World-Renowned Buildings Designed by Canadian ArchitectsCanadian Chancery and Official Residence in Dhaka: MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple
PHOTO 17 of 18READ LESS -Nova Scotia-based firm MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects are the design force behind the Canadian Chancery and Official Residence in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is constructed in respect to its setting near the Ganges Delta, which offers two resources: silt for making bricks and people for laying them.Photo Credit: MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects LimitedSource: www.mlsarchitects.ca
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Canadian Chancery and Official Residence in Dhaka: MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple
18/18Canadian Chancery and Official Residence in Dhaka: MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple
18/18Photo Credit: MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects LimitedSource: www.mlsarchitects.ca
Wrapped around a peaceful courtyard, the mostly brick structure is punctuated with elements of folded metal.Great Canadian Homes9 World-Renowned Buildings Designed by Canadian ArchitectsCanadian Chancery and Official Residence in Dhaka: MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple
PHOTO 18 of 18READ LESS -Wrapped around a peaceful courtyard, the mostly brick structure is punctuated with elements of folded metal.Photo Credit: MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects LimitedSource: www.mlsarchitects.ca
