Nestled
in an area of Toronto known as the Bloor
West Village, the Runnymede Branch of
the Toronto Public Library was a brilliant
effort by John M. Lyle to create a distinctively
Canadian modern architecture. Built in
1930 it was a great source of pride for
the city and greatly anticipated by the
surrounding community. Considered to be
“small but unusual”, it is
one of the first expressions of the belief
that “adult and child spaces should
be designed to the same high standard
while meeting different user needs.”
Lyle is noted to be one of the first architects
to use Canadian rather then European themes
in his buildings. The library’s
modified Modern style incorporates French-Canadian
and West Coast Indian carved-stone motifs,
including totem poles at the entrance.
Nestled
in an area of Toronto known as the Bloor
West Village, the Runnymede Branch of
the Toronto Public Library was a brilliant
effort by John M. Lyle to create a distinctively
Canadian modern architecture. Built in
1930 it was a great source of pride for
the city and greatly anticipated by the
surrounding community. Considered to be
“small but unusual”, it is
one of the first expressions of the belief
that “adult and child spaces should
be designed to the same high standard
while meeting different user needs.”
Lyle is noted to be one of the first architects
to use Canadian rather then European themes
in his buildings. The library’s
modified Modern style incorporates French-Canadian
and West Coast Indian carved-stone motifs,
including totem poles at the entrance.
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