Torontoist

Architects Diamond & Schmitt

Torontoist was recently invited to take a peek inside at the soon-to-be-opened Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, better known as Toronto's opera house. Being one of the most highly anticipated buildings in Toronto history, we have to say we were more than a little curious to a look inside. The "city room space", or lobby, is well named. The open concept interior has the feeling of transparency, made mostly of steel, wood and a lot of glass, an "indoor piazza" as our host (and architect) Gary McCluskie described. Those glass walls are undoubtedly the coolest thing about the place--not only does it look as if all five floors are floating but it causes Toronto's buildings and busy streets to be a backdrop, like large pieces of moving city art.