Toronto, Ontario, Canada - 1967Retro interior view of the stylishly beautiful and swanky Yorkdale Shopping Centre (aka Yorkdale Mall) in Toronto. I'll gladly set the malls of America aside momentarily, to make room for a photo like this. And thanks very much to MOA reader, Jason Cawood, for it! Some Wikipedia info:
"The mall was opened in 1964 and was the first to include two major Canadian department stores, Simpson's and Eaton's, under the same roof. At the time of its opening, and for several years afterwards, it was the largest enclosed mall in the world. Yorkdale generated a tremendous amount of excitement when it first opened.Mall history: 1964 - present
Before Yorkdale, most people in the Toronto area did their major shopping downtown. Yorkdale was at the edge of the urbanized city, with only farmland around it. However, it was strategically located next to the interchange of Highway 401 and the proposed Spadina Expressway as well as the nearby Dufferin Street; all three major routes have ramps dedicated to serving the mall."
Current website: here
Current aerial view
Info from Wikipedia
Previous entries: 1, 2, 3
Love the cathedral-like ceiling and the funky fountain.
ReplyDelete....unbelievable roof and cool white look .....who'd even dare to be that original today!
ReplyDelete"who'd even dare to be that original today!"
ReplyDeleteHaha! No one. The current crop of American arhiitects are too scared to be bold and daring. Also, they don't have the guts to be creative.
I think that's the Simpsons court :-)
ReplyDeleteAh, Yorkdale had a "Simpsons court" too, Steven, like the Sherway Gardens shopping centre (also in Toronto)? Didn't know they both had one. Interesting.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, most of today's retail architects are a million miles away in their design mindset from THIS kind of retro cool aesthetic. Then again, the people who HIRE THEM to design the malls of today, really don't even want that kind of look. Times have changed my friends. Sad but true.
I grew up near Yorkdale...and I really missed the "old mall" when they completely renovated. I also worked at the mall, and can remember sitting at that penny fountain on breaks...you just woke up a lot of memories with that image.
ReplyDeleteThat has got to be one of the coolest ceilings ever. Does anyone know whether it still exists? Looking at the mall's current Web site, my guess is that it was removed at some point.
ReplyDeleteAh, Yorkdale had a "Simpsons court" too, Steven, like the Sherway Gardens shopping centre (also in Toronto)?
ReplyDeleteYep, Simpsons was an original anchor at Yorkdale. The Simpsons entrance at Yorkdale was two stories high and very dramatic. There's a great photo of it floating around out there, though I don't know exactly where anymore.
Fantastic mall, sigh too bad it probably killed downtown shopping ;-{
ReplyDeleteprevious comment was by me.
ReplyDeleteThe Simpsons location has since become The Bay, which is actually a much older company (c 1684).
ReplyDeleteThe ceiling structure is still there, but those amazing lights are gone. As is the spiral staircase leading up to the restaurant. There are a few lights hanging down on ropes, but they give off a bluish white rather than a warmer light that was there before. I think they redid it around 2000.
I really miss the way it was.