May 25th, 2014: Jane’s Walk “Estonian Architects and Their Buildings in Midtown Toronto”

On Sunday, May 25th, 2014, we will hold Jane’s Walk on the topic of Estonian Architects and Their Buildings in Midtown Toronto (“Eesti arhitektidest ja nende hoonetest Toronto kesklinnas”). The walk begins at the side door of Tartu College on Madison Avenue at 11 am.

Jane’s Walk was inspired by the ideas of the legendary journalist, urbanist and activist Jane Jacobs (1916-2006), whose writings championed a fresh, community-based approach to city building. She had no formal training as a city planner, but her 1961 book, “The Death and Life of Great American Cities”, introduced ground-breaking ideas about how cities function, evolve and fail. Many of these ideas now seem like common sense to generations of architects, planners, politicians and activists. Jacobs lived in New York for decades. Then she moved to Toronto in 1968 where continued her work and writing on city planning and the social development of cities until her death in April 2006.

Jane’s Walks are a good opportunity for local people to explore their city’s various districts and to create connections within and among different communities. Jane’s Walk has now grown to be a global event. The movement`s website lists walks in cities such as Calcutta, Goiânia (in Brazil), Tokyo, New Westminster (British Columbia).

This spring Toronto Estonians will join the Jane’s Walk global family. Our walk will be guided by well-known architect Käbi Lokk, who has planned the route. Starting at Tartu College the walk will traverse the Annex area to the Colonnade on Bloor Street and return through the University of Toronto campus to Tartu College.

Among the participants we hope to see not only Estonians, but their friends, residents of the Annex, and anyone who cares about the history and future of this midtown area, including those who would like to know which buildings have been created by Estonian architects. The Walk will be held in English and will last up to two hours.

See the Walk’s route here.

See also the blog post of our walk on Jane’s Walk website.

After the Walk all participants are invited to Tartu College for coffee and kringel, and the opening of a new travelling exhibition, “Conversion in Estonian Contemporary Architecture”. 

Info:piret.noorhani@vemu.ca, t. 416 925 9405