Special Edition:

On Tuesday, June 25, 2024, Moriyama Teshima Architects released a statement that they would provide pro-bono architectural services for whatever would be required of the provincial government of Ontario, Canada, to repair the Ontario Science. This came in the wake of the sudden closure of the facility by the provincial government on Friday, June 21, 2024.

The Background:

Moriyama Teshima Architects was started in 1958 by founder Raymond Moriyama, but with a different name. Despite the first project he designed being a cottage in Algonquin, and with little background in institutional work, he was awarded a Centennial Project by the province, the Ontario Science Centre.

And so, in 1964, he began his design with the hopes to celebrate its opening in 1967, marking the 100 year anniversary of Canada. The Science Centre opened on September 26, 1969.

Today, nearly 55 years later, the provincial government of Ontario has deemed taken an engineering report and interpreted it in a way that has led to their closing of the well-travelled facitility. A tactile and engaging place for children to learn, families and schools to travel to for an immersive experience, and a beacon of architectural significance in the city of Toronto, it is on the brink of being re-developed and potentially moved.

Listen to this week's special edition of Behind the Build, where Brian Rudy, partner at Moriyama Teshima Architects, provides insights into the history, the experience, anecdotes and the practices commitment to the resolution, as well as insights into the engineering report created by Rimkus.

(I made some mistakes in qualifying Raymond's age during the podcast, he was in fact 35 when he designed the Science Centre; and he was 40 when it was complete)

Additional News:

Canadian Architect: Elsa Lam -

https://www.canadianarchitect.com/ontario-science-centre-doesnt-require-full-closure-a-close-reading-of-the-engineers-report/

The Globe & Mail: Alex Bozikovic -

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/art-and-architecture/article-doug-ford-killed-the-ontario-science-centre/

Azure Magazine: Elizabeth Pagliacolo, Stefan Novakovic, Eric Mutrie -

https://www.azuremagazine.com/article/the-ontario-science-centre-now-then-and-what-comes-next/

Infrastructure Ontario:

https://www.infrastructureontario.ca/49ee2b/contentassets/84df22e71b7c40b2aaeef94da88c78b5/osc-building-a-to-c-raac-roof-panel-assessment-final-june-18-2024-r2.pdf

Save the Science Centre:

https://savesciencecentre.com/