Completed in 1971, Ontario Place?s Cinesphere and Pods were designed by Toronto architect Eberhard Zeidler. The Cinesphere, which has been recently renovated, is a 35-metre-wide dome that housed the world?s first permanent theatre for IMAX technology. The Pods were first used to host a multimedia exhibition, but were designed to be flexible and accommodate different functions. Photo by Dieter Janssen
TEXT Helena Grdadolnik
In January, the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport announced that it is accepting proposals to redevelop the Ontario Place site. Under its anticipated call for Expressions of Interest, the landmark?s cultural heritage?including the Cinesphere, pods and islands designed by Craig, Zeidler, Strong Architects and landscape architect Michael Hough?may be available for demolition and redevelopment. Ontario Place was built at a time when architects such as the young Eb Zeidler had political influence, bold ideas were welcomed, and expertise was respected. A 1971 Government of Ontario promotional video calls the design, whose buildings and islands project into Lake Ontario, the ?most imaginative urban waterfront concept in the world.?
Gow Hastings Architects? 2011 renovation of the Cinesphere included the replacement of seating. The new seating is differentiated by colour: red seats lend a richness to the interior space, while black seats have the ability to swivel for optimal viewing of IMAX films. Photo by Tom Arban
At a panel co-hosted by the Archi...