Huron Gallery2025

ARC201H1
How to Design Almost Nothing
Prof. Francesco Martire
Instr. Francesco Martire

Over the course of my second fall semester, I repeatedly wrestled with the concept of the grid, both graphically and architecturally. Former assignments were based on conceptual applications of what it meant to adhere to and go against this grid, with the final project centered around a proposed intervention at a current parking lot in downtown Toronto beside 350 Huron Street.

The site is in a prime location, bordered by the University of Toronto to its south, and two popular museums within walking distance along the major adjacent thoroughfare of Bloor Street West and Line 2 subway at St. George station. My proposed intervention argues for a complete revitalization of the site by housing a multipurpose gallery and installation space, currently lacking within the University of Toronto’s visual arts facilities. The design of the pavilion seizes on the site’s location next to a parkette, with careful landscaping directing circulation. The program draws from Toronto’s most active cultural events, like Nuit Blanche, and uses curvilinear forms inspired by exhibition precedents across three countries.

The project comprises both physical and visual elements, with a 1:50 scale model constructed based on design elements sculpted in CAD software. Scale architectural drawings further articulate the pavilion’s intended use and situate it within the broader context of the site.

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