Looking at this portico, which stands in the ultra-modern Bahen Centre for Information Technology, words such as shadow and whisper come to mind. The doorway, after all, leads to memories: it once fronted a three-storey dwelling of classical Georgian architecture that stood at 42 St. George St. Built in 1920 for businessman Mandel Granatstein, it was designed with a retractable roof so that he and his family could mark the Sukkot harvest holiday, during which observant Jews sleep outside. Acquired by the university in 1947, the building held a number of identities, and was last home to the Joint Program in Transportation. It was demolished to make room for the Bahen Centre in 1999, but its portico – sheltered in the centre’s front lobby – now provides a permanent entryway to the past.
Recent Posts
New Paths to Recovery
Every year, thousands of Canadians seek help for addiction. Which treatments work best?
Can Electric Vehicles Save the Planet?
Eliminating gas-powered cars and trucks may help avert a climate catastrophe. But they are only part of the solution
The Theatre of Tomorrow
A U of T lab is working with actors, writers and directors on how they could harness AI and other emerging technologies to generate new ideas and – just maybe – reinvent theatre