‘Holding Up History’ is a two-part program exploring the influence of facadism as an architectural and conceptual strategy for bringing elements from the past into the future. Through a panel talk and self-guided tour, the influence of façadism in the city’s built environment will be discussed.

The City of Toronto is grounded in a rich history and exciting stories. A lot of its history is held in the structures and monuments that form its built environment. As the city develops, a recurring discussion remains: How might these heritage structures be preserved? A conservation strategy that architects and developers have turned to is “façadism.” As a concept, façadism exists in various forms throughout the city. The practice involves incorporating elements of existing structures in the process of innovating new forms. While the palimpsest approach results in the creation of interesting structures, the question remains: How effective is façadism at paying respect to Toronto’s history?

Four experts from architecture, heritage conservation, design education and film will engage in a multifaceted conversation exploring how heritage is currently defined and designated in the city. Moderated by DesignTO Programs Assistant adé abegunde, the discussion also delves into ways in which heritage preservation strategies can be used to remember the past without hindering future development.

‘Holding Up History’ is organized by DesignTO and supported by the Ontario Association of Architects.

A certificate for 1 hour of OAA ConEd will be issued to registered attendees who request it with their RSVP for the event and attend the event.