Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Doors Open Toronto - R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant



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I had the privilege of touring Toronto's R.C. Harris Water Filtration Plant during Doors Open.  It is an Art Deco gem, and a wonderful celebration of infrastructure with marble and brass details and a beautifully sited perch on the edge of the lake.  I love that a colony of swallows has made nests at the apex of every brick relief; at first glance one assumes that the nests are part of the original architecture.  Instead they contribute a surprising living detail, each inhabited by a family of the graceful birds.  It is lovely to visit such a poetic, well preserved and still-functioning reminder of Toronto's history.  One wishes that there were not so few examples to admire.

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