Transformational Architecture as Urban Catalyst

I explore how creative economic development, arts leadership, urban cultural policy, and a sense of optimism fueled Toronto’s cultural renaissance during the 2000s. Following the late 1990s amalgamation of the center city with surrounding municipalities, the heads of Toronto’s anchor cultural institutions, including the Royal Ontario Museum, called for the refurbishment of their aging infrastructures.

The ROM addition, the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal by architect Daniel Libeskind, became a focal point for the city while rebranding the museum. Historical and archival data together with interviews with 21 key stakeholders reveal the forces fostering this transition and the strategic engines driving change.