TSA BASH 2023: O’Keefe Centre

Monday December 04, 2023

With close to 400 attendees filling the stunning mid-century lobby of Toronto’s O’Keefe Centre (now Meridian Hall), this year’s TSA BASH was another one to remember! 

A long-established tradition, the TSA’s annual year-end BASH is an opportunity for the GTA’s architecture and design community to come together and celebrate in unique spaces across our city. No two years are alike, with a new featured venue chosen every year and the party tailored to reflect the design stories behind the building. Great food, delicious drinks and beautiful architecture—there is no better way to celebrate our city and those who shape it.

There was no lack of great architectural stories to tell at this year’s venue, and we had a lot of fun finding unique ways to help share some of them with BASH attendees. 

As you would expect at a TSA event, the evening started with a series of building tours—this time led by Scott North, Director, Corporate & Private Events for TO Live, and our very own Executive Director Joël León, who together spoke about the building’s design, its importance within the city, and the many performances that have unfolded in its halls. Attendees even got the opportunity to step onto the legendary stage that has hosted names such as Prince, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Julie Andrews, Elton John, and Rudolf Nureye, among many others.

Festivities also included a Dickinson Wall of Fame, an exhibit highlighting the architectural legacy of Toronto-architect Peter Dickinson who led the design of the O’Keefe as chief design architect for Page & Steele, and a prop-filled photobooth inspired by R. York Wilson’s The Seven Lively Arts, a 30-metre long mural carefully integrated into the centre’s lobby. As you can tell by the photos, it was quite the hit! Attendees were even treated to the original 1957 model of the building (as well as a more contemporary lego counterpart), brought out by the venue specially for our BASH-goers..

And while the venue and all of its unique experiences certainly made this BASH one to remember, it was the familiar opportunity to reconnect with old friends and meet new ones that continue to make this annual party such a time-honoured tradition for our Society.

We want to express our utmost gratitude to everyone who made this year’s BASH possible: from the hundreds of attendees who filled the hall, to our amazing sponsors who make this and all of our initiatives possible. We also want to give a special shout out to our TSA staff for putting together such a memorable party (including the photobooth and exhibit!), our events volunteers for the smooth check in process, the staff at Meridian Hall for accommodating all our requests, our friends at Entro for designing the BASH’s graphic identity, and Revelateur for helping document the evening. 

So cheers to another great BASH and see you next year at TSA BASH 2024! 

Want to relive some of the night’s highlights? Check out these photographs by Aquiles Serdan made possible by Revelateur.