Heritage Toronto Bus Tour: Architecture for the Concrete City

How has Toronto’s public architecture evolved with the city around it?

Hop aboard for a full-day bus tour with architecture critic Alex Bozikovic to explore some of Toronto’s most striking public architecture—and how these landmark buildings are being reimagined for the city today.

From the sweeping modernism of Toronto City Hall and Scarborough Civic Centre to the Brutalist Albert Campbell Library, explore how architects used new forms, materials, and ideas to transform civic spaces into welcoming public spaces for a rapidly growing Toronto. Along the way, consider how these landmark buildings continue to evolve to meet contemporary needs—such as how the National Ballet School combines adaptive reuse with new construction, or what preservation means at sites like 2 Queen Street West, where layers of change have dramatically reshaped the original building.

Please note: While light refreshments and snacks will be offered complimentarily as part of this bus tour, participants are expected to bring full lunches with them on to the bus.

This tour will be led by Alex Bozikovic. Alex Bozikovic has been the Architecture Critic for The Globe and Mail since 2013. He covers architecture, planning, landscape architecture and related subjects ranging from the built environment to housing policy. His book 305 Lost Buildings of Canada (2022) on the social and architectural history of cities across the country was a national bestseller. His first book, Toronto Architecture: A City Guide (2017) is a comprehensive guide to buildings in Toronto.