The winning competition design for the TIFF Bell Lightbox and Festival Tower was conceived to create a city of film and as a reflection of the heterogeneity and openness that characterizes Toronto. Located in the heart of the entertainment district, the 5-story podium consists of projecting volumes and various levels of transparency that connects the interior to the streetscape while the 42-storey tower, set back from the street, commands the skyline above. Both elements are harmonized in the use of simple proportions, common materials, and quality of detailing. The transition between the two occurs where the Lightbox roof meets the Tower’s base. Inside, the podium consists of theatres, a gallery, café, and restaurant. The architectural volumes of the five cinemas are clad in black zinc and organized as buildings within the building, while the spaces between them act like interior streets. The roof of the podium features a monumentally-scaled, stepped, outdoor public patio space.
