We Are All Made of Starchitects

By David Topping

Good news for the transit set: a host of actually good and deservedly famous architects will design the TTC’s six new Spadina Extension stations slated to open by 2015. (Amazingly, Joe Clark sniffed this scoop out a full month ago.) Will Alsop, who designed OCAD, will tackle Steeles West and Finch West; Norman Foster, who designed U of T’s Leslie Dan Pharmacy building, will take York University; Grimshaw Architects, who have tackled a bunch of international transit projects, will take Vaughn Corporate Centre; and Ædas, who make some very pretty buildings themselves, will design Highway 407 and Sheppard West. The cost? Per station, from $8 to 15 million. Luckily, Adam Giambrone told the Star that “we actually have the money in the bank…The project has already begun.” As for Alsop, the Star reports that his “design will focus on bringing natural light and fresh air down into the bowels of the stations.” Let there be light.