The Crystal (Toronto, Canada)
The Crystal is the dramatic highlight of a $270 million renovation project intended to boost the Royal Ontario Museum's role as a Toronto focal point.
Designed by architect Daniel Libeskind, the Crystal comprises five interlocking, self-supporting prismatic structures that interface with, but are not attached to, the original historic Royal Ontario Museum buildings.
The exterior is 25 per cent glass and 75 per cent extruded-brushed, aluminum-cladding strips in a warm silver colour.
The steel beams, each unique in its design and manufacture and ranging from 1 to 25 metres in length, were lifted one by one to their specific angle, creating complicated angle joints, sloped walls, and gallery ceilings.
Approximately 3,500 tons of steel and 38 tons of bolts were used to create the skeleton, and roughly 9,000 cubic metres of concrete were poured.
Michael Lee-Chin's (chairman, Portland Holdings Inc) extraordinary $30 million gift to the ROM is an act of both gratitude and hope.
Image: Inspired by the Royal Ontario Museum's gem and mineral collection, architect Daniel Libeskind sketched the initial concept on paper napkins while attending a family wedding at the Royal Ontario Museum.
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