POST-CIAM
Figure 2 - Current Eaton Centre(red) with the existing paths (blue);Albert Street, Trinity Square & James Street being utilized as part of the main circulatory system within and around the complex
was the heritage preservation aspect and the fact that the Anglican Church was still serving downtown residents. The project could not go ahead without closing a small street leading from Yonge Street to Trinity Square, where the church was located. But the city would not close the street without the approval of the church5. Other properties that included the Salvation Army headquarters, and a leased building by Woolworth, were decided to be left untouched also. Although it would have been easier to start with empty land and build a rectangular shopping center, accepting the conditions presented by the old buildings, especially the Holy Trinity Church have made Eaton Centre more interesting by forcing it to integrate with the existing urban fabric. It this incorporation into the context that draws similarities with CIAM 3’s Rational Site Development. Zeidler has created a total form, a work of fulfillment from which that object, Eaton’s Centre belongs to and serves a higher culture within its environment, It takes into consideration the entire context to produce a rational well thought out solution for the project intent. Torontonians had developed an interest in their city’s past and long and bitter battles were fought for the preservation of the old City Hall, which was finally saved along with the prominent old Trinity Church and the Salvation Army HQ6. Finally, after countless talks, the design process of the 200$ million project began in 1973, with Phase 1 opening on February 10, 1977 and Phase 2 on August 7th, 19797. Also, as late as 1990, a mixed-use third tower was added, employing a residential and a hotel
aspect within its built form. In the creation of the Eaton Centre, Zeidler developed a number of new concepts. First, if a shopping center was relocated from the suburbs into the downtown area, it should not represent an isolated event surrounded by parking lots, but should be part of the vibrant fabric of the city, addressing exterior issues with the adjacent buildings and street8. Second, an interior mall in the middle of the city should be part of the urban network, thus connecting it with the transit system and streets on the site. The mall should be experienced as part of the city grid and interconnected with it. Thus the streets that would cross Eaton center, such as Trinity Way and Albert Street should not become interrupted but vital elements of it within the existing street system9, ultimately becoming enclosed thoroughfares within the mall. In his exploration of the eventual expression of the mall was to create a grand space in the form of Milan’s Galleria Vittorio Emanuele through features such the elevated arching skylight sitting 130 feet above with an elongated 900 foot shopping arcade below in the case of Eatons10. Yet the Eaton mall is by no means a mere imitation of Milan’s galleria and the European city street in terms of its façade and detailing elements. At the time, the zoning for the site area allowed for 12 times the coverage of the entire site intended for commercial development density11. In order to maximize the economic potential, there was a need to reach the max density for retail in this location. It was seen as necessary to activate all three levels in the mall and feed each one equally with pedestrians. This was addressed 383