Toronto’s present City Hall, with its two curved towers and the domed council chamber between them, was designed by the Finnish architect Viljo Revell and opened on September 13, 1965. The City of Toronto says the building cost about $31 million, and the open space in front of it was named Nathan Phillips Square after the mayor who campaigned for it.
The design came out of an international competition that drew 520 entries from 42 countries, according to the City’s online exhibit. The competition followed more than half a century of failed proposals for a civic square on Queen Street West.
Half a century of proposals
E.J. Lennox’s Old City Hall, finished in 1899, was soon too small. The City of Toronto’s exhibit “No Little Plans” lists the attempts that followed. In 1911 the Civic Improvement Committee proposed a civic center of administrative buildings around a new square, but only Charles Cobb’s Registry Building was built. More proposals appeared in the 1920s, and Alfred Chapman suggested a square with a courthouse in 1929. In 1945 the Department of Buildings proposed a new City Hall and square, and in 1947 voters approved the purchase of the land in a plebiscite.
The first design to reach a vote failed. In 1952 the firm Marani and Morris proposed a City Hall and courthouse, and voters refused to fund the $18 million building. In 1955 three firms submitted a joint proposal. The history of the older building is told in the article on Old City Hall.
The competition
The Canadian Encyclopedia says two architecture students, Peter Richardson and Harvey Cowan, campaigned for an international competition after the defeat at the polls, and that city council then agreed to hold one. It reports “more than 500” designs from around the world. The City’s exhibit gives the exact numbers, 520 entries from 42 countries, and names the winner as Viljo Revell, who was born in 1910 in Vaasa, a town on Finland’s west coast.
The year of the competition is stated two ways. The City’s tour page says Revell won a 1957 international competition, and the exhibit dates its image of the finalists to 1957. Entries held in the Toronto Public Library Digital Archive carry titles that read “1958,” which suggests the later stage of judging. This article gives both years.
The winning design “sparked controversy and amazement,” according to the Canadian Encyclopedia, and Mayor Nathan Phillips called it “breath-taking.” Because Revell was not registered to practice in Canada, the firm of John B. Parkin Associates assisted with the project, the City says.
Construction and opening
Mayor Phillips turned the first sod on November 7, 1961. Revell died of a heart attack at age 54, ten months before the opening, and did not see the building finished. Governor General Georges Vanier formally opened City Hall on September 13, 1965. The Canadian Encyclopedia adds that Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson, Ontario Premier John Robarts, and about 14,000 onlookers attended. It calls the new building a fitting neighbor to Lennox’s sandstone Old City Hall.
| Feature | Figure (City of Toronto) |
|---|---|
| East Tower | 27 floors |
| West Tower | 20 floors |
| Council chamber | 46 m (151 ft) wide, 12 m (39 ft) high |
| Central column | Goes 16 m (52 ft) into bedrock; carries about 4,000 tonnes |
| Roof supports | 23 pairs of V-shaped concrete struts |
| Chamber ceiling | More than 2,000 tonnes, cast in one plywood mould; 40 days to dry |
| Public gallery | Up to 250 seats |
The square and The Archer
Revell asked the sculptor Henry Moore to create a work that would complement the building, according to the City. The council rejected the abstract design amid public controversy. After Revell’s death, Mayor Philip Givens raised $100,000 in private donations, and the sculpture, known as The Archer, was installed in 1966.
The City also notes that the reflecting pool and the arches over it are part of the square’s heritage designation, and that the pool becomes a skating rink from November to March. The Peace Garden, once in the middle of the square, was moved to the western landscaped area beside Osgoode Hall. For that building, see the article on Osgoode Hall.
Frequently asked questions
Who designed Toronto’s new City Hall?
Viljo Revell of Finland won the international competition. Because he was not registered in Canada, John B. Parkin Associates assisted.
When did the new City Hall open?
On September 13, 1965, with Governor General Georges Vanier presiding. Construction had begun on November 7, 1961.
How much did City Hall cost?
The City of Toronto gives the final cost as about $31 million. The 1952 design that voters rejected would have cost $18 million.
Why is it called Nathan Phillips Square?
The Canadian Encyclopedia says the square was named for Mayor Nathan Phillips because he was a tireless advocate of the project. The City’s list of mayors gives his years in office as 1955 to 1962.
Related reading
- Old City Hall: history of the building
- Osgoode Hall: history of the building
- The Eaton Centre and Toronto’s shopping districts
- Toronto’s heritage register and designation
- An overview of Toronto’s history
Last verified: October 2026
Sources
- The Canadian Encyclopedia, Toronto Feature: Toronto City Hall
- City of Toronto, No Little Plans: Civic Square (online exhibit)
- City of Toronto, City Hall Virtual Tour and Points of Interest
- City of Toronto, “Features of Nathan Phillips Square”
- City of Toronto, “Mayor, Reeve and Chairman” list
- Toronto Public Library Digital Archive, City Hall and Square Competition entries (titles dated 1958)
Cite this page
APA: History of Toronto. (2026, October 23). Toronto’s New City Hall and Nathan Phillips Square, 1965. https://historyoftoronto.ca/blog/toronto-city-hall-1965
MLA: “Toronto’s New City Hall and Nathan Phillips Square, 1965.” History of Toronto, 23 Oct. 2026, https://historyoftoronto.ca/blog/toronto-city-hall-1965. Accessed .
Chicago: History of Toronto. “Toronto’s New City Hall and Nathan Phillips Square, 1965.” Last modified October 23, 2026. https://historyoftoronto.ca/blog/toronto-city-hall-1965.
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