This episode of 'The Unquiet Library' podcast delves into the historical context and architectural significance of the John P. Robarts Research Library at the University of Toronto. Hosted by Jesse Carliner, it features insights from architectural historian Mary Louise Lobsinger, preservation architect Michael McClelland, urbanist Sean Micallef, librarian and photographer Thomas Guignard, and Diamond Schmidt principal architect Gary McCluskie.
The interviews explore the brutalist style of the building, its evolution in public perception, and its place in the cultural and educational landscape of Toronto.
The episode also touches on personal anecdotes, the broader impact of brutalism in Canada, and the growing appreciation for modernist architecture.
To learn more about the history of Robarts Library and see archival images, visit uoft.me/robarts50. Follow us @unquietlibrary on Instagram, Blue Sky or TikTok for additional content and updates.
00:00 A student’s opinion of Robarts Library
00:23 Introduction
01:24 Interview with Mary Louise Lobsinger
07:37 Is the architecture of Robarts Library Canadian?
08:50 Is Robarts Library a canonical building?
09:51 Interview with Michael McClelland
12:32 Interview with Shawn Micallef
15:22 Brutalism and higher education in Canada
17:28 Brutalism becomes fashionable again
20:01 Interview with Thomas Guignard
22:07 The beauty of brutalism
23:27 Interview with Gary McCluskie
25:57 Conclusion
Learn more about concrete architecture in Toronto:
McClelland, Michael, and Graeme Stewart. 2004. Concrete Toronto: A Guide to Concrete Architecture from the Fifties to the Seventies. 1st ed. Coach House Books: https://chbooks.com/Books/C/Concrete-Toronto3
Sound credits
Theme music:
Felipe Sarro, Bach-Siloti - Prelude BWV 855a
Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication
Sound effects
120120_walking_through_building.wav by reinsamba -- https://freesound.org/s/142929/ -- License: Attribution 4.0
littleitaly.mp3 by salgoodsam -- https://freesound.org/s/54282/ -- License: Attribution 4.0
escalator-close.wav by sarana -- https://freesound.org/s/81831/ -- License: Attribution 4.0
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