With the recent completion of the Reed Family Plaza and the Helga and Mike Schmidt Performance Terrace, the ROM is presenting a whole new public face to Bloor Street. This latest initiative – part of a larger, multi-phase Welcome Project – has succeeded in softening the abrupt angularity of Daniel Libeskind’s Crystal with the artistic integration of greenery, planters, walkways, gathering spaces, and seating areas.
Entro worked closely with the ROM and project architects Hariri Pontarini in the design of the site signage. For the donor and identity signage, we selected classic materials such as bronze and stone to match the patina of the architectural fixtures, and for their quality, longevity, and connection to nature – attributes that reflect the essence of the ROM itself. The bronze materials also provide continuity from the Weston Family donor signage which we designed for the Queens Park entrance.
We conducted a number of colour studies for the wayfinding signage designs to inform our choice of tonality, level of contrast, and type size, and to subtly differentiate between languages in the bilingual messaging using colour.
The team’s combined efforts culminated in a warm and welcoming streetscape that invites people to enjoy a performance, meet up and talk to one another, or just sit and look around. The rawness of the Crystal is looking more finished as it nestles into the gardens and begins to converse with the original Beaux-Arts building.
We are honoured to be part of this meaningful revitalization, which has put the ROM back in the spotlight as a cultural hub and gathering space full of diverse programming.