Wittington Tower (Toronto)

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Designed by architect Leslie Rebanks, the Wittington Tower is a 20-storey octagonal tower located at 22 St. Clair Avenue East. It was completed in 1975 and its design received international acclaim and won several design awards. Part of the Weston Centre, the top two floors are occupied by the headquarters of George Weston Ltd., owner of the Loblaws chain. George Weston Ltd. occupies five full floors in the building. Wittington Properties occupies the majority of the fourth floor. Loblaw Co. Ltd is no longer located in the building.

[edit] Structure

The horizontal members, called spandrels and separated by windows of tinted glass, are made of stainless steel, while the vertical members, mullions, are of aluminum. Because of the different light-reflecting qualities of the two materials, this creates an interesting dichromatic contrast under different daytime lighting conditions.

Reflecting the overall shape of the building, the lobby features a metal ceiling with eight-sided truncated metal 'stalactites.' This is accompanied by a floor-to-ceiling metallic sculpted mural. The reception (security) desk is a solid 5-ton slab of granite. The lobby design won for Rebanks an honourable mention, in 1976, from the American Institute of Business Designers.

On May 7, 1982, a stainless steel sculpture called 'Sails,' by Gordon Smith, was erected below the tower.