Sharp Centre for Design

When we think of contemporary architecture, our mind goes to towering glass skyscrapers, rather than to a structure like this. Far from ordinary, the Sharp Centre for Design opened in 2004 as part of an expansion project for the OCAD University campus, Ontario’s College of Art and Design. Its extravagant style is linked to its purpose. Made primarily of steel and aluminum, its rectangular structure rises 26 meters above ground, designed to preserve the view of Grange Park, seen from the street. Spanning 84 meters in length and featuring a bold, black-and-white pixelated façade—described as ‘just a little crazy’ by the Royal Institute of British Architects—this building is one of the city’s most iconic and influential landmarks. And with a $42.5 million price tag, it’s certainly worth seeing.