Buildings

Unicity Taxi Office

Formerly:Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Offices
Address:340 Hargrave Place
Use:Unicity Taxi Office
Original Use:Insurance Office
Constructed:1959
Architects:Waisman Ross & Associates
Firms:Waisman Ross & Associates
Contractors:Barclay Holdings Ltd. (Developer)

More Information

The firm of Waisman Ross & Associates designed the single storey office building at 340 Hargrave Place in 1959, for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. The successful young local architectural firm had already won a 1955 Massey Medal for Architecture for, in their own words, putting their "best efforts on low-budget buildings." They also specialized in the use of concrete block and exposed interior brick. Although these specific materials were not used in the design of this building, it shares a spare and linear character, and is defined by its unobtrusive low lying rectangular presence.

Design Characteristics

  • Dimensions: 40' x 92'
  • Masses of beige brick alternate with subtly recessed windowed grids, identical on the north and south elevations