Creating place with palimpsest.

With the notion of globalization affecting the architecture of cities all over the world, architectural identity becomes lost in what seems like a homogenous cityscape of similar buildings. Considering the removal, and erasure, of buildings, new proposals should incorporate elements of the local architecture along with new implementations. Design utilizing principles of palimpsest will allow for the integration of the present construction methods while also complimenting the existing surrounding identity. This idea of palimpsest will combine Toronto’s historic layers with the ideas of identity to create an architecture that establishes a new ‘sense of place’ to juxtapose the past with the present. Strategies, that demonstrate the concept of palimpsest, will be applied to the Victory Soya Mills Silos; a structure that is located within one of many layers of Toronto’s waterfront history. A design proposal that works with the existing silos can create a unique situation informing and utilizing palimpsest to create a strong identity and ‘sense of place.’ The design of a library, in conjunction with the silos, will further enhance the idea of palimpsest combining a historic neighborhood of Toronto with a program that represents an evolving building typology. The success of this project clarifies that the concept of palimpsest can be applied towards an old structure to work with a part of identity to create a ‘sense of place’.