The Ideal Bread Factory was designed in the Edwardian Classical style by Montreal architect Sydney Comber. The building was stratified such that each floor served a unique function in the baking process. The penthouse level on the fifth floor originally contained an assembly hall with a stage and seating for 400 people that was used by the employees and, on occasion, the public.
After mixing on the fourth floor, dough was shaped on the third level where the extended ceiling height accommodated two “traveling ovens” that produced up to 7,000 loaves per hour. Finished breads were then conveyed to the second floor for packaging, and then transferred to the first floor where wagons would deliver them to customers throughout the city.
The building was used as a bakery until 1957, after which the property was sold and transitioned into mixed-use industrial spaces. In 2007, it was converted into a residential condominium called the Argyle Authentic Lofts.
Mounted to the brickwork just east of the main entrance, this plaque celebrates the Argyle’s 2008 designation as an historic building in the city of Toronto.
“Hipster Banger”
Jonathan Nodrick
One part ironic mustache, one part smoke pit, this pattern is reminiscent of the flannel shirts that protect hipsters and bangers from the elements across the globe. Serving as a tribute to this timeless style, this plaid design is comprised of a repeat pattern in subtle tones, which allows for flexibility in a range of colourways and sizing. A custom addition of this wallcovering in a space will crank up the tunes with one hand, while slowly raising the flame from a lighter with the other.
Available through rollout.ca
In October 2018, the Argyle Art Committee invited residents and their friends to tour the building, and drop in on a few of the units to see examples of current artistic practice and interior design ideas. The event was the fourth in the condominium’s 10-year history: an opportunity to meet neighbours, build community, and continue to develop plans for the beautification of the building and its environs.
“The Night Garden”
Mary Murdoch
Oil on board
“The Dinner Party”
Mary Murdoch
Oil on board
Integer facilisis tincidunt odio. Mauris hendrerit ac magna eu vestibulum. Pellentesque mollis eget dolor in tempus. Mauris iaculis vulputate magna, vel rhoncus leo feugiat non. Sed consequat, turpis sed vulputate sodales, magna tellus malesuada nulla, nec euismod sem orci et nulla.
The Ideal Bread Company Factory operated in this building for several decades after its construction in 1919. The factory was designed top to bottom to accommodate its interior uses. After mixing on the fourth floor, dough was shaped on the third level where the extended ceiling height accommodated two “traveling ovens” that produced up to 7000 loaves per hour. These ovens were shipped to Toronto on the first commercial flight from Italy.
City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1034, Item 840
With our eyes on both the past and the future, the Argyle Art Committee is a gathering of residents who live at 183 Dovercourt Road. We are an eclectic group of educators, archivists, artists, designers, and entrepreneurs with a passion for art and a shared desire to create a collective identity rooted in the Argyle’s unique history.
Shawn Postoff, Artist
Melanie Wright, Educator
Craig Morrison, Oasis Skateboard Factory
Craig’s Dog, Pet
Jonathan Nodrick, Rollout
Not in photo: Darrell Keenie, Dufferin Museum
Detail and interior shots of Shawn’s unit illustrate the work-in-progress of an all-encompassing, immersive mosaic project that, when complete, will cover 100% of the available wall space. Shawn combines sculptural elements, computer innards, cables, hoses, metal castings, and ceramic tiling patterns to create a fantastical space filled with colour, light, and imagery. There’s no over-arching plan for the space – merely an ongoing list of micro-projects that slowly evolve toward completion.
Aenean malesuada mattis volutpat. Nunc molestie neque nec rutrum aliquet. Suspendisse tristique ornare ipsum eget placerat. Sed dignissim finibus ligula, vel porta nisl posuere vitae. Sed in facilisis quam, et ultrices metus. Cras ac imperdiet diam, vel gravida mi. Mauris molestie metus eu lorem lacinia blandit. Integer ut venenatis velit.
An example from Shawn’s latest art series, which presents an assortment of whimsical, wall-anchored, 3D sculptural mosaics. Shawn assembles glass, tile, stone, metals, beads and findings into useless and beguiling things that invite speculation and wonder. This piece depicts the path of the sun across an Olympic cycle: like a snake, the ecliptic weaves through four annual repetitions of Orion, the Summer Triangle, and the great square of Pegasus.
Vestibulum ornare nulla et turpis volutpat, rhoncus lacinia elit auctor. Quisque luctus purus neque, quis tristique felis venenatis vitae. Nam lobortis orci at erat bibendum, at fermentum ex tincidunt. Donec efficitur ligula at eros maximus mollis.
Cras sed scelerisque purus. Nullam ligula felis, tincidunt interdum bibendum at, rutrum non elit. Quisque cursus pellentesque augue id consectetur. Mauris auctor, turpis vitae porttitor sagittis, orci purus vulputate neque, ut pretium dolor enim eu velit. Quisque hendrerit est vel felis aliquet, sed porttitor turpis congue.
Vivamus accumsan, est in maximus gravida, ipsum nulla rhoncus nunc, sed faucibus enim sapien in dui. In non fermentum nisi. Quisque placerat nisl sem, viverra bibendum nisi aliquam in. Donec ultricies, lectus vitae mattis convallis, nisl tortor placerat nulla, sed maximus lacus ipsum aliquam eros. Nulla fermentum ultricies leo nec tempor.
“Engineering 5”
Photograph
“Communitech”
Photograph
Joe Martz is a Canadian photographer and graphic designer based in Kitchener, Ontario. The main focus of his photographic work is architecture; Joe has shot extensively for engineers, architects, and commercial real estate developers, often involving new and modern builds that are sustainable and eco-friendly. Strong lines, patterns and symmetry are common traits in much of his work and he often uses abstract perspectives to present a different view. Joe’s work occasionally delves into urban areas and landscapes as well.
