The Annex & Yorkville

The Annex style house is unique to Toronto because it blends elements of both the American Richardson Romanesque and the British Queen Anne Style. Typically features large rounded arches along with decorative items such as turrets and domes, with an emphasis on the attics, exterior architecture. The houses are most often made of brick, though some also incorporate Credit Valley sandstone. This area was populated by some of Toronto’s wealthiest citizens, the houses were all on the larger side when compared to other houses being built during 1880 and the early 1900s.

The 1950s and 1960s saw the replacement of some homes and mansions with mid-rise and a handful of high-rise apartment buildings in the International style. These were surrounded by landscaped green spaces in an attempt to better fit into the neighbourhood. Some of architect Uno Prii’s most expressive, sculptural apartment buildings are located in the Annex.