Photos

This is the facade of the Royal Ontario Museum(ROM) in Toronto, Canada.

Inspired by the ROM's unique mandate - to build bridges of understanding and appreciation for the world's diverse cultures and precious natural environments - Michael Lee-Chin's extraordinary $30 million gift to the ROM is an act of both gratitude and hope: gratitude to this country for the opportunities it has given him and his family, and hope that his example might be an inspiration to young Canadians to act on their aspirations and become leaders in their own communities. The Michael Lee-Chin Crystal is named in recognition of his exceptional generosity and the remarkable vision behind his gift.

Inspired by the ROM’s gem and mineral collection, architect Daniel Libeskind sketched the initial concept on paper napkins while attending a family wedding at the ROM. The design was quickly dubbed the 'crystal' because of its crystalline shape.

The Lee-Chin Crystal is part of Renaissance ROM, the Museum's renovation and expansion project. Considered to be one of the most challenging construction projects in North America for its engineering complexity and innovative methods, the Lee-Chin Crystal is composed of five interlocking, self-supporting prismatic structures that co-exist but are not attached to the original ROM building, except for the bridges that link them.

The exterior is 25% glass and 75% extruded-brushed, aluminum-cladding strips in a warm silver colour. The steel beams, each unique in its design and manufacture and ranging from 1 to 25 metres in length, were lifted one by one to their specific angle, creating complicated angle joints, sloped walls, and gallery ceilings. Approximately 3,500 tons of steel and 38 tons of bolts were used to create the skeleton, and roughly 9,000 cubic metres of concrete were poured. (excerpt from http://www.rom.on.ca)