1924–2000
York Cemetery
Section 15 Lot 526
Born in Tallinn, Estonia, Uno Prii fled wartime Europe, eventually immigrating to Canada in 1950. Previously earning an engineering degree in Sweden, he graduated cum laude from the University of Toronto’s School of Architecture in 1955 and opened his own firm two years later. Prii’s mission was clear: to break away from the rigid, box-like forms of mid-century modernism and bring imagination to Toronto’s growing skyline.
During the optimistic 1960s when apartment living symbolized modern convenience, Prii introduced designs that looked like they belonged in a futuristic city – white concrete towers with sweeping curves, flared bases and circular motifs. His buildings stood out against Toronto’s traditional brick architecture, earning comparisons to The Jetsons and Miami Beach resorts.
Prii’s most celebrated works include The Vincennes at 35 Walmer Road (1966), with its elegant, curved façade and dramatic fifth-floor flare; Prince Arthur Towers (1968), a soaring 23-storey landmark with upward-sweeping concrete fins; and 44 Walmer Road (1969), a rounded tower accented by circular balcony patterns and a sculptural fountain. He also designed the Jane-Exbury Towers (1969), five staggered towers that seem to hover on elevated platforms, tapering to blunt peaks. Each of these projects showcased Prii’s ability to transform utilitarian apartment blocks into bold architectural statements.
Enabled by slipform concrete technology, Prii molded his buildings into expressive forms, treating them as giant sculptures. “I wanted to give architecture a sculptural quality,” he explained. “Most buildings were boring. I wanted imagination.”
Initially dismissed as eccentric, Prii’s work was rediscovered in the 1990s as appreciation for mid-century modernism grew. By 2004, 13 of his buildings were added to Toronto’s Inventory of Heritage Properties, securing his place as a visionary who reshaped the city’s skyline.
Prii retired in the 1980s and passed away in Toronto on November 27, 2000, at age 76, at which time his remains were interred at York Cemetery. Today, his towers remain cultural landmarks – playful, daring and defiantly original. A reminder that architecture can be both functional and fantastic.
Sources:
• Wikipedia – Uno Prii
• Heritage Toronto – Uno Prii’s Apartment Towers
Photo: Vermontalf, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
