The soundness of the Ontario Science Centre roof is under scrutiny after a recent engineer’s report suggested compromised portions threaten public safety and are beyond repair. Leading up to his death in 2023 at age 93, however, architect Raymond Moriyama was sure of the treasured structure’s integrity; his design would stand for centuries with proper maintenance, he said. And if that roof had gotten enough attention, maybe more people would have noticed its clandestine extra feature: Moriyama’s name, incorporated into the design, but visible only from above.
Issues about the state of the Science Centre’s trio of roofs — roughly 50,000-square-metre complex consists of three individual structures connected by breezeways descending into the Don Valley — aren’t new. As early as 1982, engineers recommended a maintenance regime, and politicians balked at the estimated $2.5-million repair bill.
A model of the Ontario Science Centre shows architect Raymond Moriyama’s grace note — the stylized hiragana letters spelling his surname — was always part of the plan for the roof.