The Flower Tower

Why apartments?

Uno Prii’s passion for creating apartment buildings can be traced to his own experiences trying to find a home in Toronto. When he and his wife Silvia first arrived in Toronto in 1950, rental options were restricted to only a few old apartment buildings. The average wait time for an apartment to become available in the city was seven years. The Priis eventually found an apartment, but the situation inspired Uno to design and build apartment buildings in Toronto.

In the 1950s, many Torontonians were critical of apartment living: why would anyone choose to live in one instead of a single-family home? However, following the opening of the Yonge Street subway in 1954, apartment construction dramatically increased along the new public transit corridor. Prii secured a number of commissions for apartment design. As a new architect, he didn’t have enough money to open his own office, or to hire other architects, so he worked every day by himself. When he did find an office for himself, Prii would receive calls from Silvia asking if he’d be home for breakfast, as he often worked all night long.