The List: 10 things Eb Zeidler, the influential architect behind the Eaton Centre, can’t live without
1 | My hats
The summer straw hat has become my signature, but I have one for every season—a black wool hat with a peacock band for autumn and a fur hat for winter, which was made in Sweden.
2 | My summer cottage
My wife, Jane, and I found our cottage on Stony Lake 50 years ago. It had been built by a retired minister who left China after the Boxer Rebellion, so it was in a glorious Zen style—not a typical cottage at all.
3 | My journal
I first started a journal in 1943 and have written in one every day since. It’s a family tradition. My mother kept a journal when I was a child in Germany. I always use these unlined books—I have more than 230 of them now.
4 | My Montblanc pen
One of my favourite things to do is sketch interesting buildings I see when I travel. I have pen drawings from five continents —always in black ink, and always with my Montblanc fountain pen.
5 | My barbells
I used to run in the ravine most mornings, but I can’t do that anymore so I use barbells and other training equipment in the exercise room of my condo building. I work out for an hour, five mornings a week. I’m very faithful about it.
6 | My tracing paper
I do all of my architectural drawings on this yellow tracing paper. It’s a great tool for expanding and correcting ideas, because you can keep adding layers to the sketches until you get it right.
7 | My favourite foliage
I love trees. They’re therapeutic, physically and mentally. And they’re beautiful, especially Canadian trees. That’s why I like living in the Benvenuto, because you get to look down at the canopy. I even put trees in the Eaton Centre originally, but the developers took them out.
8 | My favourite restaurant
I go to the pasta bar at Scaramouche three or four times a month. I love the stunning view and the brilliant decor. The food is good, too.
9 | My art collection
My wife and I used to have hundreds of paintings and photographs, many of which we gave to our kids (surprisingly, they didn’t even fight too much over them). One of my favourites, which is still in my bedroom, is a painting called Purda by Joanne Tod.
10 | My book club
In 1965, my wife and I started a book club with nine people. Over the years, the membership has included Jane Jacobs, Fraser and Betty Mustard, Anita Wilson, John and Gay Evans and Lou Siminovitch. We still meet every month or two.
Photographs: Eb Zeidler by Daniel Ehrenworth, Tree by iStock
. One of my favourites, which is still in my bedroom, is a painting called Purda by Joanne Tod.
10 | My book club
In 1965, my wife and I started a book club with nine people. Over the years, the membership has included Jane Jacobs, Fraser and Betty Mustard, Anita Wilson, John and Gay Evans and Lou Siminovitch. We still meet every month or two.
Photographs: Eb Zeidler by Daniel Ehrenworth, Tree by iStock){kind=link}