Toronto experienced another transformative year in 2023, bringing several jaw-dropping instant landmarks to the city.

Condos remain the biggest player in the city's ongoing development boom, but it was a handful of new institutional buildings and even a park that really stood out from the pack this year.

Here is a totally arbitrary and subjective list (seriously, don't @ me) of the five most impressive projects to reach completion in the last year.

The Well's Galleria

This mega-project has something for everyone with its mix of retail, restaurants, condos, rentals, and office space. But it's the central spine of retail carving across the site that has captivated visitors since the construction fencing came down this past fall.

Sure, it may be a glorified semi-enclosed mall, but the attention to detail and design from designers BDP — combined with some high-profile businesses setting up shop to anchor the galleria — have made this inviting space an instant hit with curious pedestrians and shoppers.

Marc Mitanis

U of T: Schwartz Reisman Innovation Centre

A futuristic pyramid now looms above Queen's Park subway station, the first phase of a two-building development designed by New York-based architects Weiss/Manfredi.

The 13-storey tower completed construction in 2023 will soon be joined by an even taller 20-storey tower to the east.

If any film producers are ever looking to shoot a sci-fi flick set in an alternate universe where the Aztecs prevailed over the Conquistadors, Toronto has just the building for your production.

Weiss/Manfredi

Hospital For Sick Children: Patient Support Centre

SickKids Hospital completed its new Patient Support Centre (PSC) in 2023, boasting a flashy design from B+H Architects that rises 22 storeys above Elm and Elizabeth streets.

Its mirror-finish exterior, punctuated by striking yellow fins, encloses a new consolidated location for the institution's core administrative services.

The futuristic design speaks to the function of the building, which includes a mix of simulation spaces where staff can be trained on cutting-edge equipment and practices. It also offers event and conference spaces, as well as a rooftop event space and garden where staff can soak in spectacular city views.

B+H Architects

Love Park

Toronto's dazzling new heart-shaped park opened in 2023, and despite some hiccups with the water quality of its signature pond, the public space at Simcoe and Queen's Quay was warmly received by the masses.

The park's whimsical design from landscape architects CCxA, combined with its location in a tourist hotspot along the waterfront, have made this new space a haven for selfie-takers, photo shoots, and even weddings.

Waterfront Toronto

Ontario Court of Justice

Infrastructure Ontario signed on acclaimed Italian architecture firm Renzo Piano Building Workshop to design its new court building just northwest of City Hall, which wrapped up construction in 2023.

The 17-storey tower's minimalist design might not be the flashiest on this list, but the beauty in this project is truly in its details.

Sleek glass exteriors and a rigid rectangular shape may just read as another of Toronto's ubiquitous glass box buildings to many passersby, but behind those glass walls, the tower's base is home to a dramatic atrium with floating staircases set against a vibrant yellow backdrop.

NORR Architects

Here's hoping 2024 brings even more impressive new landmarks to Toronto.