Confederation Building
457 Main Street

Built for the Confederation Insurance Company, this graceful, curved building complements the Royal Bank Tower in stature but represents the next generation of skyscrapers. The building's mid-section, with its expansive windows relative to scant wall area, truthfully reflects its skeletal framework of steel and reinforced concrete. This, together with the building's distinct horizontal division of base, repeating floors and elaborate cornice, makes it a good example of the Chicago School of architecture. With the exception of its polished granite base, the front of the building is clad entirely in a brilliant white terra cotta. The lavish cornice, also made of terra cotta, is the largest in the city and arguably one of the finest to be seen anywhere.