Rising out of the suburban skyline west of Toronto, the Absolute World Towers—known more playfully as the "Marilyn Monroe Towers"—offer a bold architectural subject that stands apart from the glass-and-box skyline typical of the GTA. These two residential skyscrapers, completed in 2012, twist fluidly as they rise, with the taller of the two reaching 56 storeys. Their design, which curves organically in all directions, has earned them international recognition and made them a go-to location for architectural and urban photography.
Set at the intersection of Hurontario Street and Burnhamthorpe Road in downtown Mississauga, the towers are surrounded by open plazas, smaller high-rises, and reflective glass buildings—offering strong opportunities to play with contrast, scale, and symmetry. For photographers interested in form, repetition, and movement in architecture, the Absolute World Towers offer some of the most dynamic structural lines in Ontario.
Best Photography Opportunities
• Full Tower Framing from Burnhamthorpe Road
The broad expanse of Burnhamthorpe Road offers excellent unobstructed views of both towers in full. Use a wide-angle lens to capture the twisting motion of the buildings as they rise into the sky, especially from the southeast corner where the curvature is most pronounced. Golden hour light will rake across the towers, carving out their shapes and emphasizing the elegant helical structure. Early morning or twilight adds cooler tones that work well for more minimalist or monochrome approaches.
• Low-Angle Architectural Drama
Standing close to the base of either tower and shooting upward exaggerates their curved facades and swirling balconies. This angle helps emphasize the sense of motion and makes the buildings feel almost kinetic. Including foreground elements such as trees, benches, or passersby can provide grounding context and enhance the scale of the composition. On cloudy days, the lack of harsh contrast helps bring out the subtle tones in the cladding.
• Abstract Details and Pattern Repetition
Each tower's cladding and balcony lines create a repeating wave pattern that shifts with your perspective. Use a mid-range zoom or telephoto lens to isolate these undulating elements and compress them for maximum impact. This approach is especially effective when working in strong sidelight, where the shadows between the balconies add depth and rhythm. Consider framing in tight for near-abstract compositions or playing with symmetry by juxtaposing mirrored sections of the two towers.
• Reflection Work in Nearby Glass Buildings
Walk around the surrounding office towers and residential buildings to find reflective surfaces where the Absolute Towers distort and stretch. These reflections can turn the already surreal architecture into a painterly or dreamlike composition. Look for puddles after rain or car windows for creative framing opportunities. Including the reflected environment adds another layer of narrative, especially when combined with motion or passing light.
• Night Photography with City Context
The towers are beautifully lit in the evening, with spotlights enhancing their curves and subtle interior lighting adding warmth. Capture them with the surrounding city lights for context or go in tight for long-exposure light trails from passing traffic below. Blue hour provides an ideal balance of ambient and artificial light, while reflections in nearby windows and surfaces help build dynamic, multi-dimensional night compositions.
Best Time to Visit
Late afternoon and golden hour offer the most flattering light for the towers' curves, especially in the warmer months when the sun arcs around the west and south faces. Sunrise can be equally striking if you're shooting from the west side of Hurontario Street looking east. Blue hour is excellent for night shots, particularly if you're incorporating vehicle trails or city light glow.
Overcast days soften shadows and help highlight the form and texture of the buildings without harsh contrast. These conditions are especially useful for abstract architectural compositions. Winter mornings, when the air is clear and the surrounding pavement is covered in snow, can create striking monochrome environments with strong lines and soft highlights.
How to Get There
The Absolute World Towers are located at 50 and 60 Absolute Avenue, just east of Hurontario Street and north of Burnhamthorpe Road in downtown Mississauga. From Toronto, take Highway 403 west and exit at Hurontario Street. The towers are visible from the highway and easy to navigate to by car.
Parking is available in nearby lots, including underground options within Square One Shopping Centre, which is just a short walk away. The area is also well-served by public transit via MiWay and GO Transit, with the Mississauga City Centre Terminal within walking distance. The towers are surrounded by pedestrian paths and landscaped areas that provide accessible shooting locations from multiple vantage points.
Recommended Gear and Shooting Tips
A wide-angle or ultra-wide lens is essential to fully capture the towers' twisting design, especially when shooting from close range or low angles. A mid-range zoom is excellent for framing architectural patterns, compressing both towers into a single composition, or isolating reflective elements in nearby buildings. A tripod is useful for twilight or nighttime shooting, particularly when incorporating traffic trails or ambient city lighting.
Consider using a circular polarizer to manage reflections and deepen skies, particularly on sunny days. For abstract or pattern work, try a telephoto lens to isolate sections of the façade and reduce background clutter. Bracketing exposures can help balance bright sky with building shadows, especially at sunrise or sunset.
Watch for pedestrian and vehicle movement around the towers and use them to your advantage for scale and narrative. The clean, curved spaces also lend themselves well to minimalism, especially on cloudy days or in black-and-white treatments.
Nearby Photography Locations
• Mississauga Civic Centre and Celebration Square
Just west of the towers, this civic plaza offers fountains, geometric buildings, and public art installations. A good contrast to the curved forms of Absolute World, with strong lines and symmetry.
• Square One Shopping Centre Skyline Views
From the upper-level parking areas at Square One, you can shoot the towers with a bit more elevation and skyline layering. These spots are particularly good for night photography with light trails from Hurontario Street below.
A few blocks south, this Japanese-inspired garden offers a serene contrast to the urban skyline. Ideal for pairing organic textures with architectural backgrounds.
A short drive south, the Port Credit area provides lake views, marinas, and a different urban character. Sunset over Lake Ontario and reflections in the water pair well with a day of city-based architecture shooting.
This natural corridor runs nearby and provides a surprising shift from highrise to riparian landscape. It's a useful area for environmental transitions and seasonal foregrounds.
The Absolute World Towers are among the most visually compelling pieces of contemporary architecture in Ontario. With their flowing lines, bold presence, and dynamic curves, they offer photographers an evolving canvas of light, form, and urban identity—one that stands apart from Toronto's more angular skyline and rewards thoughtful exploration from every angle.
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