The Quinte Health Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital in Picton, Ontario, which has officially broken ground, will be the first all mass timber acute care hospital in North America upon completion in 2027.

The new hospital is designed by HDR and currently under construction with M. Sullivan & Son and Infrastructure Ontario.

This healing environment will serve its community with advanced medical technologies, energy-efficient operations, biophilic design principles, a low-carbon mass timber structure and access to nature throughout the facility.

“The new Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital is more than a modern healthcare facility – it’s a reflection of the remarkable pride this community has in its hometown hospital spanning more than a century,” said Stacey Daub, president and CEO, Quinte Health. “Transitioning from an older outdated building to an innovative, all–mass timber structure allows Quinte Health to meet the latest standards in healthcare and provide a safer, more resilient space that serves both our community and the thousands of visitors drawn to the beautiful region each year.”

The Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital’s clinical capabilities will include 23 inpatient beds, an emergency department, diagnostic imaging, procedures, comprehensive ambulatory care services and healing gardens.

Its sustainable infrastructure will feature geothermal energy, solar panels, green roofs, electric vehicle ready parking, and a high-performance building envelope for future electrification and net-zero carbon emission status.

Located in the heart of Picton, Ontario, the new Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital will be adjacent to the existing hospital, which will remain operational during construction.

“It has been an amazing journey with Quinte Health and the Prince Edward County community to be able to bring such a groundbreaking energy and carbon reduction approach to the design of acute care facilities,” said Jason-Emery Groen, design director, HDR, Canada. “Through a multidisciplinary approach to building trust among key stakeholders, agencies and Authorities Having Jurisdiction, HDR was able to shift age-old limitations into phenomenal opportunities, not only for this community, but the future of healthcare design and beyond in North America.”

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The Vancouver Art Gallery (VAG) announced that it will not be going forward with the design of its proposed new building and will be bringing in a new architecture partner.

Estimates for the the project have now reached $600 million. Anthony Kiendl, VAG’s CEO and executive director announced on December 3, 2024, that Herzog & Meuron has been removed from the project, which is taking a new direction.

“Following the temporary pause of on-site construction activity announced at the end of the summer, we have been reassessing the project’s direction. Throughout this process, we have been listening to feedback from our supporters, artists, Members and stakeholders, who are helping to shape the next phase of this transformative project,” said Kiendl.

In the statement, Kiendl went on to state that VAG’s goal is to create a building that “embodies a diverse and inclusive artistic vision while ensuring financial sustainability within a fixed budget.”

Kiendl also noted that VAG recognizes that inflation has put “tremendous pressure” on their plans, and as a result, it has become clear that they require a new way forward to meet both their artistic mission and vision and practical needs.

“For the past decade, we have had the benefit of collaborating with the esteemed Swiss architectural firm Herzog & de Meuron on plans for a new Gallery. We are grateful for our partnership with them, which has helped shape our thinking around what a museum could look like in the 21st century and provided valuable research that can be applied moving forward,” said Kiendl. “However, in view of our reassessment, the Gallery Association’s Board has made the difficult decision to part ways with Herzog & de Meuron.”

The statement also noted that at its last meeting, the board approved updated Strategic Priorities that will guide the gallery as they move forward. “These underscore our commitment to build a new cultural hub that will be the heart of our communities and serve and inspire diverse audiences,” said Kiendl.

Kiendl concluded by stating that in the coming months, they will schedule a series of opportunities at the gallery to share more about the next phase of the project and discuss it with its members and communities.

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The past year saw an abundance of films and podcasts of interest to Canadian architects. As the holidays approach, we’re rounding up this year’s best ones.

You may also be interested in this round-up’s companion posts: our 2024 Holiday Gift Guide, 2024 Book Round-Up Part One and 2024 Book Round-Up Part Two.

Films:

Your Tomorrow

Filmed over 100 days in this public space on Toronto’s waterfront, Ali Weinstein’s feature-length documentary captures the final year of Ontario Place before its planned transformation into a private spa and waterpark. Find out more here.

Arthur Erickson: Beauty Between the Lines

This documentary debuted to sold-out audiences at the ADFF film festivals in Vancouver and Toronto. Directed by Ryan Mah and Danny Berish, it offers an in-depth exploration of the extraordinary life of one of the 20th century’s most iconic and influential modernist architects. The documentary weaves personal anecdotes and professional milestones to uncover the untold stories of Arthur Erickson’s journey, from his celebrated public achievements to his private struggles.

Groundwork

Made by the Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA), Groundwork is a three-part film and exhibition series that explores the conceptual development and field research of contemporary architects cultivating alternative modes of engagement with new project sites. Find out more here.

Podcasts:

Architecturally Speaking

This podcast series, launched by the Ontario Association of Architects (OAA), was designed to make the built environment more accessible to the public by exploring aspects of design and construction and discussing current issues such as climate change and housing. Find out more here.

Beyond the Build 

Hosted by Jonathan Jacobs, this podcast offers in-depth interviews with Canadian design professionals speaking about their design practices, personal journeys, and more.

The Claims-Free Architect 

Sponsored by Prodemnity, the Claims-Free Architect podcast takes a deep-dive into situations faced by licensed architects and architectural practice owners which lead to claims against them. While directed to Ontario architects, its scenarios are relevant to practicing architects across the country.

Bevel

Hosted by Peter Sobchak, editor in chief of Canadian Interiors and Building magazines, Bevel features talks with industry leaders and thinkers about ideas and issues facing the design world today.

Related:

2024 Holiday Gift Guide

Best books for Canadian architects: 2024 Edition, Part 1

Best books for Canadian architects: 2024 Edition, Part 2

 

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The 2024 Canadian Architect Awards were tightly contended. Over two days of deliberation in October, jurors Andrea Wolff, Matthew Hickey, and D’Arcy Jones considered 143 entries to arrive at a selection of four Awards of Excellence winners and six Award of Merit winners. They also considered 35 student entries—the top architecture thesis projects in Canada as nominated by their schools—to select three Student Award of Excellence winners.

Here are this year’s winners:

Awards of Excellence

Awards of Merit

Student Awards of Excellence

Parkdale People’s Palace | Matthew Dlugosz, University of Waterloo

Ascending Worlds | Jose Power, University of Toronto

Photo Award of Excellence

L’École du Zénith | James Brittain

Photo Awards of Merit

St. Albert Place | Stationpoint Photographic

La Tour du Port | James Brittain

Student Photo Award of Excellence

Église Précieux-Sang | Jenna Carolynne Bosc

On behalf of the magazine and the jurors, we wish to extend thanks to all of our readers who participated in this year’s awards program, and congratulations to all of this year’s winners.

View the winners in the December 2024 issue

See all the 2024 Awards of Excellence winners

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The Ontario Association of Architects (OAA) has announced that the call for entries to the SHIFT2025 Challenge is now open and has announced the jury for the competition.

This program is an aspirational ideas competition that aims to highlight the architecture profession’s distinct contribution to addressing societal issues, with past themes having focused on health, resiliency, and infrastructure. The SHIFT Challenge is open to individuals or teams led by someone who holds an OAA status such as an architect, intern architect, student associate, retired member, or honorary member.

This year’s theme, “Reshaping Communities,” asks the profession to explore how they can develop sustainable solutions. From urban revitalization and reconceptualization to adaptations responding to climate change and other emergencies, the competition is seeking conceptual, yet possible, architectural ideas for communities that enable all people to find stability, a sense of belonging, and hope.

The deadline for submissions is Friday, January 17, 2025.

All eligible entries will be reviewed by a jury consisting of:

• Dr. Elizabeth English, professor at the University of Waterloo School of Architecture and founder of the Buoyant Foundation Project, 
• Erica Gomirato, intern architect at Perry + Perry Architects in Sudbury,
• Shane Laptiste, architect and founder of the Studio of Contemporary Architecture (SOCA) and 2023 Canadian Prix de Rome recipient,
• Jean Philippe Larocque, co-founder of Larocque Elder Architects and chair of the North Bay Society of Architects (NBSA); and
• Janet Rosenberg, founding principal of Janet Rosenberg & Studio, and a renowned landscape architect with more than 40 years of experience and award-winning public and private projects.

These experts will be joined by a jury facilitator: architect Diarmuid Nash, partner at Moriyama Teshima Architects, professor, former OAA president, and recipient of the 2022 OAA award for Lifetime Design Achievement.

The selected SHIFT2025 submissions will be collected in a special publication and shared online, as well as celebrated at next year’s Conference in Ottawa.

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Three Canadian projects are among the winners of the AIA International Design Awards.

AIA International held its 2024 Design Awards Ceremony at the Henderson in Hong Kong on October 26, 2024, as part of the AIA International Conference entitled “Hong Kong: Architectural Intelligence.”

The awards, which are now in their 11th year, recognize outstanding architecture and aims to inspire fellow practitioners, governments and the public.

The jury selected submissions across four categories: Architecture, Interior Architecture, Urban Design and Unbuilt Design. Winning projects were eligible for further recognition for combining exceptional design with sustainability, in the form of the Sustainable Future Award developed with AIA’s partner, Dow. The awards also continued with the Inclusive Design Excellence Award (IDEA), which honours projects that demonstrate meaningful, inclusive and accessible designs. The jury also gave out the Firm Award for outstanding architectural practice.

This year’s jury consisted of Grover Dear, FAIA, president, AIA Hong Kong 2002 and 2006, Illya Azaroff, FAIA, president-elect, AIA 2025, and Sara Topelson de Grinberg, president, UIA 1996 to 1999.

The following is the full list of winners, highlighting three Canadian winners:

Honor Awards for Open International | Architecture

House of Grain, Reiulf Ramstad, Hon. FAIA, Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter; Hjørring, Denmark

Old Post Office Idea Exchange, Tyler W. Sharp, Intl. Assoc. AIA, RDH Architects; Cambridge, ON, Canada

Kyabirwa Surgical Center, George K. George, AIA, GKG; Kyabirwa, Uganda

Merit Awards for Architecture & Open International | Architecture

Aida Sekkei Factory, Nobuaki Miyashita, Intl. Assoc. AIA, MR STUDIO; Bando, Japan

Boral Biddya Niketon, Ishtiaque Zahir, Hon. FAIA, VITTI Sthapati Brindo; Pabna, Bangladesh

U.S. Consulate General Dhahran, Javier Arizmendi, FAIA, SOM; Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia

Six Bricolage Houses, Zhang Yuxing, Han Jing, Intl. Assoc. AIA, ARCity Office; Shenzhen, China

Bata Shoe Factory, Laura Rachlin, AIA, BDP Quadrangle; Batawa, Canada

Rumah Baca, David Hashim, Assoc. AIA, VERITAS; Perak, Malaysia

NYU Shanghai, Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates; Shanghai, China

Commendations for Architecture & Open International | Architecture

The Crystal Towers, Henning Larsen Architects; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

ParkwayHealth Gleneagles Chengdu Hospital, Angela Lee, FAIA, HKS Asia Pacific Design Consulting; Chengdu, China

The New Urbanity, Gustavo Vera Ocampo, Intl. Assoc. AIA, BVO Architects; Montevideo, Uruguay

Honor Awards for Interior Architecture

Shenzhen Metro Line 16, Hoi Lung Damian Chan, AIA, Matter Design; Shenzhen, China

Global Technology Company Suzhou Campus, Yun Hsueh, AIA, Gensler; Suzhou, China

Merit Awards for Interior Architecture & Open Intl | Interior Architecture

UOB Malaysia HQ, John Sellery, FAIA, M Moser Associates; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Yishan Pinnacle, Zhang Yuxing, Han Jing, Intl. Assoc. AIA, ARCity Office; China

Commendations for Interior Architecture & Open International | Interior Architecture

McDonald’s Hong Kong Office, Moira Moser, FAIA, M Moser Associates; Hong Kong

Woomyeon Elementary School Library, Kyung Sun Lee, AIA, SUNe.Lab; Seoul, South Korea

Lotus HQ in Shanghai, B+H Architects, an SJ Company; Shanghai, China

Merit Award for Urban Design

Jingdezhen Taoxichuan Ceramic Industrial Park, Jie Zhang, Intl. Assoc. AIA, School of Architecture, Tsinghua University; China

Commendations for Urban Design

Guangzhou Ji Yun Yao Resorts, Fanhao Meng, Intl. Assoc. AIA, line+ studio; Guangzhou, China

Woven Passage to Cloudy Peaks, Peidong Zhu, Intl. Assoc. AIA, line+ studio; Shaoxing, China

Merit Award for Unbuilt

The Destructor, Aaron Budd, AIA, SvN Architects + Planners; Toronto, Canada

Firm Award

T. R. Hamzah & Yeang

Sustainable Future Awards

House of Grain, Reiulf Ramstad, Hon. FAIA, Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter; Hjørring, Denmark

Old Post Office Idea Exchange, Tyler W. Sharp, Intl. Assoc. AIA, RDH Architects; Cambridge, ON, Canada

Kyabirwa Surgical Center, George K. George, AIA, GKG; Kyabirwa, Uganda

NYU Shanghai, Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates; Shanghai, China

Inclusive Design Excellence Awards

Boral Biddya Niketon, Ishtiaque Zahir, Hon. FAIA, VITTI Sthapati Brindo; Pabna, Bangladesh

NYU Shanghai, Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates; Shanghai, China

UOB Malaysia HQ, John Sellery, FAIA, M Moser Associates; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

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Northcrest Developments has launched a global design competition for the Runway at YZD in Toronto, formerly home to the historic Downsview airport.

The YZD Runway Design Competition will ask cross-disciplinary design teams to transform the 2-km airstrip into a key centerpiece for the future series of mixed-use communities across the expansive 370 acres.

The competition will also task global design teams, led by a registered landscape architect, with developing a holistic set of design guidelines for the runway which will shape its future and inform how it connects and interacts with the site’s neighbourhoods.

The Runway at YZD is envisioned as an unparalleled outdoor experience with a pedestrian-focused and publicly-accessible corridor that will become a destination for visitors to experience its creative public spaces.

The former airstrip links the seven complete communities at YZD, and will also be animated by community uses, public amenities, and recreation opportunities for the 55,000 residents and 23,000 workers that will eventually live, work and visit the site.

“This competition presents an extraordinary opportunity for design teams to make their mark by reimagining a cherished piece of Toronto’s industrial heritage into a world-class, public space where people can gather, explore, and enjoy,” said Kristy Shortall, senior vice president of Development at Northcrest Developments. “The Runway is the heart of YZD, and it embodies our ambitions of creating complete communities that are vibrant, sustainable, and connected. We’re excited to see the level of talent and creativity that will emerge to help bring this vision to life.”

Award-winning urban designer, city-building advocate, and author Ken Greenberg will chair the competition jury, alongside other design, development, and placemaking experts.

“The Runway at YZD reflects a growing understanding that reusing—rather than demolishing—outdated urban infrastructure can become a great source of identity and uniqueness for successful neighbourhoods,” said Greenberg. “YZD is an incredible city-building opportunity for not only Toronto, but North America, and the Runway will set the tone for much of what’s to come.”

The competition will consist of two phases. The first one will see global design teams submit Expressions of Interest. For phase two, Northcrest Developments will issue closed Requests for Proposals to shortlisted teams. Once selected, the winning team will start work on the YZD Runway Design guidelines in Q3 2025.

For many years, Northcrest has implemented a Meanwhile Use strategy, activating several areas of the site with free community-focused events, pop-ups, partnerships with local businesses and arts, and other cultural and recreation opportunities. These include the annual Play on the Runway, Hangar Skate, and Tee Up Downsview, a public art-infused mini golf experience. The recently opened YZD Experience Centre and Plaza has transformed the Bay 12 Hangar into a hub designed to educate the public on the future of YZD, alongside various activities.

“Our Meanwhile Use strategy has been instrumental in turning YZD into a vibrant community by opening this historically closed space and welcoming the public in. From our perspective, it’s a preview of the inclusive community we’re shaping, with the Runway poised to be a key magnet in the future. These actiations are just the begining of what YZD – and, critically, the future Runway will offer as a destination for residents and visitors alike,” said Shortall.

For more details about the YZD Design Competition, visit yzd.ca/runwaydesign. Submissions for Expression of Interest are due at 11:59 p.m. EST on November 22, 2024.

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The Brick Industry Association (BIA) has honoured the 2023 Brick in Architecture Awards, the premier international design competition featuring fired-clay brick.

The 2023 winning projects, which were judged by a jury of peers, span across Canada, the United States, China, Mexico, and the first winner in the Russian Federation.

The 44 winners include nine Best in Class, nine Gold, nine Silver, 16 Bronze plus an overall Craftsmanship Award. Among these, four Canadian projects were winners—including two that cinched the program’s top prizes for Best in Class.

“Brick is a versatile material that offers limitless design possibilities with inherent sustainability, unmatched durability, fire resistance and notable energy efficiency,” said BIA president and CEO Ray Leonhard.

The Best in Class Canadian winners include the following.

Commercial Best in Class (and Craftsmanship Award Winner)

Ace Hotel Toronto – Toronto, Ontario – Canada
Architect: Shim-Sutcliffe Architects
Brick Manufacturer: Endicott Clay Products Company
Mason Contractor: Limen Group

Residential Single Family Best in Class

Canvas House – Toronto, Ontario – Canada
Architect: PARTISANS
Brick Manufacturer: Taylor Clay Products
Brick Distributor: Thames Valley Brick
Mason Contractor: Finbarr Sheehan

The other Canadian projects among the full list of 44 winners include the following.

Jackman House

2023 Gold – Residential Single Family
Toronto, Ontario
Manufacturer: The Belden Brick Company
Distributor: Mason’s Masonry Supply Ltd.
Mason: Duffy + Associates
Architects: Superkül

Pacific Railway Single Residence

2023 Bronze – Residential Single Family
Montreal, Canada
Manufacturer: General Shale
Architetcs: Architecture Microclimat

To view the full list of winners, click here.

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The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) has announced the jury for the Governor General’s Medals in Architecture.

The biennial awards recognize and celebrate excellence in recently built projects by Canadian architects. The 2024 competition will continue a tradition initiated by the Massey Medals in 1950, providing an important source of understanding of the nature of Canadian architecture and the regional, cultural, and historic forces expressed in the built environment.

This year, following protocols by the Canada Council for the Arts who administers the awards program jointly with the RAIC, the jury was appointed following the close of the submissions, rather than before as in previous years.

The following are the jury members for 2024.

 

Wanda Dalla Costa, AIA, Hon. FRAIC, LEED A.P., Tawaw Architecture Collective

Wanda Dalla Costa is a member of the Saddle Lake Cree Nation. Her firm, Tawaw Architecture Collective (www.TawArc.com) has offices in both Phoenix and Calgary. At Arizona State University, she is the director and founder of the Indigenous Design Collaborative, a community-driven design and construction program, which brings together tribal community members, industry and a multidisciplinary team of ASU students and faculty to co-design and co-develop solutions for tribal communities.

 

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The City of Saskatoon has released the concept design and master plan to revitalize its downtown core. The Downtown Event & Entertainment District (DEED) is re-envisioning Saskatoon’s core as a center of commerce, tourism, services, and entertainment.

The project is being led by Stantec, who is serving as the prime consultant on the project and the plan features a new event center/arena, convention center, renovated theatre, and public realm design.

The team for Stantec’s Urban Places created the concept design and master plan for the DEED, which included a transportation plan, mobility plan, landscape design, and urban planning. The new district is expected to drive investment and create significant economic benefits over the long term.

Stantec oversaw the larger design team which included HOK who led the arena concept, LMN who led the convention centre concept, and PFS who led the landscape design concept.

“Positioned in the northwest quadrant of Saskatoon’s downtown, the Downtown Event & Entertainment District is in the geographic and metaphorical heart of the City. Its design reflects the diversity that makes the region so vibrant and beautiful,” said Simon O’Byrne, senior vice president at Stantec. “Our inspiration was drawn from the meeting of city and country that Saskatoon exemplifies in its landscapes and urban form, as well as the deep connection of community.”

This project features four design pillars that were inspired by the beauty of nature in Saskatoon to create a cohesive design for the new and existing public spaces: Urban with a Prairie Heart, Where the Earth Meets the Sky, Warmly Embrace the Winter, and Of the Earth. Each of these pillars is expressed across the DEED with complementary colours, textures, and forms, all of which draw on the prairie landscape and embrace the identity of the surrounding Indigenous communities.

“These renderings really help illustrate that the District is much more than just an event centre and convention centre – it is to be a community gathering place in any season,” said Dan Willems, director of technical services, transportation & construction division. “They show the potential of the public spaces, with places for events, amenities and open areas where visitors and people from all parts of the city can meet and share unique experiences.”

Stantec also used its virtual reality (VR) studio to create an immersive experience of the central plaza in order to bring these design concepts to life.

“Where plans and renderings can go a long way to illustrate the potential, this immersive experience gives an on-the-ground understanding of the impact this project will bring to downtown Saskatoon,” said Eric Boileau, Stantec’s VR studio lead. “VR was a great way for the City to tell a unique story where everyone can understand how they can be a part of it in the future.”

The area currently contains surface parking lots and low-rise office buildings. As a result, developing a new centre of activity in this location will help to fill a gap between the commercial and retail heart of downtown as well as attract more people to live, work, and play in the District, as well as invest in Saskatoon’s culture and community.

The District’s transportation strategy is also designed to facilitate moving through downtown by all modes of transportation.

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A new initiative called Drawing for Food, has recently collected donated architectural drawings and illustrations that will be put up for auction later in November to raise awareness and funds for food insecurity in Toronto.

All proceeds from the sales of the donated drawings and illustrations will be donated to Toronto Food not Bombs to support their food outreach program. For the last few years, Toronto Food not Bombs has been gathering every Sunday at Toronto’s Allan Gardens Park to serve bags of groceries and meals to those affected by poverty, homelessness, or food scarcity.

The initiative uses a model tested by the UK-based organization “Architecture for Change,” which solicits drawings from designers and architects for auction in support of social causes.

Homelessness in Toronto has become more visible since the pandemic, but Drawing for Food notes that there is a lot of invisible homelessness and food precarity. While several architecture studio briefs have taken on themes such as affordable housing, this project aims to leverage the architecture community’s work to support vulnerable members more directly.

Another aim of this project is to explore different ways that architectural drawings “can be used for public good.”

“Realizing spatial projects of any scale typically relies on a financial backer: an owner, a client, an entity with a commercial interest, etc. The interests of the moneyed participant drive, or at least influence, the interests of the spatial project,” said Drawing for Food.

“But the instrument of drawing, we argue, is entirely ours. It belongs to us, and as designers, we can decide what and how we draw, who we draw for, and who benefits from our work.”

The upcoming auction will include drawings donated by Peter Maerkli (Switzerland), Nathalie Du Pasquier (Italy), Salazar Sequero Medina (Spain/USA), Ultramoderne (USA), Edgar Rodriquez (Mexico/USA), Drawing Architecture Studio (China) and more.

Co-organizers Davidson Rafailidis, Office of Adrian Phiffer and Eira Roberts have also donated drawings.

The auction website went live as a gallery earlier this month. Bidding will open on November 24 and will end on December 1, 2023.

For more information, click here.

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The Ontario Association of Architects (OAA) is applauding the Province of Ontario for introducing a new legislation that reverses the government’s former decision to remove protection for Greenbelt land for residential development.

While the housing affordability crisis is critical for residents of Ontario, the OAA believes the most successful approaches do not come at the expense of green spaces or thoughtful climate action.

The OAA regulates the practice of architecture in the public interest and asserts that opening up the Greenbelt was not “required” in order to provide additional housing for Ontarians.

In November 2022, the OAA made a submission related to Bill 23 called the More Homes Built Faster Act, where it offered multiple strategies to improve access to quality housing.

The submission also highlighted different ways that architects could play a role in creating healthy, affordable, functional, and beautiful homes for people to live in.

“Gently intensifying the density of existing urban and suburban areas, especially those near transit infrastructure, should be given greater consideration,” said Settimo Vilardi, a Windsor architect and the president of the OAA’s governing Council. “There are so many opportunities to create housing in already-vibrant neighbourhoods that optimize land use, leverage existing infrastructure and amenities, and promote vibrant and inclusive complete communities.”

In hopes of better understanding the design and regulatory opportunities that address housing affordability in Ontario, the OAA commissioned SvN Architects + Planners in 2019.

This resulted in a report called Housing Affordability in Growing Urban Areas, that noted a few different ways that Ontario’s housing supply could be increased.

These included infill development and intensification in existing neighbourhoods, the expansion of permissions for gentle density development, including duplexes, triplexes, four-plexes, and secondary suites, low- to mid-rise intensification along corridors and mid- to high-rise intensification in centres.

In 2022, the Ontario government’s Housing Affordability Task Force recommended a more permissive land use, planning, and approvals system be implemented in the province.

This would offer more housing options by overriding municipal policies, zoning, or plans prioritizing the preservation of a neighbourhood’s physical character at the expense of new development, establishing province-wide zoning standards or prohibitions for minimum lot sizes, maximum building setbacks, minimum heights, angular planes, shadow rules, front doors, building depth, landscaping, floor space index, heritage view cones, and planes and removing any floorplate restrictions to allow larger, more efficient high-density.

The OAA noted that the restoration of lands to the Greenbelt displays that housing does not need to be achieved at the expense of the environment and that a strategic approach that includes a variety of housing types can address issues of affordability and climate action.

As a result, the OAA applauds the government for “doing the right thing” at a time when both issues are urgent.

The OAA concluded by noting that Ontario’s architecture profession is well-equipped to help advance housing affordability when working with all levels of government, planners, building officials, and others in the design/construction community.

Rather than remove lands from the Greenbelt, the OAA said that other solutions include building on already-zoned spaces, rethinking density, and giving smart consideration to “Missing Middle” projects.

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Architect Raymond Moriyama, co-founder of Moriyama Teshima Architects, passed away at the age of 93 on September 1, 2023.

Moriyama’s legacy includes the design of several prominent buildings across the globe, including the Canadian War Museum, Ontario Science Centre, and the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo.

Moriyama was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, and earned a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Toronto along with a Master of Architecture in civic and town planning from McGill University’s School of Architecture.

His first major independent project, the Ontario Science Centre,  was completed in 1969, shortly before he teamed up with  Ted Teshima, in 1970, to found Moriyama Teshima Architects. The firm’s portfolio includes the Metropolitan Toronto Reference
Library, Toronto’s Bata Shoe Museum, and the National Museum of Saudi Arabia, in Riyadh.

Throughout Moriyama’s career, he received various awards in recognition of his achievements, including the RAIC Gold Medal and the Sakura Award. He created the Moriyama RAIC International Prize (now RAIC International Prize) in 2014.

“We are deeply saddened to learn of Raymond Moriyama’s passing on September 1st, 2023. Our immediate thoughts are with his family and loved ones,” writes Moriyama Teshima Architects. “During this time, we ask for respect and privacy as we process and grieve the profound loss of our firm’s founder.”

“The world has lost a visionary architect.”

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The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) is honoured to announce the 26 Fellows inducted into the RAIC College.

A Fellow of the RAIC College is a member of the RAIC who has achieved professional eminence or has rendered distinctive service to the profession or to the community at large. Nomination and advancement to Fellowship is administered by the RAIC College.

Fellowship is bestowed upon individuals through a nomination process administered by the RAIC College and recognizes members for their contribution to research, scholarship, public service, or professional standing to the good of architecture in Canada, or elsewhere.

Fellows and Honorary Fellows will be officially inducted to the RAIC College on May 5, 2023 at a convocation ceremony during the RAIC Conference in Calgary, AB.

The complete list of new Fellows include:
2023 New Fellows

Alberta & Northwest Territories

• Kate Thompson, Calgary, AB
• Henry Tsang, Calgary, AB

Atlantic

• Jill Bambury, Saint John, NB
• Silva Stojak, Charlottetown, PEI

British Columbia / Yukon

• Amela Brudar, Vancouver, BC
• Oliver Lang, Vancouver, BC
• Ana Maria Llanos, Vancouver, BC
• Mitch Sakumoto, Vancouver, BC
• Chei-Wei Tai, Vancouver, BC
• David Thom, Vancouver, BC
• Mark A. Whitehead, Vancouver, BC

Ontario (Northeast & Nunavut)

• Mohammed al Riffai, Ottawa, ON
• Robert Martin, Ottawa, ON
• Thierry Montpetit, Ottawa, ON
• Danica Robertson, Ottawa, ON

Ontario (Southwest)

• Farida Abu-Bakare, Toronto, ON
• David J. Lieberman, Toronto, ON
• Anna Madeira, Toronto, ON
• Brian Porter, Ohsweken, ON
• Olga Pushkar, Toronto, ON
• Colin Ripley, Toronto, ON

Quebec

• Jonathan Bisson, Quebec, QC
• Claude Bourbeau, Montreal, QC
• Georges Drolet, Montreal, QC
• Tudor Radulescu, Montreal, QC
• Jozef Zorko, Montreal, QC

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In our February issue

Existing buildings are, increasingly, a mainstay of the architecture profession. According to the AIA’s latest Firm Survey, 48 percent of architecture firm billings in the United States are linked to work on existing buildings, whether through renovations, adaptive reuse, additions, or historic preservation.

It’s a trend that seems here to stay: these rates have risen steadily from 15 years ago, when a third of revenue was tied to existing buildings. With a predicted moderation in population and economic growth in coming years, it’s expected that the levels of work on existing buildings will remain high.

This is good news on the sustainability front. When it comes to embodied carbon, the most sustainable buildings are, arguably, the ones that already exist. In the United States, some 40 percent of the national building stock is over 50 years old. Many of these facilities would benefit from upgrades to increase energy efficiency, improve accessibility, and address public health risks emerging from the pandemic.

In the current issue of Canadian Architect, we look at several projects that have taken different approaches to working with existing structures. For the University of Calgary’s MacKimmie Block, DIALOG upgraded a 1950s tower by adding a sculpted double-skin façade. The result is a striking visual presence—and a flagship for the university’s ambitious sustainability goals. Adding to this project’s interest as a technical case study, the retrofit was paired with an adjacent new-build that is similarly equipped with a double-skin façade system.

Cohlmeyer’s work on transforming a mercantile building in the Plateau neighbourhood of Montreal into a furniture showroom for Montauk Sofa embraces both sophistication and modesty. The designers stripped back the building to its steel-and-concrete structure and removed its front section to create a semi-public outdoor garden, leaving the historic façade in place to keep the street wall intact.

Giannone Petricone’s work on The Royal Hotel in Picton, Ontario, similarly made a strategic decision to reduce a historic building’s footprint; in this case, to improve light and views for guest rooms. Here, little remained of the original building, which had suffered from neglect and extensive water damage, but a conscientious owner and architect still aimed to preserve what they could, while also creating a new contemporary identity for the hotel.

On our backpage, Tiffany Shaw considers a renovation and addition planned for Queen’s University’s Agnes Etherington Art Centre. Agnes Director and Curator Emelie Chhangur sees this as an opportunity not just for a visual refresh—but a fundamental pivot that will help Agnes to centre the social impact and social role of an art institution.

Also in our pages this month, architect Valerie Gow shares highlights from the Feria Hábitat Valencia trade show, including products inspired by Mediterranean traditions.

In all work with existing buildings, from the modest to the grand, design works in the tension between the past and the present, asking: what do we value from the past? And how does that interact with our values today? By approaching each existing building with sensitivity, architects bring enormous value to creating new places that are grounded—and enriched—by their past.

-Elsa Lam

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The David Suzuki Foundation and The Atmospheric Fund are among organizations calling for the government to  amend the More Homes Built Faster Act, Bill 23, in order to maintain environmental protections as well as keeping Toronto’s Green Building Standard in full force.

“Bill 23 will greatly reduce environmental protection for wetlands, woodlands and other sensitive green spaces, and prohibit conservation authorities from protecting these areas. It will leave vast swathes of Ontario’s few remaining and most important habitats largely unprotected,” writes the David Suzuki Foundation. “It will also drive low-density, sprawling development in the suburbs and weaken Toronto’s Green Standard, which is essential for the city to lower its building emissions.If we really want to address the housing crisis, we need well-designed, low-cost family homes and climate-friendly communities supported by transit.”

The Atmospheric Fund writes that: “Municipalities have carefully crafted green standards to ensure new construction is environmentally, socially, and economically responsible. These requirements support their climate commitments, reduce the burden on our strained electricity system, and generate local economic value. The More Homes Built Faster Act (Bill-23), which is being fast-tracked through the Ontario legislature, will take away their authority and inadvertently undermine the affordability benefits that energy-efficient, climate-resilient buildings provide to owners and tenants.”

The organization notes that the “clauses in the legislation narrow site planning authorities to an extent that they will prevent municipalities from addressing energy efficiency and climate change in new buildings. This legislation as written would override council-approved sustainable design standards in Toronto, Ottawa, Brampton, Ajax, Whitby, Pickering, Markham, and other municipalities across Ontario. They risk causing disorder in the development process as municipalities with green development standards would have to redesign existing processes, creating uncertainty for both development departments and developers across Ontario.”

“Ultimately, excluding energy, sustainability and climate from consideration in the planning process will leave new housing exposed to spiraling energy costs and carbon prices,” writes The Atmospheric Fund.

Both organizations are encouraging Ontario residents to sign letters to their political representatives to address these concerns.

Architectural Conservancy Ontario says Bill 23 is a “bomb” dropped into Ontario’s Heritage System

Planning Regime Shake-up: What Bill 23 means for you

OAA Reviewing Ontario’s New Housing Legislation

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