• 30 Best Architecture and Design Firms in Canada
    architizer.com
    These annual rankings were last updated on January 23, 2025. Want to see your firm on next years list? Continue reading for more on how you can improve your studios ranking.Is there a distinctly Canadian architectural style? If there is, the aspects that define the countrys design culture and make it unique on the world stage are diffuse and allusive. After all, Canada prides itself on its social model as a cultural mosaic (as opposed to a melting pot).One defining characteristic may just be the celebration of collaboration and regionally-focused firms. While many famous foreigners have built showcase pieces from coast to coast Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Daniel Libeskind, Santiago Calatrava and more the culture of starchitects has historically burnt less brightly in the North. Of course, Frank Gehry and Moshe Safdie both hold Canadian passports, but both set up camp south of the border long ago, leaving behind a fascinating nation with a diverse architectural scene.When surveying the built environment of the Great White North, one may not find a clear-cut visual language and, instead, an assemblage of architecture. From distinguished urban structures such as the CN tower to lake-front cabins and mountain lodges, Canada is not shy of a diverse landscape, contributing to its constantly evolving cultural mosaic.With so many architecture firms to choose from, its challenging for clients to identify the industry leaders that will be an ideal fit for their project needs. Fortunately, Architizer is able to provide guidance on the top design firms in Canada based on more than a decade of data and industry knowledge.How are these architecture firms ranked?The following ranking has been created according to key statistics that demonstrate each firms level of architectural excellence. The following metrics have been accumulated to establish each architecture firms ranking, in order of priority:The number of A+Awards won (2013 to 2025)The number of A+Awards finalists (2013 to 2025)The number of projects selected as Project of the Day (2009 to 2025)The number of projects selected as Featured Project (2009 to 2025)The number of projects uploaded to Architizer (2009 to 2025)Each of these metrics is explained in more detail at the foot of this article. This ranking list will be updated annually, taking into account new achievements of Canada architecture firms throughout the year.Without further ado, here are the 30 best architecture firms in Canada:30. RDH Architects RDH ArchitectsRDHA is a Toronto-based studio specializing in architecture for the public realm. Founded in 1919, the firm has a wide-ranging body of work, encompassing corporate headquarters, industrial facilities, academic buildings, transportation facilities, recreation centers, libraries, secure buildings and interiors.Over the past 15 years we have focused on producing intelligent, concept driven architecture of the highest caliber. The firms name was changed from Rounthwaite, Dick & Hadley Architects in 2018. The firm now feels and acts like an emerging design studio, while our 100+ year legacy provides a solid backbone of technical and managerial experience.Consequently we have re-emerged as one of Canadas most acclaimed design firms, winning more than 70 provincial, national and international awards most notably four Governor Generals Medals, the 2018 Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) Architectural Firm Award, and the 2014 RAIC Young Architect Award for design partner Tyler Sharp.Some of RDH Architects most prominent projects include:Springdale Library and Komagata Maru Park, Brampton, CanadaGuildwood GO Station, Toronto, CanadaWaterdown Library and Civic Centre, Hamilton, CanadaScott Street Interlocking Signal Tower Generator, Toronto, CanadaIdea Exchange Old Post Office, Cambridge, Canada The following statistics helped RDH Architects achieve 30th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada: A+Awards Winner 1 A+Awards Finalist 4 Featured Projects 5 Total Projects 12 29. Evoke International Design Ema Peter PhotographyEvoke International Design is an interdisciplinary design studio based in Vancouver, Canada. Formed in 2000, Evoke has extensive experience in a variety of design disciplines including building and spatial design, interiors and graphic design. These multi-disciplines manifest themselves through our work in corporate office design; restaurant, entertainment and retail design; and single-family residential projects. We approach design from a collaborative point of view, and align ourselves with clients that share our modern aesthetic values and creative process. The resulting project should be a well-integrated design that doesnt rely on overly trendy concepts: it is about composition and the combination of form, function and innovation to achieve the client-unique design objective.Some of Evoke International Designs most prominent projects include:Flag House, Whistler, CanadaPoint Grey Residence, Vancouver, CanadaGilbert Whistler Residence, Whistler, CanadaMason Residence, Vancouver, CanadaSuyo Restaurant , Vancouver, Canada The following statistics helped Evoke International Design achieve 29th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada: A+Awards Winner 1 A+Awards Finalist 1 Featured Projects 5 Total Projects 23 28. Acton Ostry Architects Acton Ostry Architects Inc.Since its inception in 1992, the work of Acton Ostry Architects has demonstrated a continuing commitment to the making of architecture that responds thoughtfully to local topography, climate, culture and history. The values of the practice embody a consideration to regional design that is rooted in a considerate, indigenous modernist idiom that offers sustenance to those that inhabit and experience their projects.Some of Acton Ostry Architects most prominent projects include:Limberlost Place, Toronto, CanadaThe Duke, Vancouver, CanadaUBC Aquatic Centre, Vancouver, CanadaYork House Senior School, Vancouver, CanadaUBC Hebb Building, Vancouver, Canada The following statistics helped Acton Ostry Architects Inc. achieve 28th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada: A+Awards Winner 1 A+Awards Finalist 1 Featured Projects 6 Total Projects 11 27. STGM Architecture Stephane Groleau Architectural PhotographerFounded in 2001, STGM architecture strives day after day to improve peoples lives one project at a time, with offices in Quebec City, Montral and Baie-Comeau. For more than 20 years, the firm, which has grown from 12 to more than 150 resources, has developed a generalist practice that affects all spheres of the profession. STGM has a wide variety of expertise and has been involved in major projects throughout Quebec. Ranging from cultural projects to public transit and educational institutions, STGM considers that each project is unique and that it must deal with multiple specificities.Some of STGM Architectures most prominent projects include:Baie-St-Pauls Geothermal and Water Plant, Baie-Saint-Paul, CanadaVoltigeurs de Qubec Armoury, Quebec City, CanadaSaint-Roch YMCA Community Center, Quebec City, CanadaSt-Laurent Pump Station, Levis, CanadaBreakeyville Fire Station, Les Chutes-de-la-Chaudire-Est, Lvis, Canada The following statistics helped STGM Architecture achieve 27th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada: Featured Projects 6 Total Projects 26 26. DArcy Jones Architects D'Arcy Jones ArchitectsOur studio enthusiastically approaches each new project as a chance to create something unique. Playing with materials and form to come up with unexpected results, we work tirelessly to design projects that are innovative, durable and inviting. Tweaking time-tested ways of building, we create buildings and spaces that can be still be built with conventional construction methods. We are optimists, seeing the past as a continuum to connect with and be inspired by, and seeing the future as something that can be improved incrementally.Some of DArcy Jones Architects most prominent projects include:Monte Clark Gallery, Vancouver, CanadaYan Residence, Vancouver, CanadaDeep Cove House, North Vancouver, CanadaFriesen Wong House, Vernon, Canada430 House, Vancouver, Canada The following statistics helped D'Arcy Jones Architects achieve 26th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada: A+Awards Finalist 2 Featured Projects 6 Total Projects 11 25. Atelier LAbri Raphal ThibodeauAtelier LAbri is an architecture office based in Montral. Through its design-build approach, LAbri delivers turn-key projects, from conception to realization. The studio specializes in ecological and sustainable construction. It advocates for innovative architecture solutions, putting forward wellness and the human and social character of our environments. LAbris designs are resolutely contemporary, unique and at the human scale.Some of Atelier LAbris most prominent projects include:La Pointe, Notre-Dame-du-Laus, CanadaMaison Accuracy, Montral, CanadaMaison Melba, Frelighsburg, CanadaTerritoire Charlevoix, La Malbaie, CanadaSaltbox passive house, Bromont, Canada The following statistics helped Atelier L'Abri achieve 25th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada: A+Awards Winner 1 A+Awards Finalist 3 Featured Projects 7 Total Projects 15 24. Agence Spatiale Agence SpatialeAgence Spatiale relies on a team of talented spatial creators, for whom the effort put into their work is matched only by the pleasure they have in working together. Our approach relies on the power of trans-disciplinary design. We create spaces at all scales and believe that the boundaries between art, design and architecture can and should be crossed.Our working methods simultaneously explore traditional methods and cutting-edge technologies. We constantly seek to create a new experience that redefines the meaning of space. Space design becomes a solution. We liberate mores and support their evolution. We propose a new paradigm of architecture. We deform the formal. We propose a liberating architecture. We are Agence Spatiale.Some of Agence Spatiales most prominent projects include:cole de ltincelle (Lab-cole), Chicoutimi, Saguenay, CanadaLes classes du versant Un projet Lab-cole, Saguenay, CanadaDracinement, Charlesbourg, Qubec City, CanadaEspace RiopellePrau Parc Nature et Culture, Mauricie, QC, Canada The following statistics helped Agence Spatiale achieve 24th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada: A+Awards Winner 1 A+Awards Finalist 2 Featured Projects 8 Total Projects 25 23. 5468796 Architecture 5468796 Architecture5468796 Architecture is a design studio established in 2007 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on Treaty 1 territory. Practicing in the context of the urbanized Midwest, 5468796 adopts a brand of architecture based in the mainstream and seemingly mundane [profound] understanding of capital in architecture, and re-imagines how it can be re-invested for greater social good and justice.Basing the practice on two tenets that the art of city-building has been lost, along with a diminished focus on creating buildings that define cities 5468796 builds cities one project at a time. With a boundary-pushing mentality, individual projects are weaved into the urban fabric and design activism cultivates a culture of architecture against ambivalence.Some of 5468796 Architectures most prominent projects include:Crossroads Garden Shed, Calgary, CanadaOMS Stage, Winnipeg, CanadaVEIL HOUSE, Winnipeg, Canada548 Stradbrook Condominiums, Winnipeg, CanadaParallelogram House, Manitoba, Canada The following statistics helped 5468796 Architecture achieve 23rd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada: A+Awards Winner 1 A+Awards Finalist 4 Featured Projects 6 Total Projects 16 22. Teeple Architects Teeple Architects Inc.Teeple Architects shapes buildings through an open and collaborative process. Founded in 1989, our practice integrates sustainability and technical expertise with formal exploration to create buildings that are representative of the communities they serve. Our Toronto and Vancouver studios draw on the collective skills and expertise of a diverse and talented team of design professionals. Under the leadership of Principals Stephen Teeple (Founder), Chris Radigan (Emeritus), Myles Craig, Tomer Diamant, Avery Guthrie, Richard Lai and Wes Wilson, we work with discipline and imaginations to shape ideas into places that bring aspirations to life.Some of Teeple Architects most prominent projects include:Morgan State University Calvin & Tina Tyler Hall, Baltimore, MarylandStanley A. Milner Library Renewal, Edmonton, CanadaUBC MacLeod Renewal, Vancouver, CanadaSherbourne Common PavilionSisters of St. Joseph Convent The following statistics helped Teeple Architects Inc. achieve 22nd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada: A+Awards Winner 1 A+Awards Finalist 1 Featured Projects 9 Total Projects 24 21. Provencher_Roy Ema PeterProvencher_Roy is an award-winning Canadian architecture practice involved in all forms of the built environment. We champion an integrated approach to design and provide expertise in interior design, urban design, urban planning, landscape architecture, industrial design and sustainable development.Some of Provencher_Roys most prominent projects include:Hpital du Sacr-Coeur-de-Montral, Montral, CanadaReception Pavilion at Qubecs National AssemblyOttawa Train Station and Via Rail Business Lounge, Ottawa, CanadaMontral Heart Institute, Montral, Canadalot Balmoral, Montral, Canada The following statistics helped Provencher_Roy achieve 21st place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada: A+Awards Winner 1 A+Awards Finalist 5 Featured Projects 9 Total Projects 19 20. Moriyama Teshima Architects Moriyama Teshima Architects, Kasian Architecture Interior Design and Planning Ltd.Moriyama Teshima Architects (MTA) is a team of architects, planners, and designers, collaborating with visionary clients to build inspiring and enduring spaces that transform communities and reinforce civic identity.The office offers services in architecture, master planning and urban design, interior design and program development. Our extensive portfolio of Canadian and international projects comprises museums and art galleries, university buildings, schools, corporate and government headquarters, recreational facilities, libraries, restoration and renovation projects, and urban/campus planning.Under the leadership of Partners Jason Moriyama, Diarmuid Nash, Carol Phillips, Brian Rudy, Ronen Bauer, and Emmanuelle van Rutten, MTA has cultivated a dynamic team of young, innovative designers around a long-standing core of design traditions that continue to define the practice.Some of Moriyama Teshima Architects most prominent projects include:Makwa Waakaaigan Indigenous Centre of Cultural Excellence, Sault Ste. Marie, CanadaLimberlost Place, Toronto, CanadaPlace des Arts, Greater Sudbury, CanadaCREATING THE OSSTF WITH MASS TIMBER, Toronto, CanadaRouge National Urban Park Visitor, Learning, and Community Centre, Toronto, Canada The following statistics helped Moriyama Teshima Architects achieve 20th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada: A+Awards Winner 3 A+Awards Finalist 2 Featured Projects 7 Total Projects 29 19. Superkl doublespace photography incCo-led by Superkls partners, Meg Graham and Andre DElia, we embrace a first-principles approach and enlist only the most advanced and sustainable approaches to deliver vital and dignified design. The result: flexible, fluid, and functional spaces that are luminous and inviting.Our diverse portfolio of work is notable for sophisticated yet simple design that responds to landscape, site, and program. On every project, regardless of magnitude, we are known for our uncommon ability to balance scrupulous attention to detail, light and clean craftsmanship with purposeful connections to the larger built and natural contexts.Dedicated to sustainable design, we deploy the most current material, technological, and construction solutions.Some of Superkls most prominent projects include:Compass House, Dufferin County, CanadaRobarts Library Reading Room, Toronto, CanadaA Room with a View, Toronto, CanadaWoodhouse, Singhampton, CanadaGrange House, Creemore, Canada The following statistics helped Superkl achieve 19th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada: A+Awards Winner 3 A+Awards Finalist 3 Featured Projects 7 Total Projects 14 18. APPAREIL Architecture Flix Michaud PhotographieAPPAREIL architecture is a Montral-based firm whose mission is to design quality residential and commercial environments for its occupants. Our signature style is sleek, contemporary and greatly inspired by our Nordic roots. Our projects demonstrate our commitment to find a balance between tradition and modernity.Some of APPAREIL Architectures most prominent projects include:BESIDE habitat, Quebec, Canadacole de ltincelle (Lab-cole), Chicoutimi, Saguenay, CanadaLes classes du versant Un projet Lab-cole, Saguenay, CanadaDe la Cime , Montral, CanadaMaxillo Tandem, Montral, Canada The following statistics helped APPAREIL Architecture achieve 18th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada: A+Awards Winner 2 A+Awards Finalist 2 Featured Projects 10 Total Projects 33 17. PARTISANS PARTISANSPARTISANS designs objects, designs architecture, designs cities, designs concepts and even ideas. We strive to make the improbable possible and the impossible viable, at all scales and media. Our curiosities are insatiable and our drive to create them is central to our project. We are an award winning, internationally published studio founded in 2012.Some of PARTISANS most prominent projects include:Canvas House, Toronto, CanadaGrotto Sauna, ON, CanadaBar Raval, Toronto, CanadaWindsor Peace FountainRolex Boutique Toronto, Toronto, Canada The following statistics helped PARTISANS achieve 17th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada: A+Awards Winner 2 A+Awards Finalist 3 Featured Projects 10 Total Projects 23 16. CCM2 architectes CCM2 architectesEstablished in 1963, CCM2 architects is among Qubec Citys largest architecture firms. Experienced professionals and technologists have always formed a solid team that has never shied away from reinventing itself. Today, the company is led by 9 partners, well supported and assisted by a permanent team of skilled designers and technicians.CCM2 is known for the quality of its work and its ability to provide distinctive and original concepts that respect your budget and deadline. CCM2 is also recognized for its excellent professional services, focused on customer and user satisfaction and on quality architecture. Over the past fifteen years, the teams energy, creativity and constant search for new ideas has garnered the firm with over thirty awards for the quality of its work.Some of CCM2 architectes most prominent projects include:Lebourgneuf Community Center, Quebec City, CanadaBreakeyville Fire Station, Les Chutes-de-la-Chaudire-Est, Lvis, CanadaBoral Elementary School, Boischatel, CanadaHarfang-des-neiges Elementary School, Stoneham-et-Tewkesbury, CanadaL-House, Fossambault-sur-le-Lac, Canada The following statistics helped CCM2 architectes achieve 16th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada: Featured Projects 11 Total Projects 30 15. Alain Carle Architecte Alain Carle ArchitecteAlain Carle has worked in the architecture field in Montral for twenty years. Based on a pedagogical approach he developed as a teacher and researcher at the School of Architecture of the Universit de Montral, his achievements rely on a critical approach to representation in the design process. The firms accomplishments are regularly recognized by the architectural community, especially in the field of residential and commercial architecture.Some of Alain Carle Architectes most prominent projects include:NORM Residence, Baie-DUrfe, CanadaScreenhouse, Wentworth-Nord, CanadaThe Elves, Morin-Heights, CanadaThe Wetlands, Wentworth-Nord, CanadaLe Phnix, Sainte-Marguerite-du-Lac-Masson, Canada The following statistics helped Alain Carle Architecte achieve 15th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada: A+Awards Winner 1 Featured Projects 11 Total Projects 23 14. Diamond Schmitt Play-TimeDiamond Schmitt is a global architecture firm designing transformative, purpose-driven, and highly sustainable buildings from its four studios located in Toronto, New York, Vancouver and Calgary. Creating innovative design solutions while drawing inspiration from each sites surrounding community, architectural, and historical contexts, Diamond Schmitts visionary designs can be found in more than 50 cities around the world.Some of Diamond Schmitts most prominent projects include:United Kingdom Holocaust Memorial International Design CompetitionMirvish Village, Toronto, CanadaIngenium Centre, Ottawa, CanadaIndependent School CompetitionBuddy Holly Hall, Lubbock, Texas The following statistics helped Diamond Schmitt achieve 14th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada: A+Awards Winner 2 A+Awards Finalist 4 Featured Projects 7 Total Projects 34 13. Dubbeldam Architecture + Design Scott NorsworthyDubbeldam Architecture + Design is a multi-disciplinary design studio committed to creating thoughtful projects that embody sustainable approaches. Led by fourth-generation architect Heather Dubbeldam, the studio has garnered acclaim for its forward-thinking approach, design research endeavours, and dedication to crafting sustainable environments. They are recognized as one of Canadas leading architecture practices for their commitment to architectural excellence and dedication to social responsibility through advocacy.Dubbeldams work exemplifies bold design and meticulous craftsmanship. With a diverse portfolio incorporating a wide range of project types, their work ranges from homes, multi-unit residential projects, workspaces, hospitality, and mixed-use buildings to landscape design and architectural installations.Some of Dubbeldam Architecture + Designs most prominent projects include:Bata Shoe Factory, Astra, Quinte West, CanadaDubbeldam Office, Toronto, CanadaBunkie on the Hill, Muskoka District Municipality, CanadaBinary Spectrum, Kitchener, CanadaSkygarden House, Toronto, Canada The following statistics helped Dubbeldam Architecture + Design achieve 13th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada: A+Awards Winner 5 Featured Projects 9 Total Projects 20 12. Akb Architects Akb ArchitectsFounded in 2004, Akb Architects is the Toronto-based architecture studio of Robert Kastelic and Kelly Buffey, architects dedicated to the practice and art of building. The quest to capture the poetic and ineffable qualities of space manifests in Akbs design process, which prioritizes a clarity of vision, attention to detail, and a rigorous commitment to conceptual intent. The work of the studio benefits from Robert and Kellys extensive training in both architecture and interior design; a comprehensive strategy results in buildings of exceptional resolution and an uncommon level of refinement.A unified and holistic approach to interior and exterior space merges building and landscape into a seamless experience, transforming the ephemeral into the tactile. Elements of volume, light, proportion and materiality are orchestrated to resonate and respond to each projects unique site, context and program.Some of Akb Architects most prominent projects include:Story Pod, Newmarket, CanadaMetrick Cottage and Boathouse, Ontario, CanadaWhistling Wind Cottage, Pointe au Baril, CanadaMuskoka Cottage, CanadaClearview Chalet, Collingwood, Canada The following statistics helped Akb Architects achieve 12th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada: A+Awards Winner 1 A+Awards Finalist 3 Featured Projects 11 Total Projects 17 11. Kariouk Architects Scott NorsworthyWhile many architecture firms pride themselves on having a trademark style that distinguishes them from their competition, Kariouk proudly stands behind the fact that we do not have anyone look that identifies us as distinctly Kariouk.If anything, our trademark is that no two of our projects look the same. Because we tackle each creative undertaking with a new lens, our final results are always informed by an entirely different set of criteria and inspiration.Some of Kariouk Architects most prominent projects include:m.o.r.e. CLT Cabin, Quebec, CanadaCemetery Marker, PennsylvaniaForest Retreat, Ontario, CanadaStacey-Turley Residence, Ottawa, CanadaHill-Maheux Cottage, Val-des-Monts, Canada The following statistics helped Kariouk Architects achieve 11th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada: A+Awards Winner 2 A+Awards Finalist 2 Featured Projects 8 Total Projects 16 10. Hariri Pontarini Architects Hariri Pontarini Architects, Guardian GlassEstablished in 1994, Hariri Pontarini Architects, is a leading Canadian full-service architectural practice known for creating modern landmarks such as the award-winning Bah Temple for South America, the acclaimed McKinsey & Company headquarters in Toronto, the international competition-winning Ivey School of Business and the Governor Generals Medal-winning Schulich School of Business. Founded by Siamak Hariri and David Pontarini, the firm has delivered a broad range of institutional, commercial and residential projects, libraries, schools and academic buildings. Hariri Pontarini Architects has become known for designing projects of exceptional quality, with a strong conceptual basis derived from the specific needs and aspirations of each client.Some of Hariri Pontarini Architects most prominent projects include:7 St. Thomas, Toronto, CanadaNicol Building, Sprott School of Business, Ottawa, CanadaThe Bah Temple of South America, Santiago, ChileOntarios Celebration Zone, Toronto, CanadaTom Patterson Theatre The following statistics helped Hariri Pontarini Architects achieve 10th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada: A+Awards Winner 5 A+Awards Finalist 3 Featured Projects 6 Total Projects 19 9. Atelier RZLBD Atelier RZLBDAtelier RZLBD is a boutique art and architecture practice based in Toronto founded by architect Reza Aliabadi (OAA, MRAIC); whose work extends to designing buildings & objects, curating installations & expositions, and publishing a zine called rzlbdPOST.The practice is not just an ordinary operation that serves, rather like a positive virus, it contributes, communicates, challenges and adapts itself to the needs of each project and its context.Some of Atelier RZLBDs most prominent projects include:Opposite House, Toronto, CanadaShaft House5/6 HOUSEWhale HouseThe Gallery House, Markham, Canada The following statistics helped Atelier RZLBD achieve 9th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada: Featured Projects 13 Total Projects 25 8. Henriquez Partners Architects Ema Peter PhotographyHenriquez Partners Architects is dedicated to working closely with clients to create buildings that are culturally, environmentally and economically sustainable. It is our view that every project is an opportunity to enrich communities by seamlessly integrating ethics and aesthetics. Informed by this credo and an unwavering commitment to design integrity, we have consistently demonstrated the ability to manage projects from design through to construction and the technical expertise to create structures that stand the test of time.Some of Henriquez Partners Architects most prominent projects include:TELUS Garden Office Tower, Vancouver, CanadaPrototype (M5), Vancouver, CanadaPendrell, Vancouver, CanadaCentral Presbyterian Church, Vancouver, CanadaCardero, Vancouver, Canada The following statistics helped Henriquez Partners Architects achieve 8th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada: A+Awards Winner 7 A+Awards Finalist 1 Featured Projects 8 Total Projects 13 7. Leckie Studio Architecture + Design Leckie Studio Architecture + DesignLeckie Studio Architecture + Design is an ambitious inter-disciplinary design studio based in Vancouver, Canada. The studio was founded in 2015 by principal architect Michael Leckie with the goal of pushing the traditional boundaries of architectural practice as a catalyst for cultural change. We engage in the practice of design across a variety of scales and media including architecture, interiors, installations and product design. We challenge assumptions and seek unexpected outcomes. The studios work has been published internationally, with a client list that includes industry leaders Slack Technologies, Westbank, UBC and TELUS.Our residential, commercial, and institutional projects are informed by a critical regionalist sensitivity, with an emphasis on scenario-based approaches to program and form and sustainability.Some of Leckie Studio Architecture + Designs most prominent projects include:TripTych, Vancouver, CanadaCamera House, Pemberton, CanadaAE.R Skinlab, Vancouver, CanadaHringurinn Iceland CompetitionMulti-Family Residence Simon Fraser University The following statistics helped Leckie Studio Architecture + Design achieve 7th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada: A+Awards Winner 3 A+Awards Finalist 9 Featured Projects 9 Total Projects 16 6. MJMA Architecture & Design MJMA Architecture & DesignMJMA is a Toronto, Canada-based design practice of 60+ designers and architects. MJMA has evolved from a 30 year strong legacy of making community buildings, to building communities in towns and cities, on campuses, within organizations, and across playing fields. Our increasingly diverse portfolio speaks to an innovation culture at MJMA that drives all our designs. This spirit of innovation, cultivated with clients who are enthusiastic about creating meaningful architecture that positively contributes to the built environment, has resulted in more than 75+ national awards, including the Governor Generals Medal in Architecture and 2016 RAIC Architectural Firm Award.Some of MJMA Architecture & Designs most prominent projects include:Queens University John Deutsch University Centre, Kingston, CanadaJohn Innes Community Recreation Centre, Toronto, CanadaNeil Campbell Rowing Centre, St. Catharines, CanadaUBC Aquatic Centre, Vancouver, CanadaClear Lake House, Parry Sound, Canada The following statistics helped MJMA Architecture & Design achieve 6th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada: A+Awards Winner 3 A+Awards Finalist 1 Featured Projects 13 Total Projects 35 5. Lemay LemayWe create space to grow.Since 1957, Lemay has been imagining new ways to create spaces that engage users and bring people together. Over 400 architects, designers, industry leaders, and change-makers work tirelessly to cultivate innovation in their own backyards, as well as in communities around the world. Inspired and strengthened by trans-disciplinary creativity, the firm has also developed its very own NET POSITIVE approach to guide teams toward sustainable solutions that shape a better future. With the human experience at its heart, Lemay strives to design with empathy and create spaces to grow.Some of Lemays most prominent projects include:Thtre de Verdure, Montral, CanadaPomerleau Offices, Levis, CanadaLumenpulse, Longueuil, CanadaBellechasse Transport Center, Montral, CanadaGrand Thatre de Qubec, Quebec City, Canada The following statistics helped Lemay achieve 5th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada: A+Awards Winner 4 A+Awards Finalist 5 Featured Projects 11 Total Projects 42 4. KPMB Architects KPMB ArchitectsFor more than three decades, KPMB has evolved in response to a changing world and worked to change it for the better.Established in 1987, KPMB is an internationally recognized architectural practice based in Canada. Our wide-ranging work has earned over 400 respected awards, including 18 Governor Generals Medals, Canadas highest honor. Our founding partners, Bruce Kuwabara, Marianne McKenna and Shirley Blumberg, have all received the Order of Canada for their personal achievements and for KPMBs collective contributions to improving peoples lives through the built environment. In 2021, we expanded our leadership team, including the naming of seven new partners: Kevin Bridgman, Steven Casey, Phyllis Crawford, Andrew Dyke, Mitchell Hall, Paulo Rocha and Bruno Weber.As a full-service practice, we provide expertise in building design, interior design, master planning, workplace strategy, project management, stakeholder engagement and sustainable design.Some of KPMB Architects most prominent projects include:Center for Computing & Data Sciences at Boston University, Boston, MassachusettsBeaverbrook Art Gallery (Harrison McCain Pavilion), New Brunswick, CanadaIsttaniokaksini/Science Commons University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, CanadaDownsview, Toronto, CanadaWilson School of Design, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Richmond, Canada The following statistics helped KPMB Architects achieve 4th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada: A+Awards Winner 1 A+Awards Finalist 4 Featured Projects 16 Total Projects 66 3. ACDF Architecture ACDF ArchitectureAt ACDF, we have an uncompromising ambition to be both responsible and inventive, both visionary and generous, to ultimately bring beauty to everyone. Good design can capture the imagination, but great design offers something more generous: it stirs the heart.Under the direction of Maxime-Alexis Frappier, Joan Renaud and Etienne Laplante Courchesne, the 95-person studio is deeply rooted in solid know-how and a joie de vivre. Our mission is to deliver highly tailored, design-savvy projects at any scale across all typologies. In our architectural atelier, we are energized by constraints (budget, site, material) and craft poetry from pragmatism.With its creative energy and its broad expertise, ACDF designs inspiring spaces in which North American pragmatism meets European flamboyance.Some of ACDF Architectures most prominent projects include:Notre-Dame College Gymnasium , Montral, CanadaLightspeed Offices Phase 3, Montral, CanadaFlighthub, Montral, CanadaBarclay Tower, Vancouver, CanadaThe Pacific by Grosvenor, Vancouver, Canada The following statistics helped ACDF Architecture achieve 3rd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada: A+Awards Winner 1 A+Awards Finalist 8 Featured Projects 14 Total Projects 37 2. Omar Gandhi Architects Omar Gandhi ArchitectsOmar Gandhi Architect is a Canadian architecture practice with small studios in both Halifax, Nova Scotia and Toronto, Ontario. Specializing in custom, modern design, OG works to connect with each and every client on a personal level, designing with careful consideration for the lives that will be lived within the finished product.Some of Omar Gandhi Architects most prominent projects include:OG House, Halifax, CanadaPrime Seafood Palace, Toronto, CanadaWhite Rock, Wolfville, CanadaBlack Gables, Sydney, CanadaFloat, Halifax, Canada The following statistics helped Omar Gandhi Architects achieve 2nd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada: A+Awards Winner 3 A+Awards Finalist 2 Featured Projects 20 Total Projects 32 1. MGA | MICHAEL GREEN ARCHITECTURE MGA | MICHAEL GREEN ARCHITECTUREMGA | Michael Green Architecture is an architecture and design firm creating innovative projects that push the boundaries of technology, sustainability and construction to benefit communities and environments around the world.The practice was founded in 2012 by Michael Green, who now leads the studio alongside fellow Principal Natalie Telewiak. Their team of talented and experienced architects and designers is bound by a shared drive to create meaningful projects that contribute to a better future.A leader in timber and bio-based construction and innovation, MGA coined the term mass timber and has completed some of the most significant timber buildings and large-scale sustainable developments ever built, ranging from cultural installations and private homes to residential masterplans and university campuses.Some of MGA | MICHAEL GREEN ARCHITECTUREs most prominent projects include:Featured image: Google Borregas, Sunnyvale, CaliforniaThe Dock Building, Vancouver, CanadaOregon State University Forest Science Complex, Corvallis, OregonMacbeth Hut, Whistler, CanadaCatalyst Building, Spokane, Washington The following statistics helped MGA | MICHAEL GREEN ARCHITECTURE achieve 1st place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Canada: A+Awards Winner 8 A+Awards Finalist 7 Featured Projects 12 Total Projects 30 Why Should I Trust Architizers Ranking?With more than 30,000 architecture firms and over 130,000 projects within its database, Architizer is proud to host the worlds largest online community of architects and building product manufacturers. Its celebrated A+Awards program is also the largest celebration of architecture and building products, with more than 400 jurors and hundreds of thousands of public votes helping to recognize the worlds best architecture each year.Architizer also powers firm directories for a number of AIA (American Institute of Architects) Chapters nationwide, including the official directory of architecture firms for AIA New York.An example of a project page on Architizer with Project Award Badges highlightedA Guide to Project AwardsThe blue + badge denotes that a project has won a prestigious A+Award as described above. Hovering over the badge reveals details of the award, including award category, year, and whether the project won the jury or popular choice award.The orange Project of the Day and yellow Featured Project badges are awarded by Architizers Editorial team, and are selected based on a number of factors. The following factors increase a projects likelihood of being featured or awarded Project of the Day status:Project completed within the last 3 yearsA well written, concise project description of at least 3 paragraphsArchitectural designwith a high level of both functional and aesthetic valueHigh quality, in focus photographsAt least 8 photographs of both the interior and exterior of the buildingInclusion of architectural drawings and renderingsInclusion of construction photographsThere are 7 Projects of the Day each week and a further 31 Featured Projects. Each Project of the Day is published on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Stories, while each Featured Project is published on Facebook. Each Project of the Day also features in Architizers Weekly Projects Newsletter and shared with 170,000 subscribers.Were constantly look for the worlds best architects to join our community. If you would like to understand more about this ranking list and learn how your firm can achieve a presence on it, please dont hesitate to reach out to us at editorial@architizer.com.The post 30 Best Architecture and Design Firms in Canada appeared first on Journal.
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  • Capturing grand perspectives in sweeping landscapes
    iso.500px.com
    Sweeping landscapes are among the most captivating subjects in photography, offering a chance to showcase the vastness of nature and the intricate details within it. However, capturing these scenes in a way that truly conveys their scale and majesty requires more than just pointing your camera at a stunning view. Heres how to master the art of shooting grand landscapes with depth, clarity, and emotional resonance.Understanding perspective and scaleIn landscape photography, perspective and scale are essential for conveying the grandeur of a scene. Without these elements, even the most beautiful vista can fall flat.Foreground elements for depthInclude objects in the foreground to create a sense of scale and lead the viewers eye into the image. Rocks, flowers, or even a small figure can provide context and make the scene feel more immersive.Using leading linesNatural lines like rivers, roads, or ridges can guide the viewers gaze through the frame and emphasize the expansiveness of the landscape. Position these elements to draw attention to your focal point, such as a mountain peak or distant horizon. Incorporating human elementsAdding a human figure, even a tiny silhouette, can emphasize the vastness of the environment. This technique works well for creating a sense of adventure or solitude.Mastering light and weatherLighting and weather conditions are critical to capturing landscapes that stand out. The right timing and preparation can transform an ordinary scene into something extraordinary.Golden and blue hoursThe soft, warm light of the golden hour and the cool, moody tones of the blue hour offer the best lighting for landscapes. During these times, shadows are longer, colors are richer, and the overall mood of the scene is enhanced. Chasing dramatic weatherStorm clouds, mist, and snow can add drama and texture to your shots. Dont shy away from unpredictable weatherclouds breaking after a storm or light filtering through fog can create breathtaking moments.Backlighting for atmosphereShooting into the light can create stunning effects, such as silhouettes, lens flares, or illuminated edges on trees and mountains. Adjust your exposure to avoid losing details in highlights or shadows.Composing for maximum impactComposition is key to translating the grandeur of a landscape into a photograph that feels as big as the scene itself.The rule of thirds and beyondWhile the rule of thirds is a solid starting point, experiment with other compositional techniques. Centering a strong focal point or using symmetry can create balance and harmony in your frame. Framing with natural elementsUse elements like arching tree branches, rock formations, or cave openings to create a natural frame around your subject. This technique draws attention to the focal point while adding depth and structure.Capturing reflectionsBodies of water can double the impact of a landscape by reflecting the scene above. Look for lakes, ponds, or even puddles to add symmetry and interest to your shot. Advanced techniques for sweeping landscapesTo elevate your landscape photography, experiment with techniques that go beyond the basics.Focus stacking for sharpnessIn expansive scenes, achieving sharpness from the foreground to the background can be challenging. Use focus stacking by taking multiple shots at different focal distances and blending them in post-processing.Using ultra-wide lensesAn ultra-wide lens can exaggerate perspective and fit more of the scene into your frame. Just be mindful of distortion, particularly along the edges of the image. Long exposures for movementCapture motion in the landscape, such as flowing water or moving clouds, by using a long exposure. This technique adds a dynamic element to your photo and contrasts beautifully with the stillness of the scene. Sweeping landscapes offer endless opportunities to showcase the beauty and scale of the natural world. By mastering perspective, lighting, and composition, and experimenting with advanced techniques, you can create images that dont just capture a view but tell a story. Take the time to plan your shots, explore new perspectives, and embrace the unpredictable elements of nature for results that truly stand out.Not on 500px yet? Sign up here to explore more impactful photography.The post Capturing grand perspectives in sweeping landscapes appeared first on 500px.
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  • Resident Evil 9 Reports of Jill Valentine, Leon Kennedy and a Hospital Level Are False Rumour
    gamingbolt.com
    While the future of the Resident Evil franchise is still shrouded in mystery, rumours have begun popping up for what Capcom might be planning for the next entry in the series, which is speculated to be Resident Evil 9.According to the latest set of rumours, courtesy of industry insider AestheticGamer, Resident Evil 9 will not feature Jill Valentine in a major role. AestheticGamer also refers to rumours about a hospital setting as false. He goes on to state that just about every rumour about Resident Evil 9 that might be floating around is wrong, and that Capcom is likely going to officially announce the game after Summer 2025.Wait for actual RE9 news, nearly every RE9 rumor thats been floated around has been bullshit, posted AestheticGamer. Whats not bullshit is Silent Hill f did get rated in Korea today, and thats exciting.Rumours from back in November indicated that Resident Evil 9 would feature dual protagonists in Leon Kennedy and Jill Valentine. For context, Leon joined the cast of primary protagonists in the series back in Resident Evil 2, and Jill has been in the franchise as a playable character since the very first Resident Evil.According to rumours from November, Leon in Resident Evil 9 is expected to look similar to how he did in 2012 animated movie Resident Evil: Damnation. Jill, on the other hand, will have her appearance based on 2023 movie Resident Evil: Dead Island.The game is rumoured to be set between the events of Resident Evil Village and its Shadows of Rose DLC, and will continue the storyline revolving around the Megamycete that was first kicked off in Resident Evil 7 Biohazard. The leak also indicated that players would be able to freely explore an island, complete with various spooky structures like a hospital, and an abandoned factory.While Capcom itself has been quiet about the next Resident Evil game, the company revealed back in July 2024 that Resident Evil 9 would be helmed by the director behind Resident Evil 7 Koshi Nakanishi. Rumours have indicated that the title has been in development since 2018, and that it will be making use of Capcoms in-house RE Engine, which weve seen power a host of games, including Monster Hunter Rise, Street Fighter 6, and Dragons Dogma 2. The engine has also powered a few Resident Evil games, including a remake of 2, 7, Village, a remake of 3, and most recently, a remake of 4.The next major title from Capcom that will use the same engine is going to be Monster Hunter Wilds, which is slated for release on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S on February 28. If the rumours of a more open-world approach in Resident Evil 9 are true, Monster Hunter Wilds will likely serve as a way to test the engines capabilities in this regard.In the mean time, players can still enjoy the most recent release in the Resident Evil franchise: Resident Evil 4. The game was released back in 2023, and saw widespread acclaim both critically and commercially. For more details, check out our review of Resident Evil 4. And in the mean time, here are 10 of the biggest rumours about Resident Evil 9.Wait for actual RE9 news, nearly every RE9 rumor thats been floated around has been bullshit.Whats not bullshit is Silent Hill f did get rated in Korea today, and thats exciting. AestheticGamer aka Dusk Golem (@AestheticGamer1) January 22, 2025The two tests youre refering are fake BS from the internet, and I think as of right now RE9s announcement is later than this summer (Ill keep posted before SGF if that holds true). AestheticGamer aka Dusk Golem (@AestheticGamer1) January 22, 2025
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  • Mortal Kombat 1 Players Figure Out How to Summon and Defeat Hidden Fighter Floyd
    gamingbolt.com
    Mortal Kombat 1 players have seemingly deduced how to finally face off against legendary secret challenge opponent Floyd. A self-confessed Floyd chaser, TheThiny, took to social media platform X to post a video of a fight against Floyd.According to TheThiny, the way to get Floyd to fight against you is to keep completing Floyd challenges, which then make him appear. The video posted by TheThiny was seemingly captured by another player who managed to trigger the fight against Floyd in Mortal Kombat 1s Tower game mode.TheThiny themselves have been quite active in the datamining community for Mortal Kombat 1, and has since also posted an entire shared doc that outlines the challenges players will have to complete to start a fight against Floyd. These challenges range from completing matches without taking a single hit with specific characters, to winning a match using not but throwing attacks.While several players have since been able to take on Floyd, the character is still shrouded in quite a bit of mystery. Players are now trying to figure out Floyds moveset, which seems to have quite a bit of range. Floyd also uses a host of different elemental attacks, including lighting and fire. Defeating Floyd for the first time also comes with an extra reward in the form of a new stage.Before Floyd was finally discovered by the Mortal Kombat 1 community, Ed Boon himself had been teasing the character earlier this month. Boon took to X to post about lyrics from the song Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd, and referring to these lyrics as part of the ninja oath. Assets for Floyds existence in Mortal Kombat 1 were also discovered, lending further credence to the character being in the game somehow.Boon had also revealed earlier this week that Mortal Kombat 1 had been quite successful, having sold more than 5 million copies. The game was also in the top 15 of the most-played PS5 games.More recently Mortal Kombat 1 is gearing up to have Conan the Barbarian join its roster in a DLC slated for January 28. Developer NetherRealm Studios released a trailer showcasing Conans moveset, which is just as violent as you would expect. The DLC of the planned content roadmap for Mortal Kombat 1 will bring T-1000 from Terminator 2: Judgment Day to the game.Rmours from back in November, however, have indicated that the release of T-1000 would mark the end of post-launch content support for Mortal Kombat 1. According to these leaks, a host of content, including a story expansion as well as a Kombat Pack, have all been cancelled.Since its release, Mortal Kombat 1 has seen one story expansion and two Kombat Packs, which brought a host of new additions to the games roster. The studio itself has been quiet about whether the game will get more post-launch support after the current slate of releases comes to an end.For more details on Mortal Kombat 1, check out our review, and here is our speculation on what went wrong with the game.Another Floyd in the Wild!! https://t.co/hLwsoPXJf9 thethiny a floyd chaser (@thethiny) January 23, 2025The Floyd Excel Sheet is now complete with all 37 challenges!There might be some mistakes as I continue to monitor feedback and listen to others playthrough, but in general the sheet should be fine!Read the conditions on the right.https://t.co/SQA8m1bqhv pic.twitter.com/NlFpZgOK6K thethiny a floyd chaser (@thethiny) January 23, 2025
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  • Public review of proposed change to 2020 National Model Codes now open
    www.canadianarchitect.com
    Photo courtesy of Burst from PexelsThe Canadian Board for Harmonized Construction Codes (CBHCC) is inviting the public to participate in the winter 2025 public review of a proposed change to the 2020 edition of the National Building Code of Canada (NBC).The proposed change included in this public review addresses overheating in new dwelling units, by adding a maximum indoor air temperature for new dwelling units.The purpose of this process is to provide code users, the codes community, and the public with a detailed look at the proposed technical change, and seek comment as to whether it should be approved, altered or withdrawn. Feedback on the proposed change will help shape the National Model Codes, which are adopted, with or without modifications, by the provincial or territorial authorities having jurisdiction over the regulation of construction of buildings and houses.The public review will close at11:59 p.m. PST on February 24, 2025, after which comments will no longer be accepted. The CBHCC decides which changes will be published in the next edition of the National Model Codes based on the recommendations of the code development committees.Those interested in participating in the review can access the proposed change on the CBHCCs websiteand provide feedback.To learn more about public reviews, click here.The post Public review of proposed change to 2020 National Model Codes now open appeared first on Canadian Architect.
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  • How to Use Renaissance Paintings to Improve the Farming of Tomorrow
    www.smithsonianmag.com
    There's More to ThatHow to Use Renaissance Paintings to Improve the Farming of TomorrowAn arboreal archaeologist roots around the Italian countryside and in centuries-old frescoes for a cornucopia of fruits long forgottenbut still viable to grow and consumeAri DanielHost, "There's More to That"January 23, 2025 7:10 a.m.Illustration by Emily Lankiewicz / Photos by Simona Ghizzoni / Images via the Metropolitan Museum of Art under public domainItalian researcher Isabella Dalla Ragione has a most unusual job. An arboreal archaeologist, Dalla Ragione scours Renaissance paintings and medieval archives, discovering endangered fruits that might be revived. Her lifes work offers a possible solution to the problem of monocrops. Year after year, agricultural giants cultivate the same varieties of the same fruits and vegetables, while many other varieties have fallen to the wayside. Monocrops contribute to climate change and are highly susceptible to its consequences, jeopardizing our food supply.In this episode, Dalla Ragione and Smithsonian contributing writer Mark Schapiro discuss the importance and challenges of protecting biodiversity and agriculture in the midst of a changing climateand why it matters.A transcript is below. To subscribe to Theres More to That, and to listen to past episodes on a plan to save Texas from deadly hurricanes, the wild story of Pablo Escobars hipposand how artificial intelligence is making 2,000-year-old scrolls readable again, find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts.Ari Daniel: Hi there. I am Ari Daniel, and Im on a Zoom call with Isabella Dalla Ragione. She looks like shes speaking to me from inside a Renaissance painting.Isabella Dalla Ragione: I have a church.Daniel: What do you mean you have a church? You live in a church?Dalla Ragione: Yeah, my house was a parish.Daniel: She sits in front of a huge stone mantle in her home, which is apparently a 600-year-old former church in Umbria, Italy. Perched above the mantel are bits of pottery baskets and other trinkets. Behind her is this long table with dozens of fruits strewn about in that kind of haphazard but deliberate way that you might expect to see in a still life.Dalla Ragione: Its a cool and dark room, and I use to keep the fruits.Daniel: Isabella is an agronomist, a person who studies crop production, but she says these fruits go beyond soil and seed cultivation. For her, theyre a deep connection to the past. She holds up a fruit the color of a Granny Smith apple, but the shape of a light bulb.What do you have there? That looks like a pear.Dalla Ragione: But its an apple.Daniel: Well, whats the difference between an apple and a pear? Because that looks just like a pear.Dalla Ragione: No, the pear has the stem here.Daniel: She points to the place where I imagine the stem should be based on my vast pear knowledgethat is, the narrower end at what looks like the top.Dalla Ragione: And instead this is the stem. The opposite.Daniel: She flips the fruit upside down and points to the fat, round end.Dalla Ragione: This is the point stem for the apple. The shape of the apple is this.Daniel: This isnt your garden variety apple. At least today its not. But if you lived in rural Italy several hundred years ago, it may well have been. We know that because Isabella has seen it in art museums across Italy.Dalla Ragione: This fruit is in many paintings of the Renaissance period because this kind of apple was very, very popular. They call it muso di bue. Cow-nose apple. Cow-nose because this is the shape of the cow nose.Daniel: Id never heard of a cow-nosed apple either. This fruit, once abundant in Italy, is now relegated to a few small, cloistered gardens, one of them Isabellas. But her goal is to change all this. Isabella happens to be a world-renowned fruit detective.Dalla Ragione: I look for these varieties, and I try to reconstruct their life just to demonstrate the richness that we had in the past. All my research, all my work is to demonstrate what kind of incredible patrimony we are losing. Because if a pear or an apple lived for 500 years, it means that these apples could be a very important and very interesting variety to save.Daniel: Isabellas goal is nothing less than resurrecting the fruits of the past. She uses archives, Renaissance paintings and a car she drives across the Italian countryside. Her passion isnt just cultural. She says our global food supply may well be at stake.From Smithsonian magazine and PRX Productions, this is Theres More to That, the show where we compare apples and oranges to save the planet. Im your host, Ari Daniel. And in this episode: what paintings from the Renaissance can tell us about our agricultural future.Were calling Isabella Dalla Ragione a fruit detective, but she calls herself an arboreal archeologist.Dalla Ragione: An arboreal archaeologist is not a real profession. Its a name that my father gave to our activity because the similarity with the work of the archeologiststhe real archeologists look for some piece, pottery, some small piece from the soil, and they try to reconstruct the life of a civilization, a life of a community, a life of a place. So we did the same with fruits.These fruits were not only fruits. They are worlds. They are full of meanings, traditions, stories, links with the people. If we could find a special fruit, we could find all the stories, all the links with the people, all the traditions, et cetera, et cetera.Daniel: These ideas were a big part of Isabellas childhood.Dalla Ragione: I grew up in a small village, Sansepolcro, that still is a rural area. So the nature, the plants were a real part of my life. My father, in the 60s and 70s, he started this kind of incredible research work about the rural culture because just at that time, this rural culture completely changed, disappeared, really. So he started to try to save all the signs about this rural culture, and one of the most important things of this rural culture, of course, were the plants, the trees and the fruit trees. So I started with him to look for and to find these trees, these fruit trees. Of course, at the beginning it was like an adventure, like an adventurous trip. So then, of course, when I grew up, I could understand that to find these plants, I could understand our roots. This is the great things that my father passed to me.Daniel: But it was Isabellas own discovery that evidence of different fruits and plants could be found within frescoes and paintings across Italy.Dalla Ragione: To reconstruct the life of a variety of a fruit was like to do a puzzle, a piece of information from different parts. One of these parts is the art.Mark Schapiro: I was fascinated by Isabellas work. Of course, the fact that she did it with some of these most amazing paintings was truly eye-opening and extraordinary for me.Daniel: Mark Schapiro is a journalist and author who teaches at UC Berkeley. He recently visited Isabella in Italy to explore their shared interest in restoring biodiversity and wrote about it for Smithsonian magazine.Schapiro: As thrilling as it was to go with Isabella, who drives very quickly on those Italian highways, occasionally takes her hands off the steering wheel as were careening around and shes explaining a very important point. I have to say that this kind of effort to bring biodiversity back is happening in different parts of the world, but very few people are using paintings to identify where those lost crops are.Daniel: Mark has been writing about climate change and the loss of biodiversity for years.Schapiro: Ive been following the shrinkage of biodiversity when it comes to agriculture, and that is arising out of the very fast pace of consolidation in the agribusiness industries to the point where more than 50 percent of all commercial seeds are really controlled by four different companiesfour in the world. And so one of the effects that thats had, both in the United States and in Italy and around the world, is a dramatic constriction in the varieties of crops that are being grown.Daniel: When I think about my last trip to the produce section of the supermarket, I recall maybe half a dozen kinds of apples, one or two kinds of blueberries, green grapes, red grapes. But these are just a few of the varieties and species that people once consumed. And as weve come to rely more and more on big agribusiness, our connections to this richer, fruitier heritage have been lost.Schapiro: There was something Isabella said that I think is important to remember. If you think of biodiversity as a form of language, older varieties have what she calls a language that is a far more complicated language than the language that is associated with the current varieties. The new varieties she describes have maybe three, four or five words in their language. What were seeing in these paintings is evidence of these fruits with much more complicated language at their disposal.Daniel: Mark and Isabella say this more limited vocabulary jeopardizes our food supply.Dalla Ragione: The example of bananas. Bananas is incredibly unstable cultivation. Banana is not only one species, is one varietyCavendish. And not only this, it is a clone. Millions and millions of hectares of cultivation of bananas are based on one clone.Daniel: So we dont have a language. Youre down to a single word.Dalla Ragione: One word, and very short.Daniel: A lot gets lost when this language of biodiversity disappears, but the Renaissance paintings that Isabella studies provide clues to get some of it back, which means the fruits in these paintings arent merely decorative. Theyre a tether to a cultural and culinary heritage.Schapiro: I remember finding this painting with Isabella.Daniel: Mark described walking through the halls of the National Gallery. Thats the National Gallery of Umbria, in Perugia, Italy, where Isabella grew up.Schapiro: You are walking along a passage, and youre passing all these other masterpieces. And then she suddenly stops me and said, Weve got to look at this painting.Daniel: The painting was Piero della Francescas Polyptych of St. Anthony.Dalla Ragione: I was born in Sansepolcro. That is the birthplace of Piero della Francesca, so Im very close to him, because he is one of the most important painters of the early Renaissance.Schapiro: Its a big altar. Its probably six, seven feet tall. And so Im looking, and I see the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus. She is in kind of a blue robe with a halo. And Im looking at that going, Yeah, this is a beautiful painting. Its incredible color, just radiates off the painting. And to be honest, I certainly wouldnt have noticed the fruit until Isabella pointed it out.Daniel: Blink and you miss it. Clutched in the hand of baby Jesus, whos sitting in Marys lap of blue robes, is a tiny bunch of cherries.Dalla Ragione: It is the only painting where Piero della Francesca painted fruit. So for me it was really a big surprise when I saw this painting. This is the way in our area how the grandmothers prepared small bunches of cherries to teach to the babies how to eat the cherries. So its very incredible for me to find the same way in the hand of the child in this painting. Maybe at the time of Piero della Francesca the grandmothers use it the same way. In any case, he used this kind of cherries because cherries are a very important symbol of Christs blood.Daniel: Those cherries have long since disappeared from most Italians diets. But something else gets lost with every variety of fruit we no longer grow and consume. Something incredibly precious.Schapiro: Lets say if we go back 500 years, which in this case in Italy, were talking about the fruits of 500 years ago, those trees, over the course of 500 years, theyve had to adapt to some years are colder, some years are warmer, some years have different pests, some years have different diseases. And those varieties that survive will have some resilience to those kinds of shifts. And now those shifts are getting to be more extreme. The new varieties are most often bred for a reliance on a precise set of chemicals to survive. The four big companies that dominate the seed trade are basically chemical companies. And so they breed seeds that are completely reliant on their chemicals to survive in a certain set of conditions. When those conditions change, the chemicals are not strong enough to enable them to actually withstand the enormous pressures and the enormous changes that have happened. What I began finding was that the new modern varieties of food crops have incredible vulnerabilities to these changes.Im here in California where thereve been enormous shifts in the yields of fruit crops. I did some work on cherries. And I saw that, just for one quick example, that its not cold enough for cherries to fully ripen. Usually, amazingly enough, cherries have to get cold in the November and December, in the winter months, in order to kind of almost hibernate for a two-month period before they can come out and fully blossom. So I think what was interesting about Isabellas work in this larger context is that study after study after study is showing that actually its crops that have actually evolved in a specific location that are best able to evolve and adapt to changing circumstances.Daniel: Isabella says that Renaissance paintings are particularly helpful when trying to identify fruits.Dalla Ragione: Especially from the beginning of 1400 to the middle of 1500, because before, the art was like a Byzantine art, not really close to the nature. So it was impossible to recognize the natural objects from these paintings. Instead, in the Renaissance period, each fruit that the painters choose it to put in the painting has a very important meaning, a very important symbolism. The painters used fruits that could be recognized from everybody because the message had to arrive to everybody, to the rich people, to the poor people, to the farmers, to the aristocratic. So for that, they use it a very well-known fruit.Daniel: Isabella offers another example, from the Palazzo Trinci in the town of Foligno.Dalla Ragione: And Palazzo Trinci is a place where there are incredible frescoes of Gentile da Fabriano. Gentile da Fabriano was an incredible painter, very precise. And at the end of 1300s, late Middle Ages, very early Renaissance. And this place is still a mystery also for me because Im still studying these frescoes, because the frescoes are a life cycleciclo della vita. And this kind of frescos is incredible because each age of the human life is represented with a fruit. For example, the child and teenager are going up in the pear tree, and elderly age is with peaches.Daniel: Mark really appreciates Isabellas unique approach, her process of moving between a painting and an actual location of where a fruit might still be grown, and how she uses archival records of landowners to figure out what kinds of fruits were growing five centuries ago.Schapiro: And she described going to monasteries, which often had these very old orchards still, where the very fruits that youd see in a painting would be growing in these old, ancient monasteries that had kind of been forgotten. Suddenly I started looking for fruit, too.Dalla Ragione: Yeah, this is my disease.Daniel: Once you found a fruit like this cow-nosed apple, how does this help us in terms of the biodiversity, the climate change? What does the cow-nosed apple allow us to achieve, or a fruit like it?Dalla Ragione: So this is the question, why I saved all these apples and pears.Daniel: Isabella says that Italy was once a place of rich agricultural biodiversity. But thats been replaced by the same consolidation she and Mark described earlier. This loss, when combined with a rapidly changing climate, endangers our food supply. But these cow-nosed apples, those cherries, et cetera have been around for centuries, and they likely could survive for centuries more.Dalla Ragione: We dont know what will happen. We dont know which is the variety that we will need. And the things are changing very, very fast. So I think that its very important to save all the richness in biodiversity. And instead, we are doing the opposite. We are the image that we are immortal. We are not immortal. We need this biodiversity. But if nobody saves this biodiversity, we lose, and we lose definitely forever.Daniel: A single type of plant or crop is called a monoculture. So one kind of corn or one type of bananathe same crop, farmed and harvested over and over, almost like a Xeroxed copy with very little genetic variation. Same taste, same quality, same abilityor inabilityto survive for generations. And its what most modern industrial farms are built upon.Dalla Ragione: I think that we have to consider that the monoculture is absolutely unstable. The stability of a system is gained from diversity. And the complex system, this is stable. But monoculture is absolutely not complex. If something happened, happened to the old field, old land. So we have to restore this agroecosystem means to restore complexity. Complexity means also to restore biodiversity. For example, in Italy now, we are starting to cultivate a mix of wheat, for example. Not only one species, not only one varieties, not only one ecotype, but mixed. Because in this way, if you cultivate different things, you have more stability. If something happenedan insect, a disease, a weather eventsomething happened, but doesnt destroyed everything, destroyed maybe one part, but you always have something.Schapiro: Its like survival of the fittest in the field. We dont apply it in the field, but imagine having numerous varieties in a field, in which case, some, yes, some will die, but some will survive. And those that survive have the ability to adapt over the course of shifting conditions. And that is, I think, why its critical to have this kind of biodiversity.And I would probably just add that theres growing awareness of knowledge of Indigenous communities in different parts of the world, including here in the United States, where you have very rich cultures of people whove been living there for thousands of years, growing foods, that we can actually learn from.Daniel: Mark says that biodiversity is a cause increasingly championed by scientists and policymakers. He points to the Convention on Biological Diversity, a global attempt to preserve the remaining diversity on the planet.Schapiro: And whats interesting about trying to hold on to levels of biodiversity, both in plant and animal life, is while its a big global challenge, its also extremely specific. It requires attention on a very local level to preserve these kind of local varieties over time, that essentially has to happen in regions like the one that Isabella lives in in Umbria. And we need to have similar kind of efforts in other parts of the world. And I think its actually important to understand that in this larger frame.Daniel: Before I let Isabella go, I cant help but ask Im wondering, are there any fruits that remain a kind of mystery to you that you really want to find in the world somewhere?Dalla Ragione: Im looking for a variety of fig that I never foundthat is a fico rondinino.Daniel: Rondinino.Dalla Ragione: Rondinino means a swallowa bird.Daniel: Yeah.Dalla Ragione: The black bird. A small swallow fig. Ive never found. And another very, very popular in the Renaissance, the carovella pear that is always named and described in the books of Renaissance period, the 1500s, 1600s, and then disappeared completely. But I never stop to look for, because always when I thought that, No, its impossible to find, I found. The research is a full of surprises.Daniel: Thank you both so much for just a really delightful conversation, and I wish you luck in your search for that rondinino and those other mysterious fruits that remain to be uncovered. Thank you.Dalla Ragione: Thank you.Daniel: Grazie.Dalla Ragione: You too, everybody. Ciao.Schapiro: All right. Thank you. Great talking with you.Dalla Ragione: Ciao, ciao. Ciao, ciao, ciao.Daniel: You can read more from Mark Schapiro about Isabella Dalla Ragione and see photos of all of these fruits and paintings online at SmithsonianMag.com. Well put a link in our show notes. Youll also find a link to subscribe to future issues of Smithsonian magazine.Theres More to That is a production of Smithsonian magazine and PRX Productions. Find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the iHeart Radio App and wherever you get your podcasts.From the magazine, our team is me, Debra Rosenberg and Brian Wolly. From PRX, our team is Jessica Miller, Genevieve Sponsler, Adriana Rozas Rivera, Sandra Lopez-Monsalve and Edwin Ochoa. The executive producer of PRX Productions is Jocelyn Gonzales.Our episode artwork is by Emily Lankiewicz. Fact-checking by Stephanie Abramson. Our music is from APM Music. Im Ari Daniel. Thanks for listening.I think Im going to go have an apple.Get the latest Travel & Culture stories in your inbox.Filed Under: Agriculture, Art, Climate Change, Farming, Food, Food Science, Italy, Renaissance, There's More to That
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  • Baya Systems raises $36M for AI and chiplet innovation
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  • Pokemon TCG Pockets next expansion launches on January 30th
    www.theverge.com
    The latest batch of new Pokmon TCG PocketThe Pokmon Company announced today that Space-Time Smackdown, Pokmon TCG Pockets latest expansion, is set to debut at the end of the month right after the games trading feature launches on January 29th. While cards from the last set could all be obtained from a single type of pack, Space-Time Smackdown which includes a number of monsters from Pokmon Diamond / Pearl / Platinum will come from packs featuring the legendary Pokmon Dialga and Palkia.Along with Space-Time Smackdowns announcement, TCPi also revealed a bit more about how the trading mechanic will involve two new types of in-game currencies trade houseglasses and trade tokens. It seems as if there will be cooldown periods as well as a cost if you want to swap cards from Pockets Genetic Apex and Mythical Island sets with other players. But there will definitely be some waiting involved for people hoping to trade Space-Time Smackdown, which will not be tradeable until a later date after it drops on January 30th.
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  • I fit the worlds most powerful graphics card in my aging miniature SFF PC
    www.theverge.com
    In 2022, I wrote that GPUs were headed in the wrong direction their price, size, and power consumption were off the charts. And while I still believe thats true, I can now confirm Nvidia has at least made one phenomenal exception in the size category: the two-slot Founders Edition of its RTX 5090 graphics card, on sale January 30th. The last time Nvidia made a two-slot flagship graphics card, it was the 2021 RTX 3080 Ti FE the 3090, 4080 and 4090 were gigantic by comparison. So, while my colleague Tom Warren was busy writing his full review of the new 5090 using the best gaming CPU, I wedged one of the $2,000 cards into my own aging mini desktop. I wanted to see whether the surprisingly small flagship GPU was truly ready for small form factor (SFF) cases or, whether my beloved 12.7-liter Ncase M1 chassis is well and truly obsolete. 1/7Gallery: The 5090 may be a two-slot card, but its not as small as two-slot cards of yesteryear like this RTX 3080...1/7Gallery: The 5090 may be a two-slot card, but its not as small as two-slot cards of yesteryear like this RTX 3080...To my surprise, it worked: all I needed was a new power supply to turn my backpack-sized daily driver into one of the most powerful gaming PCs in the world. At 4K resolution, Im typically seeing more than double the framerate I get with an RTX 3080 Founders Edition, one of the last cards that could comfortably fit in the Ncase M1, to give you some idea.But Im not going to suggest you do the same! For starters, were talking about a two thousand dollar graphics card and a one thousand watt power supply which I actually saw consuming up to one whole kilowatt (as measured by my trusty Kill A Watt at the wall) in my Cyberpunk 2077 tests. With an RTX 3080, my system consumed over 200 fewer watts. Not that I minded having a space heater on these cold January days!But I literally had to wedge the 5090 into my Ncase M1 to make it fit, and even remove and reattach the video cards bracket inside my case. And even then I couldnt fully seal my desktop because the GPUs new 12V-2x6 power connector occupies a chunk of space where my cases side panel is supposed to go. Youll want an SFF-ready case with more clearance than I have.It took a bit of elbow grease to get it in there.If not for that power cable...Still, leaving my desktops guts exposed was a small price to pay to toy with this much power! Its enough to play games at 4K at their maximum settings, save for full ray tracing (aka path tracing). Its even got enough horsepower to turn on path tracing, too, if you combine it with dynamic upscaling and/or fake frame generating tech. I normally play Helldivers 2 on an old 3060 Ti graphics card I bought for just $400, where Im forced to rely on those tricks just to get smooth 4K-ish gameplay. It was quite nice, if expected, to finally max out that game on the 5090 instead.What I didnt expect: my aging, space-constrained AMD 5800X desktop delivered the same performance as Toms open-air testing rig in quite a few of our 4K gaming benchmarks. I knew it was possible, but it goes to show that Nvidias fancy two-slot double flow through cooler really is suitable for SFF PCs.RTX 5090 SFF test at 4KGameSean's SFF 5090Tom's Bench 5090Percent DifferenceAssassin's Creed Mirage (Ultra High, Native)1351446.67%Black Myth: Wukong (100% resolution)6362-1.59%Black Myth: Wukong (DLSS + Frame Gen)147146-0.68%Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (Extreme)1401453.57%Cyberpunk 2077 (Ultra, no RT)1081090.93%Cyberpunk 2077 (Ultra RT + DLSS Quality + FG)1521530.66%Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered (Very High, Native)11215336.61%Horizon Zero Dawn (DLSS Quality + Frame Gen)20623715.05%Metro Exodus Enhanced (Extreme)9291-1.09%Returnal (Epic)1381422.90%Shadow of the Tomb Raider (Highest)20723814.98%Average framerates at 4K resolution.It depends on whether your games are CPU limited, of course, as my older PC does have a slower CPU and most of todays games tend to be at least somewhat CPU limited at 1440p resolution, where Toms system often pulled far ahead by 20 to 60 percent.RTX 5090 SFF results at 1440pGameSean's SFF 5090Tom's Bench 5090Percent DifferenceAssassin's Creed Mirage (Ultra High, Native)13718837.23%Black Myth: Wukong (100% resolution)91910.00%Black Myth: Wukong (DLSS + Frame Gen)1801810.56%Call of Duty: BO6 (Extreme)16119621.74%Cyberpunk 2077 (Ultra, no RT)14820739.86%Cyberpunk 2077 (Ultra RT + DLSS Quality + FG)20724618.84%Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered (Very High, Native)12320062.60%Horizon Zero Dawn (DLSS Quality + Frame Gen)22229934.68%Metro Exodus Enhanced (Extreme)12014520.83%Returnal (Epic)16720120.36%Shadow of the Tomb Raider (Highest)22335458.74%Average framerates at 1440p.Facing down the alien swarms and flying particles in Returnal, for example, Tom pulled 201 frames per second at 1440p while my diminutive desktop managed just 169fps; in Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, the most CPU-limited game were testing, my bottlenecked system averaged just 123fps to Toms 200fps. But thats still over 120fps on max settings, more than enough for butter-smooth sessions of these single-player games! And if I were to pair my tiny tower with a 4K TV in my living room instead of a 1440p monitor, as many SFF PC builders might like to do, Id have a blast my 4K results always averaged over 60fps, and were often within just a few FPS of Toms open bench. RTX 5090 vs 3080 4K SFF testGameSean's 5090 SFFSean's 3080 SFFRoughly how much fasterAssassin's Creed Mirage (Ultra High, Native)135652.1x as fastBlack Myth: Wukong (100% resolution)63222.8x as fastBlack Myth: Wukong (DLSS Quality)93392.4x as fastCall of Duty: Black Ops 6 (Extreme)140582.4x as fastCyberpunk 2077 (Ultra, no RT)108402.7x as fastCyberpunk 2077 (Ultra RT + DLSS Quality)89382.3x as fastHorizon Zero Dawn Remastered (Very High)112591.9x as fastMetro Exodus Enhanced (Extreme)92332.8x as fastReturnal (Epic)138612.3x as fastShadow of the Tomb Raider (Highest)207892.3x as fastAverage framerates at 4K resolution.And again, Im typically seeing the RTX 5090 delivering more than twice the horsepower of an RTX 3080, making it quite the upgrade for SFF fans with deep pockets. Thats not necessarily something to celebrate, though: the $2,000 RTX 5090 admittedly costs more than twice as much as a $700 RTX 3080 did at its 2020 launch, and will be out of reach for most gamers even if shortages and scalpers dont rear their ugly heads. When it comes down to it, I think the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 is a damn cool piece of kit. It makes me want to quote Ferris Buellers Day Off because it is so choice. Its a noteworthy exception to the very annoying trend of GPUs expanding in every direction. But at $2,000, 575 watts of power by its lonesome, and with no other Nvidia board partner offering anything nearly as compact, its the exception that proves the rule.Photography by Sean Hollister / The Verge
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