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with a detailed look at the proposed technical change, and seek comment as to whether it should be approved, altered or withdrawn.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.

Photo credit: RAICThe Honourable Justice Murray Sinclair, former chair of the Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), recently passed away.Sinclair was the recipient of the 2024 RAIC Gold Medal, awarded for his dedication and leadership in promoting truth and reconciliation, dismantling colonial relationships, and advocating for the rights of Canadas Indigenous Peoples. The Gold Medal recognizes the impact the TRC and Sinclairs work had on the Canadian architectural landscape, in both the present and future.Sinclair was born and raised on the former St. Peters Indian Reserve North of Selkirk, Manitoba. In 1980, he was called to the Manitoba Bar and focused on civil and criminal litigation, Indigenous Law, and Human Rights.In 1988, Sinclair became Manitobas first, and Canadas second, Indigenous judge. That year, he also served alongside the Associate Chief Justice as Co-commissioner of the Public Inquiry into the Administration of Justice and Aboriginal Peoples of Manitoba. In 1995, he was appointed to the Court of Queens Bench.In 2009, Sinclair was appointed to Chair the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada into Indian Residential Schools (TRC). In 2016, he was appointed to the Senate of Canada as an Independent Senator, where he advocated for various important issues.The Honourable Justice Murray Sinclair has left an indelible mark on the architectural community and on Canada as a whole, said Jonathan Bisson, president of the RAIC Board.His courage and wisdom inspire us to continue our commitment on the path of truth and reconciliation. For many years, we have carried forward his legacy, but it is essential to remember that this journey is a collective duty, a lasting commitment to listening, respect and action. I am confident that his dedication to truth and justice will continue to guide our work for generations to come.The post In Memoriam: Justice Murray Sinclair (1951-2024) appeared first on Canadian Architect.

The Ontario Science Centre. Photo by James Brittain, Courtesy Moriyama Teshima ArchitectsThis post is coauthored by Sandford Borins, Professor of Public Management Emeritus at the University of Toronto, with Elsa Lam, Editor of Canadian Architect, so we refer to ourselves jointly in the plural and individually in the third person.Sir Humphrey Appleby, the fictional senior public servant in the iconic satireYes Ministerknew that one of the best ways to hide embarrassing information was to bury it under reams of anodyne memoranda. Infrastructure Ontario seems to have learned that lesson well. When it released its 78-page business case for modernizing the Ontario Science Centre (OSC) in November 2023, thelast of 333 pages of appendicescontained an excerpt from a Powerpoint deck contrasting the cost of operating the OSC in its original Don Mills location with a temporary location while a new facility is being constructed at Ontario Place. The deck was authored by public servants in Infrastructure Ontario and the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Sport and was presented to the office of Infrastructure Minister Kinga Surma.When the Ford Government made its surprise announcement to shutter the Don Mills location on June 21, 2024, we both re-read the business case and its appendices to see if there was anything there that would shed light on the decision. We both suspected that the decision had been in the works for quite some time, and that the discovery of problems with the concrete roofing in the original buildings was merely a pretext.The Powerpoint deck on page 333 of the appendices referred to Option 1A, so there were at least two other options (1B and 2) under consideration when the business case was being written in 2022 and 2023. We both filed Freedom of Information (FoI) requests for the entire Powerpoint deck, Ms. Lam on July 29, 2024 and Professor Borins on August 21, 2024. During the fall, we both asked FoI officers about our requests, and received polite but unhelpful replies. On October 10, Ms. Lam was told Please be advised that we are still processing your access request. On November 8, Professor Borins was told, we are still processing your file and hope to complete it soon and on November 19 we sincerely apologize for the delay and are hoping to complete your file as soon as we can.We both concluded that this polite language was masking an unwillingness to provide the deck and we filed appeals on the grounds of deemed refusal, Ms. Lam on November 21, and Professor Borins on November 29. We were told the appeals were to be handled by an expedited process and were given to the Expedited Team, with a Case Lead no less. When Ms. Lam followed up with the appeals office in mid-December, she was told that A case lead has not yet been assigned, but upon assignment, you will be contacted. As of mid-January, we have both heard nothing more.This should be a very simple request to respond to. We are asking for a Powerpoint deck one computer file. If officials who prepared the file dont want to release the entire file, they could redact portions of it. Professor Borins on two occasions asked for Excel spreadsheets containing responses to the Ontario Governments online budget consultations also a single computer file and he received them within a month, the time frame by which the government is required to respond to FoI requests.We suspect something more is going on in this case. Both of us have been critics of the decision to close the original Science Centre and move it to Ontario Place and of the plans for Ontario Place, and have written about them in our blogs. Here is a link toMr. Borins most recent piece and another link toMs. Lams home page. We have also been interviewed by the media. We think the Ford Government, which isalmost certain to call an electionand which likely considers itself vulnerable on its decisions about the OSC and Ontario Place, wants to deny its critics information that can be used in the campaign. We think that the ever-polite FoI officers are acting under orders from Minister Surmas office, Cabinet office, or the Premiers Office. For that reason, we are not naming them.Freedom of Information can be a potent tool to hold government to account. But when government does not want to be held to account, the best course of action is to delay. The release of a grossly redacted file or an outright refusal would indicate that the government has something to hide. Delay allows it to hide even that. Sir Humphrey Appleby would approve. Franz Kafka would not be surprised. The people of Ontario should be outraged.The post Ontarios Kafkaesque Freedom of Information Regime appeared first on Canadian Architect.

Demonstration plan illustrating the future urbanization area. Image credit: NCCProposals are being accepted for the 2025 Urban Design Challenge; a competition that invites students from across the country to come up with design concepts for sites in the National Capital Region (NCR).For this challenge, students are encouraged to unleash their creativity and share their visionary ideas for the Bronson Channel Lands, located 1.2 km from Parliament Hill in the western downtown core of Ottawa.This is your chance to propose innovative planning and design ideas for the Bronson Channel Lands and inspire the landscape of the emerging LeBreton neighbourhood, reads the National Capital Commisions (NCC) website. Your ideas to connect the national institutions, monuments, parks and waterfronts within the study area will inspire the future of this downtown core area district.The competition is open to students enrolled in an accredited post-secondary educational institution in Canada, who are studying planning, architecture, environmental design, urban design or landscape architecture. The NCC also encourages students to form interdisciplinary teams to consider all aspects of urban planning and urban design.The Bronson Channel Lands are located on the western edge of the downtown core, in the heart of the National Capital Region. The site is at the convergence of many planned and ongoing projects that are bringing energy to the Capital and livening up the waterfront. These include the LeBreton Flats redevelopment, the City of Ottawas Pimisi LRT station, the redevelopment of Chaudires and Albert islands, the Indigenous peoples gathering place on Victoria Island (Kabenishinn Minitig), and the construction of a new central library (diske).Context. Image credit: NCCThe National Capital Commission (NCC) is seeking ideas to enhance and animate the four public space edges in the study area. These include the Holocaust Monument, the Ottawa River waterfront and its small stormwater subsidiary arm along the Capital Pathway, the War Museum, and the forthcoming National Monument to Canadas Mission in Afghanistan.Area under study for the Urban Design Challenge. Image credit: NCCThe currently vacant site presents an opportunity to transform the space into a place that connects the islands and the mainland and increases the publics access to the waterways. The NCC is interested in exploring opportunities to activate the frontages along the streets and public pathways surrounding the site, and providing new mixed-use housing opportunities.As a result, proposals should re-knit the urban fabric with courtyard-form buildings between Wellington Street and Booth Street, and provide strategies for ground-floor animation along the Bronson Channel, Booth Street, Wellington Street and the Holocaust Monument, while respecting the symbolic setting of the site and propose an appropriate range of uses that can animate the area while being sensitive to adjacent uses.Additionally, they should determine a location for underground parking access, at the most unobtrusive location in relation to desired/anticipated pedestrian flow, retain the design intent of the National Holocaust Monument and consider the site context of the National Monument to Canadas Mission in Afghanistan while providing a fully urban interface between the monuments and the rest of the Bronson Channel Lands, position the built form volumes to create and frame street and path edges first, and views second and define the appropriate architectural expression for the built form in terms of building height and architectural style.They should also enhance public access to, and enjoyment of, the waterfront through landscaping, programming and animation, and consider opportunities for engagement in relation to diversity, equity and inclusion practices.The winning project team will receive the first-place award of$750and a trip to Ottawa. The second-place team will receive$500. The winning team will also receive a free student membership to the Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada (SSAC) and free registration to the 2025 SSAC conference.While the jury may determine honourable mention awards, there are no monetary prizes associated with these awards.The winning team will be invited to present their ideas at a special session of the NCCs Urbanism Lab on May 29, 2025.There isno registration feeto participate in the Urban Design Challenge. However, participants are required to register to receive a team number that ensures anonymity of the submissions throughout the evaluation process. One registration is required per project submitted.Registration is open until Thursday, January 23, 2025, and submissions are due March 27, 2025.For more information, click here.The post Last chance to register for 2025 Urban Design Challenge appeared first on Canadian Architect.

Students or emerging practitioners focused on making their mark in the architecture world are encouraged to apply for the RAIC Foundations 2025 Scholarships and Bursaries to receive recognition and monetary support for their work.The Foundation was established in 1964 and is governed by a Board of Trustees and is committed to advancing excellence and knowledge in Canadian architecture.The Foundations objectives include supporting students and interns in their architectural programs, promoting public discussion of architectural ideas affecting society, and supporting scholars in advanced research relating to community and the built environment.The 2025 portfolio features expanded opportunities such as the new Bing Thom Award, which is an essay competition open to all students enrolled in a Canadian school of architecture, or in the RAIC Syllabus Program. The eligibility criteria for the College of Fellows Centennial Fund has also been expanded and will offer two awards this year.To learn more about each opportunity, and review eligibility and submission requirements, visit the RAIC Scholarships and Bursaries webpage, and see the following.For Students:Bing Thom Award two awards of $3500 each | Apply by March 7Canada Green Building Council Scholarship for Sustainable Design and Research* $5,000 | Apply by March 7Vince Catalli Scholarship in Sustainable Design Innovation* $5,000 | Apply by May 2The Arts and Letters Club of Toronto Foundations Award for Architectural Conservation $1,000 | Apply by May 2Kiyoshi Matsuzaki Scholarship(for RAIC Syllabus students only) $3,000 | Apply by May 2*Submissions for these awards are limited to one or two for each accredited school. Schools will select student(s) to apply.For Interns / Intern Architects / Architects:RAIC Foundation Bursary $2,500 | Apply by March 7David Thom Leadership Award $5,000 | Apply by March 7College of Fellows Centennial Fund* $5,000 | Apply by May 2*The terms of reference were revised in 2024 to extend the eligibility of the grants awarded by the COF Centennial Fund to graduates of an accredited Canadian school of architecture and graduates of the RAIC Syllabus program, in addition to Interns/Intern Architects.The post Applications open for 2025 RAICF Scholarships and Bursaries appeared first on Canadian Architect.

Image credit: Section a magazineThe back issues of Section a magazine have been digitized and are now available to view online.Section amagazine was launched in February 1983 by architectural editor and critic Odile Hnault. Written in French and English, this bimonthly publication taregeted an audience of architects, designers and urban planners, as well as a wider audience. It ceased publication in January 1986, after 15 issues and one supplement.The magazine included numerous projects from Canada and abroad, as well as texts and interviews on subjects that are still relevant today. These included the major architectural competitions for the National Gallery of Canada and the National Museum of Man (now known the Canadian Museum of History), along with the Muse dart contemporain de Montral.Several internationally-renowned architects contributed to Section a with texts or interviews, including Alvaro Siza, Oriol Bohigas, Christian Devillers, Bernard Tschumi and Vittorio Gregotti. Many Canadian and Quebec professors and architects also participated.Section a benefited from the collaboration of two exceptional graphic designers: Gilles Brault, creator of the magazines graphic identity, and Angela Grauerholz, who is celebrated today for her artistic career and professorship at the Universit du Qubec Montral (UQAM). Graphisme Qubec recognized their work by awarding the magazine ten graphic design prizes. In 1984, the prestigious Canadian Magazine Awards Foundation recognized Section as contribution with a special mention for editorial excellence.For more information and to view the back issues, click here.The post Back issues of historic Section a magazine now digitized online appeared first on Canadian Architect.

Berczy Park. Photo by Industryous Photography, courtesy of CCxA.A special screening of a 45-minute directors cut of the The Cultural Landscape Foundations (TCLF) Claude Cormier Oral History Project, which highlights Cormiers Toronto projects, will be taking place later this month.The screening will be followed by a panel discussion reflecting on his legacy and how the community can carry it forward when shaping future public spaces.Nothing can cheer you up more on a cold, grey winters day than to visit a space designed by Claude Cormierand his firmCCxA. Hisjoie de vivreis embodied in landscapes that bring joy and whimsy to all those who visit, encouraging interaction and engagement, reads the event page.Even more than that, his spaces are deeply rooted in rigorous historical, cultural, and ecological analysis that provide them an unparalleled sense of place. In Toronto, many of our most iconic landscapesSugar Beach, Berczy Park, Love Park, and the recently opened Leslie Lookout Park just to name a feware part of Claudes legacy.Shortly before Cormiers passing in September of 2023, TCLF held a series of interviews with him about his life, design philosophy, and projects. The resulting 28 short clips make up an 115-minute-long oral history that encompasses much of his legacy and spirit.The screening will take place on the evening of Thursday, January 30. The event is being held as part of DesignTO Festival 2025 and hosted n partnership by the Toronto Society of Architects, The Cultural Landscape Foundation and the University of Torontos John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design.For more information or to register, click here.The post Claude Cormier Oral History Project Screening and Panel Discussion to take place this month appeared first on Canadian Architect.

Photo credit: SSACThe Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada (SSAC) has issued a call for papers for its 50th annual conference.The conference, which will be held from May 27 to 30, 2025, will return to the place it began in 1974: Ottawa, and hosted by Carleton University and Library and Archives Canada.The national capital is particularly well suited to celebrate this milestone in the Societys history. Situated on the traditional, unceded territory of the Anishinabe Algonquin people, Ottawa lies at the crossroads of the two original colonies that formed the United Province of Canada (established 1841), and was designated as the capital in 1857, reads the SSACs website.Ottawa, the Outaouais and the surrounding region remain a vibrant, diverse and dynamic blend of peoples and places.The SSAC supports inclusive dialogue as well as encourages perspectives that illuminate the influence and experience of gender- and sexually diverse, BIPOC, and disabled communities. SSAC also welcomes and encourages co-submissions by established and emerging scholars.The deadline for paper abstracts is January 31, 2025. Presenters must be members of the SSAC on the day of the conference.To propose a paper, clickhere.The post SSAC calls for papers for 50th Annual Conference appeared first on Canadian Architect.

Photo credit: Laurentian UniversityCanadian-American architectural and urban designerShannon Bassett passed away peacefully with family members by her side at the General Hospital in Ottawa on December 26, 2024, at the age of 52.Bassett was a tenured professor of architecture at McEwen School of Architecture, Laurentian University, in Sudbury. Her research, teaching, writing and practice operated at the intersections of architecture, urban design and landscape ecology.Bassetts writing on Chinas explosive urbanization and changing landscape, as well as shrinking cities and the post-industrial landscape in North America, have been published in Topos, Urban Flux, Landscape Architecture Frontiers Magazine, and Canadian Architect.Her design work and research has been exhibited nationally and internationally, including at the Hong Kong Shenzhen Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism and Architecture in 2012. Her architectural and urban design practice included designing an urban masterplan for the Village of the Arts in Bradenton, Florida, as well as a series of speculative design studies for the City of Tampa Riverwalk. Prior to arriving at Laurentian, Bassett had taught at the University at Buffalo, the University of South Florida, and Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston. Shehas lectured in countries including China, India, South Korea, and the US.She has run design research studios in China, and for many years served as an invited professor each summer in Busan, South Korea.A consummate collaborator, until her passing Bassett was actively collaborating with the Delhi School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) on the conservation and urban redevelopment of the old walled city of Delhi. She was also collaborating with colleagues at Toronto Metropolitan University on a symposium examining the state of women in Canadian architecture, a topic she also advanced as a co-founder and advisory member for the organization Building Equality in Architecture North. At Laurentian University, Indigeneity became a vital part of Bassetts teaching and spirituality. It is with heavy hearts we reflect on the passing of our colleague Shannon Bassett, writes Laurentian University McEwen School of Architecture director Tammy Gaber. Shannon joined the McEwen School of Architecture as a faculty member in 2018, having studied architecture at Carleton (B.Arch) and urban design at Harvard University (MAUD). While at MSoA, Shannon enthusiastically taught a range of courses in the undergraduate and graduate programs and supervised M.Arch thesis students.Beyond the classroom, Shannon actively mentored students in several international design competitions and was one of the co-founders of the Building Equality in Architecture NorthBEA(N) group, which continues to have a growing membership, adds Gaber.She will be deeply missed by our community.Shannon Bassett was a critical member of the Building Equality in Architecture (BEA) collective, which aims to promote and support gender equity in architecture across Canada, write Building Equality in Architecture Toronto (BEAT) Executive Chair Jennifer Esposito and Advisory Chair Heather Dubbeldam. Co-founding BEA North in 2020, she played a key role in supporting the growth of BEA from a Toronto-based grassroots group to one with a national presence. Shannon was an advocate for gender equity and diversity in the profession, particularly in northern communities. She was also a committed educator, sharing her expertise and enthusiasm with the next generation of architects through her roles in academia. Kind, generous, and courageous in her beliefs, Shannons contributions to education, research, and advocacy will leave a lasting impact.The family has requested donations to theBrain Tumour Foundation of Canada.The post In Memoriam: Shannon Bassett appeared first on Canadian Architect.

R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant. Photo by Randy Hoffmann via the City of Torontos websiteSubmissions are still being accepted to participate in the 2025 edition of Doors Open Toronto.Doors Open Toronto is an annual event organized by the City of Toronto in partnership with the wider community, and provides rare public access for one weekend to architecturally and culturally significant buildings across the city.More than 150 buildings and sites open their doors for this celebration around the city that is recognized as one of Torontos most culturally significant events.The theme for 2025 is The City is Your Playground; Get Ready to Play, which aims to exploreTorontos playful development through the citys most architecturally, historically, culturally and socially significant buildings and sites.From sports to music to theatre, Doors Open sites and programming will engage with the joyful, irreverent and sometimes serious times of play. Visitors will explore the many sides of our playful city for kids of all ages, reads the City of Torontos website.Developed as a millennium project in 2000, Doors Open Toronto has attracted over two million visits since, and has given people of all ages and backgrounds the opportunity to learn about Torontos history, become involved, and celebrate the citys built heritage for free.The inspiration for Doors Open Toronto came from Europe with France being the first country to launch its Doors Open program in 1984, followed by Glasgow in 1990.According to the City of Torontos website, a total of 48 European countries currently participate every September during European Heritage Month. Australia and the United States have also joined the Doors Open movement.Toronto was the first North American city to offer a Doors Open program, and has inspired similar events across the continent. Many participants organize guided tours, exhibits, displays and activities to enrich the visitor experience.To apply, the online consideration form must be completed by January 17, 2025.For more information, click here.The post Doors Open Toronto 2025 issues call for site participation appeared first on Canadian Architect.

From left to right, Timea Jakab (studio director and senior associate, Gensler), Sonia Matheson (managing director and principal, Gensler), Julia Evangelista (director of business development, Govan Brown), Heela Omarkhail (vice-president of social impact, The Daniels Corporation), and Kate LaBrash (director of office leasing, QuadReal Property Group) were part of a panel on women in architecture, design and construction in late 2024. The panel was organized by Gensler in collaboration with the Toronto Construction Association. Photo credit: Shiraz AliLast year, I had the privilege of moderating a panel on women in leadership, specifically, in architecture, design, and constructionnotoriously male-dominated industries. With the goal of shedding light on the barriers facing women in these environments, the panel, organized by Gensler in collaboration with the Toronto Construction Association, also provided an opportunity for those in the audience to ask questions and network. The resulting conversation was a stark reminder that we still have a long way to go to achieve true equity in our industry.As an architect, I know firsthand the challenges of working in this industry. To be frank, working in architecture and design is a demanding job for both men and women at any stage of their career, but women are still disproportionately impacted by unequal pay, slower rates of promotion, and poor return-to-work training post-parental leave.As a mother, I also understand the pressures of working parents, and know that no amount of TikTok advice is a match for a toddler mid-tantrum. Juggling these two worlds can be difficult, but I truly love being both an architect and a mother. Its a profoundly rewarding career, and while I do spend most evenings logging on to work those invisible hours, I love knowing my children look up to me as a woman in leadership. Not only that, but I believe I became a better leader once I had children. Be it a greater capacity for empathy, time management, or more open communication, mothers add value to the role.As seen in the dismal drop off in women architecture graduates and those who actually become licensed to practiceonly 37.9 per cent of architects in Canada are womenthe visibility of women in leadership positions is key to attracting more women to the profession. Proving that women can be both architects, and parents, is especially important, as many women report feeling pressured to make the choice between having a career in architecture or having children. While these barriers are certainly not unique to architecture and design, our industrys reputation only continues this ongoing cycle of inequity.Since joining the industry in 2005, Ive witnessed real change, and am heartened by the recent influx of events advocating for women in the field, especially for equal pay and diversity of thought. As Ive witnessed, the continued dialogue of these events is crucial, as silence only begets the status quo. But while were moving away from the old boys club, we still need more women in architecture and design.Not only are diverse organizations more successful, making the inclusion of women an economic imperative, but diverse talent also leads to greater levels of innovation. By not addressing the current barriers facing women in our industry, and striving for gender parity, the industry is hindering its ability to access the best talent and design solutions.But gender parity isnt about window-dressing. To ensure women stay in the industry, leaders must provide them with agency. Every closed-door meeting is either an opportunity, or just another barrier, and the entire architecture and design communitymen and womenis responsible for clearing the way to better access for women.We also cannot underestimate the importance of fostering and participating in support-based communities. While pockets of our industry still tend to view burnout as a badge of honour, creating space for women to have an open dialogue is crucial in holding the industry accountable. Its also key to maintaining good mental health.After taking two maternity leaves in five years, I can attest to the difficulty of returning to an office where it feels like time accelerated in your absence. Having a reliable network of colleagues and mentors, both within and outside of the industry, is critical. Its also why we hosted our recent women in leadership event, to prove to the next generation that we are not defined by our industrys history, and do not need to abide by the old rules.After more than 15-years working as an architect, I still believe it to be among the coolest careerstheres a reason why Seinfelds George Costanza selected it as his alter egos profession of choice. Every single day, Im surrounded by hardworking, talented, and supportive women and mothers, both as a mentor, and as a mentee. But Im also keenly aware that the network Ive built over the entirety of my career was forged over shared difficulties, or experiences of prejudice. For the next generation, its time we do better as an industry.Photo credit: GenslerTimea Jakab is a Studio Director in Genslers Toronto office, who brings more than 15 years of experience in professional practice. She oversees a studio of 40+ architects and designers with responsibility for projects that span large-scale master planning, complex adaptive reuse, and ground-up buildings, as well as multiple practice areas including Retail, Repositioning, and Brand Design. A registered architect in Ontario, Timea believes in and promotes a holistic design approach that considers the many opportunities in shaping a strong customer-centric experience. Using her design background, Timea pairs an understanding of human behavior with the exploration of environmental, architectural, and graphic design solutions. Her diverse design education and experience allows her to be an effective collaborator, design synthesis, and an agile leader for Gensler.The post Op-ed: Career or kids? Paving the way for womenand mothersin architecture appeared first on Canadian Architect.

The Canadian Accessible Ready Housing Standard is currently out for public review with the goal to make Canada barrier-free by 2040.The public review period will run until the end of the month and suggestions can be submitted until 11:59 p.m. PST, on January 31, 2025.Accessible-ready housing is designed for easy adaptation with minimal changes to its structure, electrical, or mechanical systems. This Standard outlines a framework for accessible-ready housing, easily adaptable with minimal alterations.Additionally, it incorporates legal, technical, and research sources, and provides guidelines for several housing elements. The Standard emphasizes Design for Accessible-Ready (DAR), which is an approach anticipating future accessibility needs, ensuring homes can be easily modified to meet emerging requirements.The accessible-ready housing standard also aligns with the National Standard of Canada known as CSA/ASC B652 Accessible Dwellings. It covers accessibility in areas such as entrances, parking, common areas, interior paths, kitchens, bathrooms, and emergency features.The aim is to build homes that can be modified to meet future accessibility requirements with minimal structural changes. This standard makes housing accessible, functional and adaptable. Comprehensive coverage: All aspects of residential design, including finishes, lighting, controls, and emergency provisions, are aligned to accessibility needs, reads the Government of Canadas website.For more information and to submit feedback on the standard, click here.The post Canadian Accessible Ready Housing Standard out for public review appeared first on Canadian Architect.

aerial city view of the skyline of downtown Ottawa, including Parliament buildings Ottawa, Ontario Canada.Last month, the federal government announced that it would be investing $10 millionfor18 applied research projects that explore specific, impactful ways to help Canada meet its housing and infrastructure needs.These projects aim to generate innovative, practical solutions to the housing and infrastructure challenges faced by Canadian communities. The solutions range from building a national housing data platform, to studying the impacts of transit investments on low-income and racialized communities, to combatting youth homelessness.These important projects will support innovative solutions that will help build more critical infrastructure and housing, faster across Canada, said Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities.The list of projects include the following architect-led initiatives.5468796 Architecture in Winnipeg, Manitoba, is aiming to identify and leverage under-utilized land and building assets of non-government organizations to support new affordable housing development. The project, calledShared Ground: Leveraging Social Purpose Infrastructure for Affordable Housing, aims to help address the shortage of affordable housing in Winnipeg.In Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, a project by Taylor Architecture Group Ltd. called Prototyping a Resilient Northern Home: Ongoing Barriers and Alternative Solutionsaims to help study alternative housing designs that respond to the unique systems, environments, and infrastructure in remote and northern communities. The results and insights to be shared with policymakers seek to support the construction and maintenance of housing in the North.University research also features among the selected projects.In Toronto, a project by Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) called Navigating Transformation: A Comprehensive Study of Transit Infrastructure Investments and Their Implications for Black Renters in Toronto, aims to help conduct a study on the impacts of transit investments on low-income and racialized communities in an Ontario city, specifically tenants. The results and findings are meant to inform policy decision makers on transit investments, while ensuring the protection of vulnerable communities from displacement and unaffordable housing.One by the University of Toronto, called Accelerating Affordable Housing Development with an AI-Assisted Platform for Partnerships aims to help create an online platform to facilitate partnerships between developers, municipalities, and lenders for innovative mixed-use projects, promoting affordable housing solutions, diverse collaborations, and increased participation from non-traditional funders.A McGill-led project calledCanadian Housing Observatory aims to help create a national online platform that brings together diverse housing data, allowing for in-depth exploration and analysis of housing issues, supporting broad insights, and promote housing education.Meanwhile, Queens University in Kingston, Ontario, is advancing studies of 3D concrete printing technology to build more durable housing and infrastructure by conducting large-scale proof-of-concept tests through their project,3D Printed Concrete: An Innovative, Efficient, and Resilient Solution to Canadas Housing Needs.The full list of projects can be found here.The post Federal government invests in 18 research projects to support housing and infrastructure needs appeared first on Canadian Architect.

Photo credit: Tracy Armstrong. Venue credit: InformprojectsTheArchitectural Institute of British Columbiahas transitioned its achievement awards to theArchitectural Foundation of BC (AFBC). Since 2021, the rebranded AFBC has undertaken the program which includes the Lieutenant Governor Awardsan institution that the AIBC had run for several decades. Kudos must go to the AFBC board for their ongoing efforts to which we can now add theAFBC Architectural Achievement Awards, having had its inaugural launch on November 21st in the Vancouver Railtown District.Sitting next to Vancouvers bustling port, thevenuewas generously provided for by Nancy and Niels Bendsten atInform, offering a peek at their recently renovatedInform Projectsshowroom next to theAmerican Can Companybuilding. Located on the sixth floor and facing the port and waterfront, the reno was itself the recipient of aLieutenant GovernorAward in 2023 forOMB Architects. With several prominent members of Vancouvers architectural community receiving awards, the turnout was a packed house despite the evenings inclement weather.Photo credit: Tracy Armstrong. Venue credit: InformprojectsWith AIBC board members Michelle Fenton and Kim Barnsley as emcees for the evening, AFBC Chair Karl Gustavson said a few opening words about theFoundation, after which the evenings program began with a land acknowledgment and Coast Salish performance byCoastal Wolf Pack. Six awards were then given out in total, two of which were for recipients unable to receive them in 2020 due to COVID restrictions:2020 Award RecipientsAbdel Munem Amin Barbara Dalrymple Memorial Award (not in attendance)Nick Milkovich Lifetime Achievement (attended)2024 Award RecipientsNancy Mackin Community Stewardship(attended)Darryl Condon Barbara Dalrymple Memorial Award for Community Service (attended)Peter Cardew Lifetime Achievement (awarded posthumously)William R. Rhone Lifetime Achievement (attended)The evening provided those representatives present from Vancouvers architecture and design firms the opportunity to honour these six individuals and allow their friends and family to see the impact their careers have had on our Little Village by the Sea. It was a privilege to be sitting next to both Bill Rhone and Nick Milkovich, two individuals whose careers have touched any architect who has lived and worked in BC. It was also a delight to see the projects Nancy Mackin had brought to share, along with the impact that her stewardship has had on the communities shes worked with.As Treasurer of the AIBC Council (now Board) in 2018, I was fortunate to have served alongside one of the evenings recipients, Darryl Condon, who for many years led theInstitute, and continues to lead along with the other principals athcma. We chatted afterward that his award was not a lifetime achievement award because he is very much still in mid-stride.On a more serious note, the evenings most somber moment came in the posthumous award to the latePeter Cardew, who we sadly lost during COVID-19. Along with the projects of Milkovich and Rhone, these three constitute a lions share of architectural achievement in Metro Vancouver. Nick Milkovich was honoured for his own firms work along with his lifelong collaboration withArthur Erickson, while Bill Rhone was awarded for his firmRhone & Iredalewhere Peter Cardew also workedand itself a titan firm in its day.It was overall a generous evening hosted by the AFBC, and we can look forward to other future achievement awards in between the bi-annualLieutenant Governorawards. As Karl Gustavson noted in his opening comments, both architects and architecture need a voice in Metro Vancouver and the province. With the rebranding of the AFBC in 2021, very much in anticipation of the Professional Governance Act replacing the BC Architects Act, theFoundationcurrently has the opportunity to be that voice. To provide not just awards programs but scholarships, walking tours, and perhapsas Karl hintedeven a return ofArchitecture in Schools.One may ask where is Vancouvers architecture centre? Recently visiting Montreal, it occurred to me they have called the CCA theCanadianCentreforArchitectureso there is no mistaking it there. And in Toronto, for many years theDesign Exchangewas run by theToronto Society of Architectsand the de facto centre of architecture in TO (sadly shuttered in 2019). So, where is Vancouvers? For some time there was theAIBC Architecture Centre, but with it closing its doors in 2020 perhaps the AFBC can look to locate somewhere in 2025.Photo credit: Tracy Armstrong. Venue credit: InformprojectsOur country is vast, and our provincial architectural associations can only do so much given their regulatory mandate. And national organizations like theRAICandCACBcannot possibly provide for everyone given limited staff and resources to support local advocacy for each metropolitan area. It is up to each of us, with boots on the ground in our local architectural communities, to advocate whether to write a piece like this one or attend an event like theAchievement Awards. Local architects and designers can each do their part by being present for our profession. Those who came out this past rainy November night to 411 Railway Street did just that, and congratulations again to all the evenings award recipients!For more information on the event go toArchitectural Awards of Excellence AFBC, and view the evenings photo galleryhere.Sean Ruthenis a Metro Vancouver-based architect.The post AFBC Architectural Achievement Awards Round-Up appeared first on Canadian Architect.

The formal method of verifying the currency of licensed architects through continuing education requirements has been in place in most provincial associations since the turn of the millennium. The introduction of these requirements parallels the revision of educational requirements for licensure, from professionally focussed five-year undergraduate university programs to diverse graduate programs. The task of determining what is germane to professional competence is a notable regulatory challenge, but the fact that all our professional associations have resorted to finesin excess of registration feesto leverage compliance with continuing education requirements suggests that something is amiss, and worthy of rigorous and objective review.The original intent of continuing education as a non-profit, low-cost-to-architects way to keep practitioners up to date is not immediately obvious. The AIBC states the purpose of required continuing education as a response to the publics increasing expectation that architects remain current with contemporary technology, business practices, methods, and materials. But in other cases, there has been noticeable mission-creep. The OAA describes the intent of continuing education as part of the organizations dedication to promoting and increasing the knowledge, skill, and proficiency of its members, and administering the Architects Act to serve and protect the public interest. One large association thus defines their mission as keeping members up to date. The other offers a broader and more open-ended mission statement that extends well beyond the issue of currency. This reflects two quite different paths.Regulating educational requirements is a tough challenge, certainly, for any organization. The broader the range of issues to be accommodated, the greater the difficulty to regulate is a familiar axiom. In our profession, regulating education should be premised on the fact that architects process information and come to understand their craft in unique ways. Visual literacy, for instance, is core to an architects formal education and professional skill set. The accreditation process for evaluating architecture university programs in Canada, as one example, requires an exhibition of ideas and concepts as a principal component. This is how we communicate, learn, and grow as architects. Yet, ironically, attendance at such an exhibition would be ruled invalid as counting towards provincial continuing education requirements, because its inherent value cannot be readily quantified.A sizable amount of regulation focusing on professional development is also premised on the notion that one can somehow quantify reading, and accurately corroborate the time taken to research a topic, author a book, or publish an article. In contrast, travelwhich for most architects is acknowledged as an important way of coming to understand architectureis only deemed valid by regulators if it can be corroborated by a tour guide receipt. A mode of regulation that would more accurately reflect lived experience would not be driven by administrative expediency, and would assign value beyond that which can be easily quantified.Activities cited in the unstructured learning categoryaside from association meetings and committee workare, on the whole, largely impossible to regulate with specificity, and in most cases, fail to credibly validate either currency or knowledge. Elimination of these activities would be a positive first step, and serve to focus attention on legitimate profession-specific requirements. A compelling argument can be made that compliance with unstructured continuing education requirements achieves nothing but increased workloads for regulators, ill will of individual members, and no credible validation of whether the individual in question is up-to-date or not.Structured professional development, on the other hand, can and should be monitored in a comprehensive and straightforward manner. The profession of architecture, while complex and ubiquitous in comparison to other professions, is not so complicated when it comes down to what we actually do. All North American schools of architecture seeking accreditation, for instance, are presently required to meet student and program performance criteria that are specific, quantifiable, and accepted by 185 post-secondary institutions with widely differing missions and geographic settings. Consensus on this kind of complex and diverse subject matter has thus proven to be possible. The professionally specific Internship Architecture Program (IAP) provides another example of how the scope of professional activity can be defined in 15 rationally weighted categories that all associations agree on. The referencing of continuing education activity to any of these 15 categories could serve to ameliorate concerns of whether subject matter is profession-specific.The question arises of whether verifying compliance with continuing education requirements is fair to all associations. Smaller provincial associations with limited resources, in particular, are not well positioned to credibly monitor professional development activity, or to deal with clarification and interpretation of regulations. Most associations rely entirely on computerized transcripts to record and tally up activity hours in each category, and restrict entries beyond the deadline of each cycle. The few unfortunate individuals targeted for audit rely on local interpretation, which can vary significantly from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.The concept of a national organization such as the RAIC as a central repository for course material and records has obvious merit. The RAIC already offers mostly online courses. Professionally qualified staff could efficiently manage queries on regulatory requirements. Local jurisdictions could then, as most already do, focus on continuing education related to regional issues, such as changes to legislation, building codes, construction documents, and bidding and contract negotiation.Updating continuing education requirements first requires acknowledgement that the existing system appears to be falling short of its intended mission. A quarter century of experience should provide hard evidence that we are failing to reach the desired results. The autonomy of provincial associations should be prepared to yield to a greater need for consistency, fairness, and objectivity across jurisdictional boundaries. Well-crafted and intelligent regulation canand shouldeliminate any question of competence and currency from public concern.Robert Ian Macdonald, FRAIC, is Professor Emeritus at the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Manitoba.The post Op-ed: Reimagining Continuing Education appeared first on Canadian Architect.

Photo credit: Light HouseLight House, an organization focused on advancing regenerative and circular practices in the built environment, has launched a new initiative with the aim to divert and upcycle plastic waste from approximately 10 Metro Vancouver construction sites. The pilot program, called the Construction Plastics Initiative, is running from now until February 2026 and is actively seeking projects to bring on board.The objective of the initiative is to demonstrate the feasibility and financial viability of a circular economic model for plastic waste generated on construction sites.The intention is to collect, separate, measure and process plastics from construction sites to determine the amount and types of plastic waste being generated in British Columbias construction sector and to demonstrate circular economic solutions to divert and repurpose the plastic into new products.Project participants will be able to showcase their leadership by pioneering plastic diversion as well as using the locally manufactured building products in their projects.Currently, there is a lack of comprehensive studies in North America quantifying the volume of construction plastic waste directed to landfills. Studies from Europe suggest approximately 80 per cent of plastic waste from on-site construction activities consists of clean packaging materials, which are readily divertible from landfills. This pilot project aims to provide valuable insights into the extent of construction plastic pollution in North America and to identify opportunities for circular innovation in managing construction plastics, said Gil Yaron, managing director, Circular Innovation, Light House.In Canada right now, virtually all of the plastic generated on these construction sites is ending up in landfill or being buried on site. Theres a better solution and were testing it out right now through our Construction Plastics Initiative. Were bringing partners together through the construction plastic value chain, developing a management framework to collect, monitor and track the flow of materials, and were exploring the business case and sale of derivative building products back into the construction sector.Collected plastics from all projects will be processed by Ocean Park Recycling prior to being recycled into reusable plastic pellets, which will be integrated into the manufacturing of a range of new building products.The pilot program will also help developers and general contractors reduce material use and the embodied carbon associated with their projects. Through this initiative, Light House is reducing the environmental impact of construction while also preparing the industry for the federal governments upcoming plastics registry reporting requirements in 2026.A qualified site monitor will be provided to the participating construction project. The site monitor will work with the general contractor and site supervisor to identify the types of plastics to be collected, schedule collections based on the construction timeline, provide size-appropriate collection bins, train site crews on proper source separation practices, monitor bins for contamination, and assist with the delivery and removal of collection bins, as required.To learn more about the Construction Plastics Initiative, click here.The post Construction plastic waste pilot program launches in Canada appeared first on Canadian Architect.

Image credit: The Canadian Wood CouncilThe Canadian Wood Council (CWC) has announced the recipients of the 2024 Catherine Lalonde Memorial Scholarships.The memorial scholarships, which were established nineteen years ago, are awarded each year to graduate students whose wood research exemplifies the same level of passion for wood and the wood products industry that Catherine Lalonde demonstrated as a professional engineer and president of the CWC.This year, Laura Walters from McMaster University and Jiawen Shen from the University of British Columbia were recognized for their academic excellence and impactful research projects in the structural wood products industry.Walters is a third year graduate student pursuing a Master of Applied Science in Civil Engineering at McMaster University. Her research project explores the use of pre-engineered beam hangers in mass timber post-and-beam systems, with a focus on the implications of design and modelling assumptions on the evaluation of structural load paths. Her work provides valuable insights into the design considerations and assumptions required for more accurate and reliable design of mass timber columns when pre-engineered beam hangers are used.Shen is a first year graduate student pursuing a Master in Wood Science at the University of British Columbia. Her research project focuses on the development of binderless composite bark-board cladding and insulation panels that are durable, ignition resistant, carbon neutral, and manufactured from an underutilized by-product that would otherwise be burned, landfilled, or used for low-value purposes. Collaborating with a Vancouver-based architecture firm on this project, her work is key to advancing the commercial application of these innovative cladding products.This year marks a historic milestone for the Catherine Lalonde Memorial Scholarship program as, for the first time, it is awarded to two exceptional women, said Martin Richard, VP of market development and communications at the CWC. Their achievements highlight the outstanding talent driving innovation in wood research and construction. We are inspired by their contributions and the growing diversity shaping the future of wood-based solutions.For more information, click here.Images courtesy of the Canadian Wood CouncilThe post Winners announced for 2024 Catherine Lalonde Memorial Scholarships for Wood-Related Research appeared first on Canadian Architect.

Photo credit: City of EdmontonCities rarely behave the way we want them to. Urbanist William Whyte illustrated this in the 1980s when he studied the behaviour of park-goers in New York. Despite planners carefully arranging chairs in unique and novel ways, people instinctively moved them around to suit their own needs. Similarly, the worn paths we see cutting through park lawns are not part of the original design they are desire lines, revealing the routes people naturally choose, rather than those intended by urban planners. This highlights a fundamental truth: how we plan and design a space often doesnt align with the way people truly live and move through it.As a PhD candidate in urban and regional planning, I have been delving into this disconnect between intention and execution. Theres often a chasm between what urban planners envision and what is actually realized. Many plans, no matter how meticulously crafted, remain unfulfilled, leading to a cognitive dissonance between our aspirations and the final product, and contributing to frustration and disappointment from the broader community. Despite their best efforts, planners often find that the systems they work within do not operate the way they had hoped. In many prairie cities, the plans and strategies drafted by urban planners often end up collecting dust on forgotten shelves, never to be revisited.John Forester, a key figure in the study of power and its influence on the practice of planning, famously noted that If planners ignore those in power, they assure their own powerlessness. This statement underscores a vital point: urban planners are not merely neutral technicians but are embedded in complex political environments. They should aim for more than just managing permits and enforcing processes they should be agents of change, actively challenging the status quo. Yet, not every planner sees themselves in this role. This raises the question: What is the true role of a planner in a city? And more specifically, in Edmonton?Planners, no matter how skilled, can find their work stymied by organizational constraints, and even the best plans can falter when political and economic realities intervene. As we approach another election year, much attention will be focused on elected officials, yet we should also consider the questions we ask of the city builders who work within administrative spaces. While decision-making may rest with politicians, it is within the administration and public-private partnerships where expertise and leadership traverse election cycles. These city builders planners, administrators, architects, and engineers wield significant influence and should not only be part of the conversation but should lead it.In 2018, I moved to Edmonton for this very reason. While my hometown of Winnipeg was bogged down by a decades-long debate over the infamous Portage and Main intersection, Edmontons planning landscape was thriving. Administrators and planners were shaping the discourse, pushing boundaries, and driving urban change. I was drawn to this energy and eager to learn what enabled such leadership among Edmontons city planners. What inspired them to push through and make urban transformation possible?That question led me to consider: what makes planning in Edmonton different from Winnipeg? In Winnipeg, planners often feel powerless, constrained by municipal government structures. In contrast, in Edmonton, planners seemed to embrace their role, actively pushing for change and progress.Through my research, I attempt to understand the role of central figures like planners in prairie cities such as Edmonton and Winnipeg. Drawing on Timothy Rowleys social network analysis theory, I have discovered that planners are either commanders, compromisers, subordinates, and/or solitarians, and each play different but vital roles in shaping the urban narrative.Commanders, often the public face of planning, have the power to initiate dialogue, shape the direction of planning efforts, and guide the process. Compromisers are the peacekeepers, helping resolve conflicts and facilitating compromise among stakeholders. Subordinates, though less visible, provide support by listening and synthesizing the concerns of both the public and officials. Solitarians are the researchers and analysts, offering clarity and detailed knowledge that can guide more informed decision-making. Together, these diverse figures form a web of influence, creating a robust environment for urban change.How can we, and should we, make space for these diverse players? And is Edmontons planning environment still supportive of innovation and leadership? Understanding and creating room for all types of city builders is essential to successfully plan and shape our cities. It enables us to adapt and adjust our plans as cities evolve and as people shape their communities. This approach empowers planners, working within diverse constraints, to discover their authentic voice and influence, foster collaboration, and understand the significance of their work in driving meaningful change. It encourages creativity within our administrations, opening pathways for transformative action. Moving forward, I believe that embracing the complexity of governance and acknowledging the varied roles of city builders is key to shaping the future of our urban landscapes.Jason Syvixay is Vice President of BILD Edmonton Metro, and a PhD candidate in Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Alberta.The post Reimagining Urban Leadership appeared first on Canadian Architect.

Another year has come and gone and were rounding up the top 10 most read news posts of the year.From the many updates on the beloved Ontario Science Centre and Ontario Place to a review of the Well in Toronto, here are the top most-visited news posts of 2024 in order.Removal of trees in progress at Ontario Place on October 3, 2024, around 5 pm. Photo by Jason Ash10. Amid 865 trees coming down, Province releases 95-year lease with ThermeThe highly contested redevelopment of Ontario Place, a waterfront property in downtown Toronto, came to a head this fall with the abrupt demolition of the trees and structures in a large part of the property. The workwhich included the removal of every single tree on the western portion of the waterfront siteis part of the approximately $200-million in work that taxpayers are funding to prepare the land for Therme, an Austrian spa company, to develop a stadium-sized indoor waterpark on the site.The 7.7-acre site formerly housed The Globe and Mails facility, and is located in the midst of the densifying King West area. To the south, it adjoins the future Rail Deck District, a five-tower complex that is being planned to cantilever over the VIA and GO train corridor.9. The Well, Toronto, Ontario: Review by John LorincThe Well, a much anticipated and heavily publicized collaboration between RioCan and Allied Properties REIT, opened in Toronto this year. Several design firms were involved in the project, including Hariri Pontarini Architects, Urban Strategies, CCxA, BDP, architectsAlliance, Wallman Architects, and Adamson Associates. Journalist John Lorinc reviewed the complex, and explains its significance for Toronto urbanism.Ontario Science Centre. Photo by Amanda Large8. Cost of Ontario Science Centre temporary location exceeds cost of roof repairsOn June 24, 2024, Infrastructure Ontario put out an RFP for a commercial/retail space to house a temporary Science Centre until its planned new facility at Ontario Place is complete. Canadian Architect editor Elsa Lam noted that the temporary location, which would not be open until 2026, would put the Science Centre in a location that was significantly smallerand likely much more remotethan its current site. She also analyzes how the cost of the temporary location would exceed the cost of making necessary repairs to the existing Moriyama-design Science Centre.Courtesy the Future of Ontario Place Project Cinesphere pods and lagoon from the west7. Ontario Place project at risk as Canada ignores engagement requirements with Indigenous PeoplesA release issued by the Haudenosaunee Development Institute (HDI) stated that it believes that the Federal government has failed to meet Indigenous engagement obligations for the Ontario Place project on Torontos waterfront. The release noted that if the Government of Canada fails to fulfill its responsibility to engage and collaborate with Indigenous Peoples, the multi-billion-dollar Ontario Place development project could face significant delays.Construction fences were erected on Friday, June 21 around the perimeter of the Ontario Science Centre, following a provincial announcement of the Centres immediate and indefinite closure. Photo by Elsa Lam6. Ontario Science Centre doesnt require full closure: A close reading of the engineers reportJust after the Ontario Science Centre was abruptly closed, Canadian Architect editor Elsa Lam released a deep dive into Rimkus engineers roof report, which was used to justify the closure. Her analysis suggests that the buildings key exhibition areas could continue to operate safelyeven if the Ontario government choose not to invest in any structural roof repairs by the fall.Credit: Henry Saxon Snell Fonds, John Bland Canadian Architecture Collection, McGill University Library5. McGill University researchers say modern temperature control and ventilation design could be transformed with historic techniqueResearchers from McGill University say that by revamping a forgotten heat recovery technique used in the design of Montreals Royal Victoria Hospital, modern temperature control and ventilation design could be transformed.The current Ontario Science Centre on Don Mills Road, in Toronto. Photo by BuBZ at English Wikipedia Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30565824. TSA issues open letter on Ontario Science Centre closureOn June 21, 2024, the provincial government announced that the Ontario Science Centres landmark 1969 building, by Japanese-Canadian architect Raymond Moriyama, would be closed immediately, for an indefinite period of time. Organizations including Canadian Architect, ACO, and the TSA rallied quickly to voice their opposition to the closure.The Ontario Science Centre. Photo by James Brittain, Courtesy Moriyama Teshima Architects3. The true cost of repairing the Ontario Science Centre is much, much less than what Infrastructure Ontario has been sayingand the proof is in its own documentsTwo figures have been cited by the Ontario Government: $478 million and $369 million. The actual number is much lessaround $200 million, or just $24 million for tackling priority repairs to keep the museum open for several years to come, writes Elsa Lam.A pedestrian bridge linking the front building to the main exhibitions has been closed since June 2022. Photo by James Brittain, courtesy Moriyama Teshima Architects2. As Province edges towards demolition of Science Centre, documents point to a manufactured crisisThe documents issued by the government on July 11 point to known issues and minor problems that can be easily resolved, providing further evidence of a manufactured crisis surrounding the closure.Photo credit: Steven Evans1. Provincial government agrees to pause demolition at Ontario PlaceOn July 10, 2024, the Ontario government agreed to halt demolition pending the results of Ontario Place Protectors (OPP)s challenge to the Rebuilding Ontario Place Act on July 19. Unfortunately, after the groups challenge was unsuccessful, demolition continued. OPP has appealed the ruling.The post Canadian Architects most read news posts of 2024 appeared first on Canadian Architect.

Photo credit: Toronto Society of ArchitectsThe Toronto Society of Architects (TSA) is rolling out its popular Gingerbread City showcase for the fifth consecutive year. The TSAs Gingerbread City, which consists of both a virtual and in-person exhibit, invites architects and gingerbread lovers to celebrate architecture and city-building through whimsical and edible creations.CN Tower by The Change Bakers (Photo credit: Gingerbread City 2024)This year, the housing crisis was top of mind as bakers submitted a diverse array of housing solutions from mid-rise cooperative projects of all shapes and sizes, to New York style brownstones and single-family detached homes.There is also a thoughtful reminder of the many Torontonians experiencing homelessness and the importance of building housing for everyone.Ace Hotel by Rob Shostak (Photo credit: Gingerbread City 2024)In addition to housing related submissions, the showcase features some local landmarks including two CN Towers and the recently completed Ace Hotel.Kids Main Street, which is returning as part of this years virtual showcase, is a mixed-used streetscape featuring over 30 faades designed and built by children, ages 2 to 11, and completed during in-person workshops held earlier this month.60 Richmond Co-Op by Jol Len Danis (Photo credit: Gingerbread City 2024)The workshops were an opportunity to learn what makes a vibrant streetscape and have some family fun. The result features everything from a fire station to a costume store, cafes, restaurants, toy stores, and a myriad of ice cream shops.TSA Gingerbread Citys virtual showcase and in-person display opened on December 17, 2024, with an in-person preview happening at The Maker Bean Cafe on December 14.The in-person display will remain available until January 10, 2025, at The Maker Bean Cafe, located at 1052 Bloor Street West, Toronto.To visit the virtual showcase, click here.The post Toronto Society of Architects rolls out fifth annual Gingerbread City appeared first on Canadian Architect.

A woman waits outside the new temporary pop-up Ontario Science Centre located in Sherway Gardens mall in Toronto, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan DenetteThe timeline for opening a permanent newOntarioScienceCentreappears to have been delayed, with infrastructure officials telling the auditor generals office thecentreis expected to be up and running in 2029.When Premier Doug Ford announced last year the planned move for the attraction, from its east Toronto location to a redevelopedOntarioPlace on the citys waterfront, thesciencecentresaid the new facility would open in 2028.In June, when the government announced the abrupt closure of thesciencecentreover structural concerns with the roof, its press release said theOntarioPlace facility would open as early as 2028.Now, according to a report earlier this month from Ontarios auditor general Shelley Spence on theOntarioPlace redevelopment, the new building is expected to open in 2029.That information was provided to the auditor generals office by InfrastructureOntario, a spokesperson for the auditor said.Jason Ash, co-chair of the group Save OntariosScienceCentre, said its a shame that there will be no permanentOntarioScienceCentrefor at least an extra year.Its really a whole generation ofOntariochildren who are not going to have access to world-classscienceeducation that theOntarioScienceCentrehas provided for 55 years, he said.Simply put, theOntarioScienceCentrewas unique in that the majority of its business actually came from Ontarians, with tourism coming in second place. SoOntariokids arent being served and tourists are not going to get a great experience either in the meantime.Two requests for comment from Infrastructure Minister Kinga Surma went unanswered, with a spokesperson ultimately replying to a third by saying she would not be responding.Due to the request submitted by the Leader of the Official Opposition to the Integrity Commissioner on October 16th, 2024, Minister Kinga Surma has been asked not to comment and will respect the process at this time, Ash Milton wrote.Miltons reply came after Surma answered at least a dozen questions in question period on the auditor generalsOntarioPlace redevelopment findings.NDP Leader Marit Stiles integrity complaint focused largely on terms and negotiations that led to a 95-year lease for Therme to build and operate a spa and waterpark atOntarioPlace, but also alleges irregularities with the plan to relocate thesciencecentre.Stiles suggests, based on information previously uncovered last year by the auditor general, that the government wanted to have thesciencecentreatOntarioPlace and integrate parking promised to Therme with thesciencecentrebuilding in order to dispel public concerns over the project.This is yet another expensive project that nobody asked for with a plan that no one is buying, Stiles wrote in a statement this week.We could have revitalized the existingScienceCentrefor a fraction the cost. Ford and Surma boasted about the newScienceCentreopening in 2028, but that sounds like more false promises from a flailing government.A spokesperson for InfrastructureOntariosaid the procurement process for the newcentrecontinues, with the request for proposals stage expected to wrap up next fall.A firm date for the completion of construction will be posted once a contract is awarded, and the opening date will depend on the centres timeline for moving into the new building, Karen Evans said in an email.The overall plan for delivering the vision remains unchanged, she said.That audit found that it will now cost more for the government to build a newOntarioScienceCentreatOntarioPlace than it would have to maintain the site it abruptly closed earlier this year.The cost estimate for building and maintaining a newsciencecentreatOntarioPlace has increased by nearly $400 million from the governments spring 2023 business case for relocating it, the auditor said, meaning it will cost approximately $1.4 billion higher than the $1.3-billion estimate for maintaining the attraction at its east Toronto location.The increase is due to higher design and construction costs, life cycle and maintenance costs, and ancillary costs that have added up because of changes to the scope of the planned building and about $61 million in cost escalations, Spence wrote.Michael Lindsay, at the time the president and CEO of InfrastructureOntario, said he didnt agree that building a newsciencecentrewill cost more than rehabilitating the old one, noting that project would also be facing inflationary price increases.Lindsay provided some reasoning for possible delays in a briefing on the day thesciencecentrewas closed.The language (of as early as 2028) probably just reflects the realities of procurement and construction, he said.Were going to be talking to our counterparties through the procurement about what it would take to construct a newsciencecentre, how long that might be, and so I think the plan remains the plan. That language probably just points at the reality that further conversation with our market is coming about what its going to take to both procure and then build the newsciencecentre.Ontariois planning to have a temporarysciencecentreopen in the interim, but has not provided any public updates on that process since it issued a request for proposals in June.That RFP showed the province is looking for retail or commercial space of about 50,000 to 100,000 square feet much smaller than the original buildings 568,000 square feet with a start date of no later than Jan. 1, 2026.The RFP also showed that the province wants a lease of up to five years for the temporary space, plus three options to extend the lease for one year each, which would allow the government to operate asciencecentrein a temporary home until 2034, Ash said.Thesciencecentreis currently operating two pop-up exhibits at HarbourfrontCentreand the Sherway Gardens mall in Toronto.The post New Ontario Science Centre at Ontario Place to open in 2029, auditor general says appeared first on Canadian Architect.

Rendering: KPMB ArchitectsFollowing three years of planning and design, Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC), ArtsCommons and The City of Calgary have announced that the ArtsCommons Transformation (ACT) expansion has broken ground. This marks a significant step forward in the delivery of the arts-focused infrastructure project currently underway in Canada.Since revealing the architectural designs for the ACT expansion in April, CMLC, as Development Manager for the ACT project, has been working with our construction and project management teams to develop a strategic and efficient construction management plan for the project, and to secure approval for our Development Permit this fall, said Kate Thompson, president and CEO of CMLC. A groundbreaking is an exciting moment in any project it represents the culmination of years of advocacy, design, approvals and planning, and marks the beginning of really bringing a project to life. We cant wait for the ACT expansion to begin to take its place in Calgarys iconic skyline.Construction on the ACT expansion, designed by KPMB Architects, Hindle Architects and Tawaw Architecture Collective, will begin in January 2025. Construction will be managed by EllisDon with project management by Colliers Project Leaders, and is expected to be completed in 2028.The ACT expansion is the first of the three campus transformation phases to begin construction. The other two phases include the Olympic Plaza Transformation (OPT) project, which is now fully funded, and the ACT modernization, for which efforts are underway to secure the remaining required funds.Photo credit: KPMB ArchitectsTo finally be able to break ground on this once-in-a-lifetime project, with such an unprecedented level of public and private support, sends a strong message to the world about the importance ofarts and culture to a citys well-being, as well as to Calgarys position on the global stage, said Alex Sarian, president and CEO of ArtsCommons. Earlier this year we were humbled to announce both the Government of Albertas $103 million commitment, and Dave Werklund and familys record-setting $75 million transformational gift which, combined with the $320.5 million of already secured funding, brings us to over 75 per cent of our fundraising goal for this $660 million downtown cultural campus. As we prepare to unveil our rebranding to Werklund Centre in 2025, I am overwhelmed by the sense optimism that comes from building the future of our city together.Design is currently underway for the Olympic Plaza Transformation (OPT) project, which is aiming to create a more modern, inclusive and accessible arts-focused outdoor gathering space as part of the contiguousArtsCommons campus upon its completion in 2028. The design for the Olympic Plaza Transformation project will be revealed in the late first quarter of 2025.CMLC and The City of Calgary have also launched a series of digital experiences to archive Olympic Plazas 1988-2024 chapter, including the Olympic Brick Finder, the Olympic Plaza Interactive Experience and the Olympic Plaza 3D Perspective. All three tools can be found here.The Olympic Plaza will close at the beginning of January 2025 to facilitate construction and site fencing will be installed around the entirety of it at that time before beginning site demolition. 8 Avenue between Macleod Trail and 1 St S.E. will remain open for the majority of construction, and access to the existing ArtsCommonsfacility, the Burns Building, the Public Building and the Dominion Bank Building will be maintained at all times.The City of Calgary will continue to work with event organizers to identify alternate locations for events during construction. The City of Calgary has also launched a resource to help Calgarians find other parks, public washroom and skating amenities in downtown through construction.The post ArtsCommons Transformation expansion breaks ground appeared first on Canadian Architect.

Demolition continues at Ontario Place. Photo by Steven EvansThe majority of Auditor General Shelley Spences 121-page Value for Money audit of the Ontario Place redevelopment centres on procurement. We found that the CFD [Call for Development] process and realty decisions were not fair, transparent or accountable to all participants as would be required by the Realty Direction, the CFD document, and best practices, writes Spence.That language echoes the words of previous Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk, who analyzed changes to the Greenbelt in a 2023 report, concluding that the way the government proposed changes to the Greenbelt was not publicly transparent, objective or well-informed, and was inconsistent with the vision, goals and processes of the Greenbelt Plan, as well as previous amendments to the Greenbelt boundary.Summarizing the Ministry of Infrastructures decision-making on Ontario Place, the report points to how, for example, despite published guidance that contact with government officials was prohibited during the open period, some participants were invited to meet with government officials and high-ranking political staff during the CFD open period. These communications included nine e-mails and one call between a Vice President at Infrastructure Ontario and Thermes legal counsel, an introduction of Therme to the transaction advisor leading the Call for Development, and an invitation to an event at the legal counsels firm. Minutes of these meetingsas well as separate meetings between the VP and other participantswere not kept, so there is no way to know what was discussed, let alone assess whether all participants had equal access to the same information.Rather than following the Provinces standard procurement law, directives, or best practices, the 2019 Call for Development, as well as an earlier call in 2017, were categorized as real estate transactions. This is unusualother large waterfront developments, in both Ontario and abroad, have proceeded as procurements. In any case, the current process also did not meet the lesser requirements of the Realty Directive, which strives for accountability and transparency. As a result of terms and conditions with considerable ambiguity (for instance, The Government may select one, none or multiple submissions as part of the process), a few participants did not invest a significant amount of time and resources into their submissions, sending in a one-page response.The assessment process itself, in the Auditor Generals summary, was irregular, subjective, and not always followed. The process used a qualitative scoring framework, with criteria that were not finalized until after the submission deadlinewith the result that a third of the criteria never appeared in the CFD document being referenced by submitters. Criteria were not assigned relative weights, leading to uneven scoring. In many cases, individual assessors scores were very different from each othernot unusual in itselfbut after a consensus meeting that sought to reconcile those scores, some scores were altered two subsequent times. While assessors were required to score all areas, there were 126 instances (or 11%) where an objective was left unscored by an assessor. One assessor did not score any of the criteria for Therme prior to the consensus meeting. The process did not include a fairness monitor, whose job as an independent third party involves ensuring that the advertised process is followed, and all parties are treated fairly and equally.One of the submitters, Triple Five Group, was asked to substantially revise and resubmit its submission, which was received 70 days after the submission deadline. This process moved the submission from a consensus score of low and the lead assessor writing that they were unable to assess the submission, to Triple Five Group eventually becoming the primary comprehensive site-wide solution option. In other cases, proponents were selected for a short list or further discussions despite ranking lower than others. Due diligence meetings, in which Infrastructure Ontario sought to clarify information and/or confirm assumptions in submissions, were conducted with only six of the 34 participants, despite four additional participants receiving a high score for Alignment with Governments Vision and an additional 13 participants assessed as receiving a moderate score on this criteria.One of the biggest procedural missteps is that the Call for Developments envisioned two different types of bids: some that would present a comprehensive site-wide solution, and another scenario with multiple single tenants. The same criteria were used to score these vastly different solutions, notes the report. The full implications of the provincial costs of each solution were not presented to key decision-makers, even though by taking on its present role as Master Developer, the province has put taxpayers on the hook for public realm, parking, and last mile transit costs totalling over $950 million for the project. The report notes that several of the site-wide submissions includes designs for the public realm, parking solutions, and/or last mile designs, including, in some cases, provisions to pay for these features.The social and environmental costs of redevelopment were not considered in the redevelopment, eitherand the report makes notes that the governments Rebuilding Ontario Place Act, 2023 exempts the site from key environmental assessments and heritage requirements. As critics have long noted, there was no input sought from the public until after the tenants had already been announced. In the 17 consultations held afterwards, a key sentiment, according to Infrastructure Ontarios own reporting, was why now and whats the purpose; why [wasnt the] public consulted on partner selection.Taking what the public wanted into consideration from the beginning would have made the process more open and transparent to the public and could have prevented many of the issues, lawsuits, media attention, etc. that have occurred, says the Auditor Generals report. Between September 2019 and June 2024, the government has spent $8.5 million on legal fees associated with the 2019 CFD, MZO, lease negotiations and associated work.Related:The Auditor Generals Report, Part 1: The cost of privatizing Ontario PlaceThe Auditor Generals Report, Part 2: The billion dollar question of parkingThe Auditor Generals Report, Part 3: ThermeThe Auditor Generals Report, Part 4: Collateral DamageThe Auditor Generals Report, Part 5: The Future, Continued Privatization of Ontario PlaceThe post The Auditor Generals Report, Part 6: Procurement appeared first on Canadian Architect.

tmsewtx Aquatic and Community Centre. Photo credit: Nic Lehouxtmsewtx Aquatic and Community Centre, which recently opened in in New Westminster, British Columbia, has been awarded a Special Prize for Interiors in the Sports category at the Prix Versailles in Paris.tmsewtx, derived from the hnqminm language and meaning Sea Otter House Aquatic and Community Centre, was designed by hcma architecture + design, for all ages and abilities with a focus on community connections, wellness-based activities, and sporting and fitness activities.tmsewtx was shortlisted against six other international sports architecture projects, including the Paris Olympic Aquatic Centre. It is only the third Canadian project to earn recognition in the competitions history, with the other two being the Holt Renfrew Ogilvy flagship in Montreal (Jeffrey Hutchinson & Associates and Lemay, caf by Laplace and Lemay) and the Apple Flagship Store in Vancouver (Perkins & Will).tmsewtx Aquatic and Community Centre. Photo credit: Nic LehouxThe tmsewtx facility has also recently been certified gold for accessibility by the Rick Hansen Foundation, which reinforces the principles of inclusive and accessible design that were core aspects of the facilitys planning and detailing.tmsewtx Aquatic and Community Centre. Photo credit: Nic LehouxThe facility is located on the edge of a residential neighbourhood north of the Fraser River, which has been a cultural and economic life source for Indigenous peoples for thousands of years.The project, located on the site of the former headwaters of Glenbrook Ravine, which was lost to development over the preceding decades, takes a strong stance toward reconciliation with the natural character of the landscape.tmsewtx Aquatic and Community Centre. Photo credit: Nic LehouxThe 10,684 sq m / 114,571 sq ft aquatic community centre is Canadas first completed all-electric aquatic facility to achieve the Canada Green Building Councils (CAGBC) Zero Carbon Building-Design Standard. tmsewtx is also the first to use the gravity-fedInBluefiltration system, which reduces the need for chlorine usage and creation of associated harmful byproducts.tmsewtx Aquatic and Community Centre. Photo credit: Nic LehouxThe post tmsewtx Aquatic and Community Centre wins Prix VersaillesSpecial Prize appeared first on Canadian Architect.

Still from the documentary film Into the Island, 2023 CCAThe CCA has announced the launch of To Build Law, the second chapter of Groundwork, a three-part film and exhibition series exploring the conceptual development and field research of contemporary architects cultivating alternative modes of practice.Groundworkaims to ask how we understand the making of architecture in the present moment, and how architects situate themselves in relation to changing natural and disciplinary boundaries. The exhibition aims to ask questions such as: What to build, or not build? Is a building the end point of architectural production? What to do with the existing building stock? How to intervene in the landscape? and How to engage with the increasing environmental and social complexities of a site?According to a 2020 report by the UN Environment Programme, the construction industry accounts for at least 38 per cent of carbon emissions globally, operating with narrow methods geared toward profit. Buildings are held as assets, torn down, and redeveloped, with limited consideration of community and environmental impacts.The documentary and exhibition To Build Law follows the Berlin-based collaborative architecture practice bplus.xyz (b+) and the Zurich-located chair for architecture and storytelling s+ (station.plus, D-ARCH, ETH Zurich) as they establish a policy lab, HouseEurope!, to propose industry reforms and shift cultural norms.The project observes b+s radical experiments beyond the fringes of conventional architectural practice, during various phases of conceptualization and development of a European Citizens Initiative meant to incentivize renovation over demolition and new construction.Guided by an urgency to understand the ways that architects are enacting change in the built environment, curator Francesco Garutti, alongside film director Joshua Frank, will be presenting a reportage of urban fragments and legal pathways in which architecture reveals itself as an open process of establishing partners, drafting positions, convening meetings, strategizing campaigns, and collecting votes to build a movement that aims to change the conditions of the architectural discipline in Europe.To Build Law is the second chapter of Groundwork, whichlaunched in May 2024 with Into the Island.The exhibition will be on display until September 14, 2025.For more information on the exhibition, clickhere.The post CCA announces second part of three-part film and exhibition series appeared first on Canadian Architect.

Alexander Reford. Photo credit: Ali InayAs Les Jardins de Mtis approaches its 100th anniversary milestone in 2026, it will begin various transitions as it enters a new chapter.As part of this transition, Alexander Reford, general manager of Les Jardins since 1995, will be leaving the general management of Jardins de Mtis.A new general manager will take office in March 2025 and will be accompanied in the transition by Reford, to ensure consistency in operations as well as the overall strategic vision.Following the centenary celebrations, Reford will continue his his involvement in the Jardins de Mtis mission as curator.This development reflects Les Jardins de Mtis goal to combine the legacy of Elsie Reford with a contemporary vision of garden design.Elsie left us blank pages at the end of her gardening notebook in 1958. These blank pages leave it to her successors to carry on her work, said Alexander Reford.The centenary of Les Jardins de Mtis represents an exceptional opportunity to pay tribute to our predecessors, while paving the way for future generations. This transition will breathe new life into our institution while preserving the values for which it is known for.The post Les Jardins de Mtis prepares for 100th anniversary milestone appeared first on Canadian Architect.

Rendering: Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital in Picton, OntarioThe Quinte Health Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital in Picton, Ontario, which has officially broken ground, will be the firstallmasstimber 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 masstimber structure and access to nature throughout the facility.The new Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital is more than a modern healthcare facility its 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,allmasstimber structureallows 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 Hospitals 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.Rendering: Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital in Picton, OntarioLocated 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.The post First All Mass Timber Acute Care Hospital in North America Breaks Ground in Ontario appeared first on Canadian Architect.

DesignTO, Photo by Simon LiaoThe DesignTO Festival will be returning to Toronto to celebrate its 15th anniversary.The festival, which will be taking place from January 24 to February 2, 2025, will feature over 100 free events, installations, tours, talks and exhibitions by more than 300 designers and artists.Its incredible to see how much weve grown, said Jeremy Vandermeij, executive director and co-founder of DesignTO. Weve welcomed over one million attendees, reached 2.6 billion people through media, supported more than 6,500 artists, and generated $120 million in tourism spending. And theres more to come!DesignTO supports a vision of design that is more than aesthetics, but that rather aims to be a tool for problem-solving, solution-building, organized change, experimenting, innovating and evolving toward a better future.This years festival will put a spotlight on how design impacts joy, justice, and sustainability.From immersive experiences that help the community slow down and reconnect to artworks addressing endangered creative practices, DesignTO will offer many ways to participate in the festival schedule.The festival will kick off with an official launch party on January 24, which will feature a one-night-only installation by Toronto-based artist Asli Alin. It will also offer guests an opportunity to see REVIVE, a DesignTO-curated group exhibition featuring the work of seven local and international artists and designers.From January 1 to 31, 2025, there will be an exhibition of photos that explore ideas of the self through costuming by Toronto-based, Ghanaian-Nigerian photographer and visual artist Delali Cofie on five digital screens at Sankofa Square (formerly Yonge and Dundas Square).The festival will also feature Studio Rats immersive inflatable installation and lighting concept quilted from reclaimed waste plastics at 55 St. Clair Avenue West, and a site-specific installation at the Mason Studio Cultural Hub that emphasizes sensory extremes.Amazon Sucks window display byOrganized by DesignTO in partnership with the Toronto Society of Architects, Ideas Forum: Labour in Architecture will take place virtually. It will feature five fast-paced presentations representing diverse organizational structures, including co-operative, union, and employee-owned. It will also feature a BIPOC Portfolio Collaboration hosted by Gensler, and an installation by Christopher Rouleau called Amazon Sucks that will take place at 918 Danforth Ave.Mini Sunbed by Bartosz MuchaThis years DesignTO festival will also feature a talk on sustainability, a design exhibition called Dwell, that will offer opportunities to slow down and connect in Union Station and Wind Up Radios video and sound installation/cautionary message from the Server Farms of Miscellanea at the Drake Hotel.For more information and to view the full schedule, click here.The post DesignTO Announces 2025 Programming appeared first on Canadian Architect.

Image credit: Herzog & MeuronThe 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, VAGs 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 projects 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 VAGs goal is to create a building that embodies a diverse and inclusiveartistic 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 newGallery. 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 Associations 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.The post Vancouver Art Gallery to take new design direction appeared first on Canadian Architect.

The construction of Thermes stadium-sized waterpark, the doubling in size of Live Nations concert venue, and the relocation of the Ontario Science Centre are considered to be the first phase of the redevelopment of Ontario Place. The Auditor Generals report also notes that a second phase is planned. In a May 2020 Treasury board submission, the Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries noted that The approach to Phase 2 is currently under consideration and contemplates the development of a large-scale entertainment destination on a portion of the East Island and mainland.A second phase of privatization would, like the first phase, entail considerable public investment. The Auditor Generals report notes that in an earlier briefing to the same ministry and to the Premiers office, Infrastructure Ontario stated that the government would be responsible for lagoon in-fill on the East Island for a larger-scale tenant for the future phase.A September 2020 illustration, obtained by Global News, appears to show Ontario Places Brigantine Cove paved over to enable a later phase of development at Ontario PlaceDocumentsobtained by the NDP and shared by Global News earlier this year appear to confirm that Phase 2 would potentially involve filling in and paving the lagoon, also known as Brigantine Covethe body of water between Budweiser Stage and Trillium Park. The purpose would be to add to the land available to build on. An August 2022 briefing prepared for the Premiers office describes this as Phase 2: Potential Future Development Opportunity (up to 25 acres).According to Global News, a September 2020 document explains that Phase II contemplates development of a large-scale entertainment, retail and restaurant destination on a portion of the East island and mainland.What could that large-scale entertainment venue, retail and restaurant destination look like? One possibility for the nature of the developmentand perhaps even the eventual developer that will be selectedis hinted at in the Auditor Generals report. One of the applicants proposing a comprehensive development on the Ontario Place site as a whole was a company called Triple Five. Triple Five initially received a low score in all categories of evaluation and was noted as having Insufficient Information Provided to Assess. But after the consensus evaluation meeting, a VP from Infrastructure Ontario reached out to Big Five to request clarification on submission details, and exchanged a series of further e-mails and phone calls with thema process that was not pursued for any of the other 10 participants who had similarly provided Insufficient Information to Assess. Triple Five resubmitted their presentation 70 days after the deadline, receiving revised higher scores.Triple Five is a company that, according to its website, has developed, owns, and manages the worlds first, second and third largest tourism, retail and entertainment complexes of its kind, including the West Edmonton Mall, Mall of America, and the American Dream indoor amusement park and luxury shopping mall.Will the Phase II addition to Ontario Place be an outpost of the West Edmonton Mall? The Ministerial Zoning Order (MZO) for the property only explicitly prohibits residential, hotel, and casino uses and in fact lists retail stores and eating establishments as permitted uses. And it would be easy enough for the government to explicitly add shopping mall, nightclub, or whatever they please to this list, as its part of a regulation which can be adjusted without approval from the Legislature, with little recourse for public debate or opposition.A view of Studio TLAs design of Ontario Places public realm. Infrastructure Ontarios estimates for this work, exclusive of site servicing, shoreline repair, and soil remediation, have increased tenfold from $50 million ($1.8 M/acre) in 2021 to $500 million ($18 M/acre) in 2024. Does this set the stage for the further privatization of Ontario Place?Following the MoneyThe Auditor Generals report revealed substantial increases for public realm spending, both for Thermes project and in the provincially-led portions of the site.As noted in an earlier post, the day before the lease was released, Therme apparently confirmed with Infrastructure Ontario that they would be spending $700 million on their projectup from the $350 million stated in their Call for Development submissions and in subsequent documents dating from 2019 to 2024. This included a projected spend of $200 million on public realm workup from $10 million in previous documentsan astounding increase of 2000%.This may be, at least in part, an effort to conceal the direct subsidy that the Province is providing to Therme for the construction of these park areas. In addition to constructing a parkade whose spots will be mostly reserved for Therme (over $280M), demolishing the West Islands buildings and trees ($40.4M), and completing site servicing of Ontario Place as a whole ($391.9 M), the Province is contractually obliged to provide an additional $25 million in direct subsidies to Thermes construction work$10 million for its public realm, and $15 million for its shoreline work.As the Auditor General noted, there is no stipulated minimum spend for construction by Therme in its 297-page contract, so whatever figures are released publicly are of no material consequence to Thermes actual construction budget.However, Thermes original projected spend of $10 million on public realm certainly would have raised eyebrows when the lease revealed a $10 million public subsidy that conveniently offset that amountand on top of that, showed that the Province was contributing $15 million towards Thermes shoreline work. This directly contradicts public claims, by the Province and Therme, that the Therme deal was justified in part by the Austrian company paying out of its own pocket for the construction of public parkland. The announcement that Therme is now, supposedly, spending $200 million on parks and public land conveniently conceals the $25 million public subsidy, and restores the narrative that Therme is paying for public parklands, even if the truth may turn out differently.Is a similar narrative twist in the works for East Island? Infrastructure Ontario has stated that its current estimate for the public realm at Ontario Place is now $500 million, up from its $50 million estimate three years ago. It told the auditor generals office that early estimates prior to a fixed design may have reflected early concepts including a basic park of Trillium Park level of design and that estimates may not have taken into consideration the considerable site rehabilitation requirements.However, the majority of site rehabilitation requirementsincluding soil rehabilitation, shoreline reconstruction, and even the construction of roadsare accounted for in a separate line item. The $500 million budget amounts to some $18 million per acre, or $413 per square foot. At this price, the entirety of the public realm could be paved in high-end Italian marble. By comparison, the rehabilitation of Torontos Portlands amounted to approximately $1.5 million per acre, the construction of Trillium Park (including the raising of the land by a metre) cost around $4 million per acre, and the construction of Corktown Common (including the raising of the land to create a 8.5-metre-high flood protection berm) cost around $7.5 million per acre.I do not intend to discourage spending on public space, but the number appears to be very large. It raises the question:Has the number been inflated to set the stage for the further privatization of Ontario Place? It is conceivable that the Phase Two development and privatization of East Island will entail an arrangement similar to that of Therme: in which a new private partner is given free rein on a large portion of land, in return for offsetting the cost of building something akin to privately-owned public spaceeven if that cost-transfer may, ultimately, be an illusion.Related:The Auditor Generals Report, Part 1: The cost of privatizing Ontario PlaceThe Auditor Generals Report, Part 2: The billion dollar question of parkingThe Auditor Generals Report, Part 3: ThermeThe Auditor Generals Report, Part 4: Collateral DamageThe post The Auditor Generals Report, Part 5: The Future, Continued Privatization of Ontario Place appeared first on Canadian Architect.