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Casey House is Awarded the Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario Heritage Award for Excellence in Conservation

by ERA Architects

...the facility first arose. At its heart, the redevelopment of Casey House was a community-inspired and driven initiative, with stakeholders recognizing the importance of their generous contributions. Congratulations to ERA’s project team: Michael McClelland, Edwin Rowse, Scott Weir, Jessie Grebenc, Joey Giaimo, Luke Denison, and Mikael Sydor. Related links: https://www.eraarch.ca/project/239/ https://www.eraarch.ca/2017/a-hospital-with-heart-that-embraces-its-patients-celebrates-its-grand-reopening/ https://www.eraarch.ca/2017/capitalizing-on-heritage-awarding-conservation-materials-craftsmanship-and-construction/ http://www.heritagetrust.on.ca/en/index.php/media-releases/lieutenant-governors-ontario-heritage-awards-presentation ​Project photos are courtesy of Vik Pahwa....

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Amendments to Heritage Policies in Toronto’s Official Plan

by admin

...Plan heritage policies on the City website: www.toronto.ca/opreview/pdf/opreview_proposed_heritage_policy.pdf 2) ERA’s initial comments and draft counter proposal: www.era.on.ca/pdf/ERA_OP_heritage_policy_comments.pdf 3) Draft Amendment No. 199 to Official Plan, just released and available on the City website: http://www.toronto.ca/opreview/pdf/version_opa_atclerks.pdf 4) ERA’s comments on Amendment, submitted respectfully on October 1, 2012: www.era.on.ca/pdf/ERA_OP_heritage_policy_comments2.pdf The key authors of this draft include Michael McClelland (Principal and Co-Founder at ERA),...

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an image of leather shoes recovered from the Armoury Street excavation is superimposed on top of a Goad's Insurance Map, detailing the site area and context of Centre Avenue and Armoury Street in historic St John's Ward.

Archaeology in The Ward: A New Exhibit

by ERA Architects

...rotunda, located adjacent to both the east and west elevator bays, and will be on display through spring of 2018. Infrastructure Ontario is creating an online archive of past exhibit displays available at infrastructureontario.ca/armourystreetdig Link to the Toronto Star’s coverage: https://www.thestar.com/news/immigration/2018/01/11/new-exhibit-sheds-light-on-torontos-early-immigrant-entrepreneurship.html Related content: https://www.eraarch.ca/2015/the-ward-a-new-book-coming-2015/ https://www.eraarch.ca/2015/the-ward-a-new-book-update/ https://www.eraarch.ca/2017/coming-up-the-ward-songs-and-sounds-of-a-lost-toronto-neighbourhood/ Post by guest writer Carl Shura. All photos courtesy of ERA Architects and TMHC....

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Alois Riegl and the Modern Cult of the Monument

by admin

...of values treats the idea of the “whole”, or the integral work. Historical-value maintains that in order to be culturally meaningful a work must be returned to it’s absolute, original condition – a perfect, complete restoration. Age-value embraces the indications of decay and entropic effects of natural process of destruction. and argues for the protection and preservation of this patina,...

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People

Breaking down barriers in the landscape: Q&A with Brendan Stewart

by Alessandro Tersigni, writer & researcher

...as a kind of beauty that’s performative. The whole idea of aesthetics shouldn’t be limited to visual preferences. It’s about how our experiences of an environment affect us, and those effects are critically important to our individual and collective well-being, our social values, and all kinds of other things. So the form landscape takes, the way it’s programmed, and the...

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A hospital with heart that embraces its patients celebrates its grand reopening

by ERA Architects

...end-of-life care and HIV/AIDS care. Fast forward almost 30 years, Casey House has been conserved and updated as a warm and welcoming environment; a brand-new state-of-the-art AIDS/HIV healthcare facility that integrates the historic house with a new four-storey extension designed by Hariri Pontarini Architects. The 58,000 ft² addition and restoration of the heritage building commenced in Spring 2015. As heritage...

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Ken Soble Tower, a white-clad 18-storey tower viewed from a vantage at ground level and looking high up into the sky.
News & Events

Canada’s Ken Soble Tower certified as world’s largest residential Passive House EnerPHit retrofit

by ERA Architects

...renowned EnerPHit certification — while also marking the first retrofit of its kind in North America. As an example of Canada leading in large scale net-zero retrofits, the 18-storey, 146-unit CityHousing Hamilton building has achieved a staggering 94 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and a 91 per cent reduction in heating energy demand. At its peak, the total...

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Michael McClelland at the Getty: Toronto Towers

by ERA Architects

...Stats in Canada.” Accessed January 18th, 2013. http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/corp/nero/jufa/jufa_031.cfm English Heritage. 2009. “Government Review of Policies Relating to the Historic Environment.” Accessed January 15, 2013. http://www.britarch.ac.uk/info/ehreview15.html. Faludi, Eugene. 1963. “Report on Apartment Building Development in East Annex Planning District.” Toronto: E. G. Faludi and Associates, Town Planning Consultants Ltd. Ministry of Culture. 2006. “Heritage Property Evaluation.” Accessed January 15, 2013. http://www.mtc.gov.on.ca/en/publications/Heritage_Tool_Kit_HPE_Eng_large.pdf....

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The new Standard

by ERA Architects

Graeme is featured on the cover of the brand new Toronto Standard online daily news portal, with an extensive interview covering the Tower Neighbourhood Renewal initiative. This is a 20-year project. We’re talking about a huge number of buildings, hundreds of neighbourhoods and over a million [residents]. It’s about a gradual process of improvement. For now, it’s working in specific...

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An Award-Winning Heritage Week

by ERA Architects

...and insert within the existing fabric a brand-new purpose-built facility. The original brickwork was successfully restored, allowing for exposed brick on the interior and the exterior windows were also carefully restored to resemble the original arched windows. The original floor, which once supported tanks, was removed for the new construction of a three-storey interior structure, fully contained within the Armouries,...

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Three rows of thumbnail image squares show the overall colour palette of neighbouring buildings on a streetscape

Dressing The Webster

by ERA Architects

...we plan to use this approach a lot more often,” Carl says.  The result is something that stands out as a design choice, without sticking out like a sore thumb within the context of the rest of the neighbourhood. The tenant got to retain their brand identity, and the Yorkville-Hazelton Heritage Conservation District was satisfied it retained its historical character. ...

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TALLINN–TORONTO: The Influence of Estonian Modernism in Shaping Toronto

by ERA Architects

Toronto in Estonian: Section of exhibition at the Museum of Estonian Architecture. This spring, the exhibition To The New World: Estonian Architects in Toronto launched at the Museum of Estonian Architecture (http://www.arhitektuurimuuseum.ee/en/). Following a smaller exhibition and symposium last fall hosted by Toronto’s Tartu College, the show explores the strong Estonian link in the creation of Toronto’s particular branch of...

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