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‘Big River Landscape’ wins the National Capital Commission’s Nepean Point Redevelopment design competition

by ERA Architects

...Brendan Stewart, and as a sub to ERA: Lisa Prosper Heritage Consultant. More from theNational Capital Commission on the ‘Big River Landscape’ scheme: http://ncc-ccn.gc.ca/our-projects/nepean-point-redevelopment/big-river-landscape NCC website announcement: http://ncc-ccn.gc.ca/our-projects/nepean-point-redevelopment Youtube Video of the NCC Public Board of Directors Meeting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UV_Th_HDRcE – t=01h52m32s Ottawa Citizen article: http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/nepean-point-winner-announced-milestone-meeting-on-lebreton-flats-expected-january CBC Coverage: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/nepean-point-redesign-big-river-landscape-redevelopment-1.4415946 Ottawa Start post: https://ottawastart.com/ncc-reveals-proposed-redesign-for-nepean-point/ Renderings courtesy of The Flat Side of Design...

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ERA Principal Graeme Stewart addresses a crowd in front of Ken Soble Tower alongside MP Adam Vaughan during the May 21, 2019 National Housing Strategy announcement.

Affordable, High Efficiency Tower Living

by ERA Architects

...transformations in Canada, the Ken Soble Tower will pave the way for the nation’s aging housing supply – shifting the conversation from aging affordable housing as a liability to affordable housing as a district landmark. Read Alex Bozikovic’s take on the project in the Globe and Mail: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/art-and-architecture/article-a-hamilton-ont-public-housing-tower-gets-a-new-life-as-a-green/#comments Read more about this project and about Passive House standards: https://canada.constructconnect.com/dcn/news/projects/2019/03/hamiltons-ken-soble-tower-rebirth-passive-house-first https://www.chch.com/city-seeks-new-retrofit-for-ken-soble-tower-on-hamilton-harbour/...

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The Legacy Lives On: Hamilton’s Built Heritage Inventory as an emerging practice in historic urban landscape stewardship

by ERA Architects

...they inhabit could, in the future, be used by cities to identify a much broader range of conservation opportunities, better understand an area’s capacity to change and evolve, and reposition historic resources to serve as the springboard and foundation for new development….’ Article in CIP’s PLAN Canada Journal: http://www.kelmanonline.com/httpdocs/files/CIP/plancanadawinter2017/index.html Related content: https://www.eraarch.ca/2017/hamiltons-durand-built-heritage-inventory-project-incorporates-digital-innovation-to-develop-a-citywide-approach-to-heritage-planning/ https://www.eraarch.ca/project/hamilton-downtown-built-heritage-inventory/ https://www.eraarch.ca/2013/9295/ All images courtesy of ERA Architects....

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Ward Cabaret

The Ward Cabaret: The sound of Toronto’s first cross-cultural community

by ERA Architects

...be involved with such an amazing production that depicts life in one of Toronto’s first cross-cultural communities. The Ward Cabaret is running December 12-23 at the Harbourfront Centre. Get your tickets on the Harbourfront Centre’s website or find out more at wardcabaret.com. Bonus offer: Buy one ticket, get another free when you use the code WeAreTheWard241. Active until December 6....

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Publications & Exhibits

One Year of ‘The Signs That Define Toronto’ 

by Kurt Kraler

...Historic Yonge Street Heritage Conservation District that allow for a broader range of historic sign types. Since the launch of the publication, The Signs That Define… project continues to live online through an active Instagram page. The page features additional stories and photos that did not make it into the book while also reaching a broader online audience. Be sure...

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A once-popular historic Mackinac Island retreat is in the process of being restored to its former glory

by ERA Architects

...around log veranda with code-compliant replacements, and the complete re-build of the upper two storeys to match the appearance, form and materiality of the original. The project team includes: Scott Weir – Principal Brendan Stewart – Associate Sandford Riley – Project Manager Rui Felix – Landscape Designer Links to related articles: https://mynorth.com/2016/08/historic-mackinac-island-lodge-silver-birches-undergoing-renovations/ https://www.freep.com/story/travel/2016/07/09/grand-hotel-resort-hotel-mackinac/86716566/ https://savingplaces.org/stories/silver-birches-polishing-a-jewel-at-michigans-mackinac-island#.WirAvbQ-dUN Link to related blog post: https://www.eraarch.ca/2016/mission-point-resort/...

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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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Inspiring City Builders of Tomorrow: ERA & Jane’s Walk

by ERA Architects

...Central Technical School, where they shared research strategies, made connections between Toronto and students’ places of origin, and inspired conversation about students’ interests. After a presentation by Jasmine on how to access online information from the Toronto Archives, the students broke into small groups to decide upon stops in the walking tour they wanted to create and research. Three classroom...

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Repurposed junk: A chicken coop

by ERA Architects

...garden, tending to our beehive, or building a chicken coop. The goal for the chicken coop was to use as many found materials as possible. We did have to buy hinges, insulation, and roofing, but most we were able to salvage: dimension lumber offcuts for the main frame, old flooring for coop siding, baseboards for the drawbridge stile doors (front...

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Heroic Has Arrived

by ERA Architects

It’s here! The much-anticipated book Heroic: Concrete Architecture and the New Boston, which focuses on Boston’s emerging concrete buildings of the 1960s and 1970s, is now available for sale. ERA had previously posted a blog in preparation for it’s release, and now we’re excited it’s finally arrived. You can buy the book at Amazon and Chapters. Heroic tracks Boston’s flourishing...

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WexPOPS: Pop-up Plaza

by ERA Architects

...Kickstarter Fund, the big idea of the project is to test the viability of exchanging parking spots for community gathering space, all on private commercial property. It’s a new take on POPS — privately owned public space — experimenting with the city building potential that commercial business owners can exercise by enhancing community life in the neighbourhoods they serve, while...

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