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ERA Architects

Stories

Respectful Rehabilitation

by admin

...past year ERA Principal Michael McClelland was a guest lecturer at Simon Fraser University. His lectures on Respectful Rehabilitation included “Rehabilitation and New Design – The Royal Ontario Museum and the Art Gallery of Ontario” and “Balancing Heritage Conservation in the Private Sector: A Case Study of the Distillery District in Toronto”. They can now be viewed online at www.sfu.ca/city/city_pgm_videos.htm...

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Section 37 and the Public Realm: A Joint MITACS Project ( by guest blogger Jeff Biggar)

by ERA Architects

The use of Section 37 as a planning tool has not been without controversy. This area of the Planning Act, which grants developers exemptions from planning rules (e.g., additional height and/or density) in exchange for them providing capital for public facilities and amenities (think park space, public art, and streestscape improvements), has been referred to as ‘let’s make a deal...

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Publications & Exhibits

One Year of ‘The Signs That Define Toronto’ 

by Kurt Kraler

...Minott, Jamie Bradburn, Chris Bateman, Arlene Chan, Patrick Cummins, Tatum Taylor Chaubal, Shannon Clayton, Zak Fish, Paniz Moayeri, Sarah Hood. Bottom row, left to right: Glyn Bowerman, Scott Weir, Matthew Blackett, Wayne Reeves, Kurt Kraler, Carl Shura, Julie Fish. The Exhibition Shortly after the publication of the book, Kurt received an invitation from his alma mater, the University of Waterloo...

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Urban Governance: A Joint MITACS Project ( by guest blogger Jeff Biggar)

by ERA Architects

...people and resources to face challenges in the public realm, such as city agencies and outside partners in academic, business, civic, charitable, and community roles about what changes may look like in the areas of governance, investment approaches, and public policy. What’s encouraging is that this level of mobilization is already occurring in related areas. CivicAction’s recent Better City Bootcamp...

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Toronto Zoning Reform to Empower Apartment Neighbourhoods

by admin

...was presented to the Planning and Growth Management Committee, resulting in a motion for the City of Toronto to work with United Way Toronto and CUG+R to develop an initial approach to zoning reform. The new RAC zone supports as-of-right low-impact mixed uses within Apartment Neighbourhoods, such uses as small shops, farmers markets, small-scale institutions, and community services, which are...

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Eglinton Crosstown moves forward

by ERA Architects

ERA has been working with the City of Toronto, Book McIlroy, planningAlliance, and Public Work, among others, on numerous objectives and design principles that will guide the design and construction of the Eglinton Crosstown transit corridor. As part of the process, the City’s Planning and Growth Management Committee has recently published and approved Eglinton Connects: Volume 2, The Plan. Next,...

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A flag with ERA 30 on it

Celebrating ERA’s 30th anniversary

by ERA Architects

...the Ken Soble Tower, North America’s first Passive House tower retrofit, now under construction. Resiliency doesn’t just mean preparing for a changing climate, but also building infrastructure that allows for support networks to flourish. Upgrading the existing spaces for accessibility in all our projects is core to our practice. Many of our Tower Renewal projects include building accessible community spaces...

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ERA Presents at TCLF Second Wave of Modernism III: Leading with Landscape

by ERA Architects

...visitors) to various parks, memorials, historic neighbourhoods and world-class waterfront centres. ERA led tours of University Avenue, Osgoode Hall Gardens, Guild Park & Gardens, Allan Gardens, and Gooderham & Worts Distillery Complex, located in the historic Distillery District. Gooderham & Worts Distillery Complex. Image Credit: Charles Birnbaum We look forward to see how conversations brought forward by the TCLF conference...

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Publications & Exhibits

Dragon Centre Stories: Perspectives on Multi-Cultural Retail and Suburban Cultural Heritage 

by Alexis Cohen, senior associate

...T); Myseum of Toronto; Camille Bégin, who works at Heritage Toronto, and who has, as an independent researcher, written about the mall, the developers, Shiupong, and ERA Architects.   The event and ongoing story collection through the Dragon Centre Stories website, intersects with and draws from a web of academic research, artistic investigation, professional practice, and deep personal connections to...

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

by ERA Architects

...as an inclusive public place, the design seeks to give a voice to various actors and histories, each one connected to Nepean Point in a meaningful way: the land, the river, First Nations, the Parliamentary and Federal landscape of the capital, artists, visitors experiencing the site, and all Canadians. ‘Big River Landscape’ envisions a significant new public destination, contributing to...

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Toronto the Good 2010

by ERA Architects

ERA is hosting its annual Toronto the Good party with Spacing Magazine, the Toronto Society of Architects, the National Film Board, Ben McNally books, and David Vallee. The Toronto the Good 2010 party will be held concurrently with the Authors at Harbourfront series, that includes presentations from: Margaret and Phil Goodfellow A Guidebook to Contemporary Modern Architecture in Toronto Shawn...

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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

...Passive House tower in Canada. The project recently received $10 million in federal funding which will help transform the tower and set the standard for industry-wide, ultra-low energy retrofits needed to maintain thousands of apartments across Canada. Built in 1967, the Ken Soble Tower is one of the oldest high-rise multi-residential towers in CityHousing Hamilton’s portfolio. However, the 18-storey post-war...

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