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ERA Architects

Stories

Inspiring City Builders of Tomorrow: ERA & Janeโ€™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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A hospital with heart that embraces its patients celebrates its grand reopening

by ERA Architects

...the architects considered how to manifest unifying themes from the AIDS movement such as ‘embrace’ and ‘quilt’ by working the design concept from the inside out. At its heart, the redevelopment of Casey House was a community-inspired and driven initiative, with stakeholders recognizing the importance of their generous contributions. Link to Globe and mail article: https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/life/home-and-garden/architecture/torontos-new-casey-house-building-shows-the-medicinal-power-of-light-beauty-anddignity/article36767563/?ref=http://www.theglobeandmail.com& Photos by ERA Architects...

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Wall of books of many sizes and ages
Ideas & Issues

Diving Into the ERA Libraryโ€”Part 1ย 

by ERA Architects

...Arlene Chan lays out a comprehensive account of the local Chinese Canadian community’s history with insight from early residents, news clippings, and personal archival records.  ERA has worked with Arlene in the past on The Ward anthology books and she is currently working on an essay about signage in Chinatown for another ERA publishing venture.   LINK: https://www.dundurn.com/books_/t22117/a9781554889792-the-chinese-in-toronto-from-1878  Hurricane Hazel, by...

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Micallef: Canadaโ€™s identity, modernist architecture

by ERA Architects

If there is a character that unites Canada across its many regions, says Shawn Micallef of Spacing, it could well be our huge stock of post-war modernist architecture. From well-known innovations such as Montreal’s Habitat ’67, Toronto’s CN Tower, or Burnaby’s Simon Fraser University; to the thousands of lower-profile urban and suburban low-, mid-, and high-rise buildings that serve as...

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Tower Renewal Partnership: revitalizing communities through research, advocacy, and action

by ERA Architects

...are in poor repair, lack services and amenities, and perform far below today’s standards for energy efficiency – with impacts on resident health, comfort and safety. In many of these neighbourhoods, residents also experience barriers to lifestyle and economic opportunities, poor access to nutritious food, inadequate transit connections, and limited commercial and community amenities. Tower Renewal is a bold strategy...

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ACO NextGen presents the possibility of a new take on an historic building

by ERA Architects

...the building as a landmark destination for both heritage architectural lovers and community dwellers alike abound. As Scott is quoted as saying, ‘Now is the perfect time to start dreaming….’ Link to Toronto Star article: https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/11/09/bay-dundas-bus-terminal-looks-to-recapture-its-sense-of-grandeur.html Link to NOW magazine article: https://nowtoronto.com/news/toronto-coach-terminal-could-use-some-inspired-ideas/ Photo of original Bus Coach Terminal interior courtesy of City of Toronto Archives. Photos of current Bus Coach...

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Ideas & Issues

Three lessons from Europe’s independent cultural spaces

by Daniel Rotsztain, artist in residence

...cultural space  As mentioned above, the sheer complexity of transforming the Canada Malting Silos has left it towering over Toronto’s central waterfront, blank and unactivated: an opportunity presented by a challenge. Though not part of their network, TEH connected us with Jos Van Eldonk, an architect with Common Affairs who transformed the Suikerfabriek – a former Sugar silo in Halfweg,...

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Passive House Statistics

ERA at Passive House Canada Conference

by ERA Architects

...with affordable housing, district energy, and low carbon buildings. Touring #docksidegreen, a master planned community with affordable housing, district energy, and low carbon buildings on par with the best of Sweden or Germany. Lessons for the rest of Canada in the city of Victoria! Interpretive panels at Dockside Green help to educate and inform about water treatment and usage.  ...

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News & Events

ERA leads the conversation of digital transformation at the Beijing Urban and Architecture Biennale

by ERA Architects

...Urban Renewal: BIM and Adaptive Reuse online forum organized by the Beijing Institute of Architectural Design. Curated and hosted by two architects in New York and in Beijing, the 3 hour, highly condensed international panel discussion brought over 1100 international online participants to investigate the relationship between BIM and adaptive reuse projects. Six internationally renowned architectural practices from four different...

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Interior of University College Library from second floor balcony.
News & Events

University College: Revitalization and Accessibilityย 

by ERA Architects

...lab, and various class space. It survived a fire in the 1890s, and major renovations in the 1970s, with wings being added over time, and major interior and functional changes occurring throughout the building’s history. But the time has come, once again, to reimagine the building — especially where accessibility is concerned — while still maintaining its charm and style. ...

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