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A rendering of the exterior and entrance of Ken Soble Tower.

Pandemic effect: ERA Architects for Canadian Architect magazine

by ERA Architects

As part of Canadian Architect’s Pandemic Effect series, ERA Architects’ Ya’el Santopinto and Graeme Stewart wrote about how the current pandemic is shining a light on the importance of prioritizing the retrofitting of existing mid-century towers.  “Canada’s affordable apartment towers are the backbone of its purpose-built rental housing system, representing more than half of all high-rise units in the nation....

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Ideas & Issues

Storefronts and urban evolution: Q&A with Shannon Clayton 

by Alessandro Tersigni

...have entirely superseded and absorbed storefronts as an entity separate and distinct from the rest of a building.  The problem is that the base of the façade has become the most generic part of new buildings, but it has the greatest impact on the urban experience. There used to be this hierarchy of building design in which the most detailed...

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Flashback Friday: A Jane’s Walk Down Memory Lane

by ERA Architects

...the walk, over sixty citizens learned about drag king culture, exchanged baseball cards of historical drag kings, and danced and sang along with the kings as they preformed at Zipperz Cellblock. Image via JanesWalk.org Graeme Stewart: Tower Renewal Graeme Stewart, one of ERA’s Principals, led a Jane’s Walk back in 2009 about Tower Renewal, an initiative that aims to rehabilitate...

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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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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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News & Events

TORONTO the GOOD

by ERA Architects

TORONTO THE GOOD: MAY 27th WHEN: Tuesday, May 27th, 2008 starting at 7pm WHERE: Fermenting Cellar, Distillery District HOW MUCH: $10 gets you into the site, plus food • CASH BAR DJs: Track Meet ATTIRE: dress to impress, but not enforced RSVP: email rsvp@torontothegood.org WEB: http://www.torontothegood.org Dear Torontonians, The Festival of Architecture and Design is here again, and the folks...

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Alois Riegl and the Modern Cult of the Monument

by admin

...Day Values and the Cult of Monuments a) Use-Value – The need to maintain buildings in use is as compelling a demand as is the counterclaim of respect for age-value wherein the monument would be abandoned to its natural fate: the latter could only be entertained if equivalent works came to replace all monuments retired from use. b) Art-Value –...

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A drone photograph of the Ken Soble Tower with Hamilton harbour in the background

Championing resiliency this Earth Day

by ERA Architects

As we celebrate Earth Day, ERA is reflecting on the shift needed to meet Canada’s 2050 net-zero emissions targets. Our built environment plays an important role in creating a more sustainable future and ERA is committed to being a leader that champions climate solutions through our work. Here’s how: Adaptive reuse of changing infrastructures: High-impact adaptive reuse of existing structure...

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62 – 64 Charles Street: The Lost Craft of Tuck-pointing Returns

by ERA Architects

...honoured last fall with a 2017 CAHP Award of Excellence —Materials, Craftsmanship and Construction. ERA is continuing to feature this technique prominently through work on the Selby Hotel at 592 Sherbourne, which is set to be completed in the summer. For more information: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxPc6_2R-Hc Article by Dave LeBlanc in the Globe and Mail: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/real-estate/toronto/the-lost-art-of-tuckpointing-reborn-intoronto/article37802073/ Related content: https://www.eraarch.ca/2017/capitalizing-on-heritage-awarding-conservation-materials-craftsmanship-and-construction/ https://www.eraarch.ca/2017/era-learns-the-fine-art-of-tuckpointing-from-a-melbourne-based-master/ https://www.eraarch.ca/2012/tuckpointing-a-note-on-detail/  ...

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Launching the RAC Zone

by ERA Architects

...as its economic and social opportunities. Topics will touch on: Where does the zone apply? What new things can be done there? Why is this a great idea? How does RAC zoning make it easier to implement sensible changes? Who can benefit from these changes? And Panelists will include: Jennifer Keesmaat, Executive Director and Chief Planner City Planning, City of...

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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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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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