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Temporary, but Impactful: Michael McClelland Discusses New Creative Project Initiatives at The Drake Hotel

by ERA Architects

...discussion about the value of temporary projects at The Drake Hotel Underground. The event takes place on the evening of March 23rd, and features STACKT founder Matt Rubinoff, Layne Hinton + Rui Pimenta from in/future and Michael McClelland from ERA Architects + the Portlands Project. Be part of the conversation animating Toronto’s public spaces! For more information: https://www.instagram.com/nxtcity/ https://twitter.com/nxtcityprize  ...

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

by ERA Architects

...Architecture. Toronto in Estonian: Section of exhibition at the Museum of Estonian Architecture. For more on on Toronto’s Estonian modernism, the works of Prii and other Estonian Canadian architects feature strongly in both Concrete Toronto https://www.eraarch.ca/project/concrete-toronto/ (ERA / Coach House) and the Concrete Toronto Map https://bluecrowmedia.com/collections/architecture-maps/products/concrete-toronto-map (ERA / Bluecrow Media). Also see an article by the Globe & Mail’s Dave...

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A Sense of ‘History in the Making’ for a Toronto Residence

by ERA Architects

...principle, the article commends the thoughtful approach used by the designers: from the handling of material additions that blend seamlessly with the original structure, to the reinstatement of key circulation elements in the revised layouts; all aspects of approach result in uniform flow and spatial harmony. Read the feature in Issue 44 of Rue Magazine: http://www.ruemag.com/magazine/issue/issue-forty-four#132 Project profile: https://www.eraarch.ca/project/summerhill-house/  ...

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Wall of books of many sizes and ages
Ideas & Issues

Diving Into the ERA Library—Part 1 

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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Heritage at Home

by ERA Architects

...subjects include residential building typologies, building inspections, planning sustainable renovations, and how to deal with issues of and repairs to foundations, structure, roofs, windows and doors. Jan’s lecture focused on planning and undertaking successful home renovation projects. Watch the Héritage Montréal video below (en français) https://www.facebook.com/heritagemontreal/videos/249081312363741/ or catch his “All in a Weekend” interview on CBC Radio (in english) https://www.cbc.ca/listen/shows/all-in-a-weekend-montreal/segment/15611249...

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The RAC Zone is recognized with an Ontario Professional Planners Institute (OPPI) Award for Excellence in Planning

by ERA Architects

...– Municipal Statutory Planning Studies, Reports and Documents award ‘recognizes excellence in all aspects of the profession and the high caliber of work by professional planners within communities across the province’, as stated by their Director of Public Affairs, Loretta Ryan. To learn more about the RAC zone, visit www.raczone.ca and www.towerrenewal.com Ontario Professional Planners Institute (OPPI) award details: http://ontarioplanners.ca/Knowledge-Centre/Excellence-in-Planning-Awards...

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Re-imagining Prairie Grain Elevators (by guest blogger Ali Piwowar)

by ERA Architects

...prairie communities and their people. From a place for grain to a place for people, adaptive reuse promotes a new life for the wooden grain elevators. Through community engagement sessions with rural communities, the new programs are developed using a bottom-up approach. The town of Indian Head, SK was used as a case study focusing on their historic Saskatchewan Wheat...

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The Final Ridgeway Community Courts Workshop

by ERA Architects

...will feature a community board to advertise events, games, and other fun activities for the neighbourhood. It will also have bike racks, a shed for supplies, and two beautiful youth designed murals that will showcase the community’s unique identity, and create a gateway into the park. Management of the court will be community-led. A number of youth jobs will be...

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Hamilton‘s Durand Built Heritage Inventory project paper has been published by the ISPRS

by ERA Architects

...and Angela Garvey have written a paper on the project’s digital workflow, which they presented at the CIPA International Biennial Symposium in Ottawa this fall. The International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing has recently published their paper. Link to Hamilton City Council recommendations: https://www.hamilton.ca/city-planning/heritage-properties/hamilton-built-heritage-inventory-process Link to CIPA International Biennial Symposium: http://www.cipaottawa.org/ For access to the published paper, click here....

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Rendez-Vous Maestria: The Restoration of the GCC’s Suspended Ceilings

by ERA Architects

...return to its original use, allowing for explorations in adaptable and reversible interventions. Jan will also touch on, among other topics, the complexities pertaining to the ceiling’s materiality, spatial qualities and safety, based on conservation and contemporary ideologies. La Restauration des Plafond Suspendus de Centre Conférence du government à Ottawa is one of many intriguing conversations taking place at Rendez-Vous...

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