News & Events

April 25-27: Exhibition on landscape

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Please join us for the opening reception and exhibition of Gladstone Grow Op, an exploration of landscape and place curated by Victoria Taylor, OALA. Thursday, April 25 to Sunday, April 28. Opening reception: Friday, April 26, 7–10 pm Our contribution, Hoarding Suggestions, situated at the Gladstone Art Bar and sponsored by the Friends of Allan...

Apr. 25 event: T.O.’s Priority Neighbourhoods

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ERA is pleased to be joining the University of Toronto’s Cities Centre and United Way Toronto for “Closing the Gaps,” a special event exploring how we can continue to work together to support Toronto’s Priority Neighbourhoods. This event will examine the journey since 2005, lessons learned, and steps moving forward. Thursday April 25, 2013 Innis...

w/ Erik Freudenthal

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We are pleased to announce a visit by Erik Freudenthal, the Director of Information for Hammarby SjÃ¶stad, Stockholm, who will present recent initiatives in leading low-carbon neighbourhood design. In addition to providing insight into the case study of Hammarby SjÃ¶stad, the event will be an opportunity to examine locations in Toronto with the potential for...

I thought there were limits: An art show

by ERA Architects

This month and next, ERAer Josh Thorpe is participating in a group exhibition at the Justina M. Barnicke Gallery at Toronto’s Hart House. The show, I thought there were limits, curated by Julia Abraham, brings together five Toronto artists whose work plays with space and architecture: Karen Henderson, Yam Lau, Gordon Lebredt, Kika Thorne, and...

Attend Ryerson Planning Expo, March 23

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On Saturday March 23, ERA’s Graeme Stewart will be presenting as part of Ryerson’s School of Urban and Regional Planning “Expo 2013.” The day-long event features presentations, panel sessions, and workshops on various planning topics such as housing, community engagement, and active transportation/walkable communities. Other speakers include Greg Spearn, Chief Development Officer, Toronto Community Housing...

Serra’s Shift to be designated under Heritage Act

by ERA Architects

In February, Council for King City, Ontario voted to designate Richard Serra’s Shift under the Ontario Heritage Act. This represents a great step forward in formalizing the cultural significance of the work of art, and sets context to establish guidelines for its conservation. ERA wrote a letter in support of designating the work earlier this...

Canada Screen Award to NFB’s “Highrise”

by ERA Architects

Last week the NFB’s Highrise: One Millionth Tower won a Canada Screen Award for “Original Program Produced for Digital Media, Non-Fiction.” ERA and the Centre for Urban Growth and Renewal (CUG+R) had the pleasure of working with the NFB on this remarkable series, directed by Kat Cizek, which examines the current conditions and future potential...

Eglinton’s Future: Public Workshops

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ERA Architects is proud to be part of a team that includes Brook McIlroy, planningAlliance, and Public Work, among others, in the planning and designing the forthcoming Eglinton Crosstown rapid transit corridor. Join us for the first rounds of public consultation February 19th, 26th, and 28th (see www.thecrosstown.ca for workshop details). The largest transit investment...

Fundraiser for Kenyan school a success

by ERA Architects

Recently, ERA Architects sponsored a silent auction and evening of drinks and hors d’oeuvres to raise funds for the continued construction of Oleleshwa Primary School in Kenya. The January 2013 fundraiser garnered over $14,000, making the total raised-to-date over $50,000, not including labour and in-kind donations, which have also been significant. The project is one...

ERA in Port Union, Nfld.

by ERA Architects

ERA has begun consultations with the William Coaker Foundation and Port Union, Newfoundland, as part of the Culture of Outports program, and will be leading an exciting on-site project there in June 2013. Culture of Outports is a series of projects that uses research, design, and planning to engage and help support livable communities undergoing...

Tafelmusik to revitalize home venue

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The Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir has just announced a $3 million revitalization project to improve its home venue at Trinity-St Paul’s in Toronto. ERA Architects is pleased to be working with Tafelmusik to raise the standards of the venue and transform its acoustics. Trinity-St. Paul’s, designed by Edmund Burke and Henry Langley and...

Fundraiser for School in Kenya

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ERA Architects was recently pleased to sponsor an evening of drinks and hors d’oeuvres to raise funds for the construction of a school in Kenya. Alec Ring (from our office) and his colleague Karl Sarkis have volunteered a good portion of their time over the last four years to design, fund-raise for, and construct...

Zeidler gets Award of Excellence for Union Station

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Congratulations to Zeidler Partnership Architects for winning a Canadian Architect Award of Excellence for their design of the new GO Roof, at Union Station, Toronto. One of Canada’s national historic sites, the station is currently undergoing renovations of the train shed roof covering the passenger platforms and tracks. As heritage consultant on the project, ERA...

Gladstone Grow Op

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We are pleased to announce that ERA will be participating in Grow Op: Exploring Landscape and Place, a special four-day event and exhibition to be held in late at Toronto’s Gladstone Hotel April 25-28, 2013. The exhibition, curated by landscape architect Victoria Taylor OALA CSLA, will involve a wide range of interdisciplinary practices and creative...

Tower Renewal Panel and Keynote Speaker

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When: Tues., Dec. 11, 2012, 5:30 to 7:30 PM Where: Innis Town Hall, 2 Sussex Avenue Recently we shared updates on the ongoing work of the City’s Tower Renewal Office, discussing new research in the field, and engaging with our special guest from Melbourne, Dr. Rebecca Leshinsky. The expert panel included: PEDRO BARATA, Vice President,...

ACO NextGen tours Maple Leaf Gardens

by ERA Architects

This November ERA principal Scott Weir led a Maple Leaf Gardens tour organized by the NextGen group of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario (ACO). NextGen is a branch of the ACO that provides educational and professional development opportunities for young architects, students, and heritage enthusiasts. Maple Leaf Gardens has served as a continuous hub of...

The Red Mason

by ERA Architects

Recently, as part of ERA’s ongoing interest in preserving and applying traditional building crafts, we were happy to be involved in heritage masonry workshops led by Dr. Gerard Lynch. Dr. Lynch is an internationally acclaimed historic brickwork consultant, master bricklayer, educator, and author. He is considered the world’s leading authority of gauged brickwork, and affectionately...

Graeme Stewart on “Imagine a City”

by ERA Architects

This autumn, United Way’s Imagine a City blog is hosting a series of guest writers to discuss a number of important programs related to Toronto’s future as a livable city. Recently ERA’s Graeme Stewart blogged on his vision for Tower Neighbourhood Renewal, a program we have been working on in collaboration with partners including the...

Four awards at CAHP 2012!

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ERA is proud to announce that the Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals (CAHP) has recently recognized four of our projects at their annual awards: Milton Farmhouse Study for Heritage Planning; North York’s Modernist Architecture (Revisited) for Heritage Communications; Sainte Marie among the Hurons for Heritage Evaluation Document; and Coliseum Complex at Exhibition Place for Preservation...

Heritage Masonry with Gerard Lynch

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Oct. 23 to 31 – various one- and two-day courses. Masons, heritage professionals, architects, historians, and all interested parties are invited to join us for a series of very special courses in brickwork. Learn from scholar and master mason Gerard Lynch about traditional limes and mortars, traditional binders, historical forms of pointing and jointing, causes...

Toronto Zoning Reform to Empower Apartment Neighbourhoods

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As part of ongoing work on Tower Neighbourhood Renewal, the Centre for Urban Growth and Renewal (CUG+R) has been working with partners United Way Toronto and the City of Toronto to establish a new approach to zoning that will enable Toronto’s hundreds of Apartment Neighbourhoods to emerge as more complete and better-served communities. This work...

Toronto to Detroit

by ERA Architects

Selection of photos by Lara Herald, Scott Weir, Alana Young, Sydney Martin, Graeme Stewart, Jordan Molnar, Julie Tyndorf, Alec Ring, and Brent Wagler. Recently a large group of us here at ERA spent a weekend exploring the amazing city of Detroit, Michigan. Founded in 1701, Detroit became a huge industrial and economic engine from the...

Heritage masonry courses with Gerard Lynch

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Amendments to Heritage Policies in Toronto’s Official Plan

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The City of Toronto has just brought forward draft Official Plan Amendment No. 199 regarding Public Realm and Heritage policies. In May of this year, a staff report recommending the adoption of revised heritage policies was brought forward, and a public open house was scheduled. Prior to the public open house on September 10th, ERA...

Health and urban design: Two new reports released

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The Centre for Urban Growth and Renewal (CUG+R) is pleased to announce the release of two reports examining public health, urban policy, and neighbourhood rejuvenation in Toronto: Strong Neighbourhoods and Complete Communities: A New Approach to Zoning for Apartment Neighbourhoods, and Toward Healthy Apartment Neighbourhoods: A Healthy Toronto by Design Report In partnership with United...