News & Events

The Legacy Lives On: Hamilton’s Built Heritage Inventory as an emerging practice in historic urban landscape stewardship

by ERA Architects

ERA Associate Victoria Angel’s article in Plan Magazine’s Winter Issue ‘Urban heritage: A living legacy’ on the UNESCO Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) Recommendation (2011) illustrates its implications and emerging practices, using the City of Hamilton’s Built Heritage Inventory as a case-study. The recommendation encourages a more holistic, integrative approach to urban heritage conservation, focusing on...

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

Just a few steps northwest of Toronto’s city hall is a quiet, empty plot of land and a former parking lot that will soon be the home of the new Toronto courthouse. But long before this site was just a place to park, it was a bustling part of St John’s Ward (The Ward), an...

When Crazy Gets Creative

by ERA Architects

Crazy Dames Share their Innovative Approach to Community Engagement and Design Development Inspired by the work of Jane Jacobs and a desire to use the artist’s studio as a site for fostering creative engagement, Jennie Suddick, and Sara Udow founded Crazy Dames. Their focus is on enhancing the user experience of urban spaces, empowering communities...

Nothing is Impossible: NXT City defines its strategies for city-building through an inspirational presentation at ERA

by ERA Architects

On December 13th, NXT City visited ERA to engage staff as part of our Wednesday Morning Forum ‘Spark Sessions’, a series of talks presented at ERA’s office by people and organizations who are at the forefront of their respective practices, and pushing the boundaries of design, policy and development in our city. NXT City is...

The Broadview Hotel’s terracotta panels have a story to tell

by ERA Architects

Much has been spoken and written of the Broadview Hotel over the past few years. Having opened last spring, the updated landmark at the corner of Queen and Broadview has already established itself as the new go-to site for entertainment in the Riverdale neighbourhood. With all the positive attention, comes increased interest in the building’s...

A once-popular historic Mackinac Island retreat is in the process of being restored to its former glory

by ERA Architects

ERA is highly anticipating the completion of their latest project in Michigan, Silver Birches Resort. Built between 1906-1912, it is a well-loved landmark on the remote north shore of Mackinac Island. The Lodge is a rare example of a rustic log hotel and is included on the State Register of Historic Sites. This helped spread a uniquely North...

In-House Experts: Heritage Mortars 101 & Heritage Interiors

by ERA Architects

Although there is obvious benefit to be drawn from the synergy created from ‘the whole’, we would be remiss if we did not recognize and highlight the individual expertise that makes up the sum of ERA’s parts. Staff have been treated to two presentations recently that featured their peers introducing topics for which they possess...

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

by ERA Architects

Team Rosenberg’s design concept – ‘Big River Landscape’ – has been selected as the winner of a prestigious international design competition that proposes the redevelopment of Nepean Point into an enhanced public park and major destination at the heart of the Capital. The design team is made up of Janet Rosenberg & Studio Inc. with...

Congratulations to Ya’el Santopinto, our new Associate

by ERA Architects

As ERA continues to grow and evolve, the Executives and Associates are very pleased to appoint Ya’el Santopinto to our leadership team. Ya’el has demonstrated commitment to our core values of city building, rehabilitation of heritage buildings, and democratic community design, and has used these values to help the firm expand into new areas. Ya’el is...

One Spadina Crescent: When All is Finally Revealed…….

by ERA Architects

ERA has been eagerly anticipating the official opening of One Spadina Crescent, the University of Toronto’s new home for the Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design. Our collaboration with NADAAA and Adamson Associate Architects has seen the transformation of the historical landmark that is Knox College, conserved and updated with a beautiful new addition. The history, relevance...

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

by ERA Architects

How does one breathe new life into a building that was once grand but has since ‘lost its lustre’? The Architectural Conservancy of Ontario NextGen designers have put out a public call for ideas that will transform Toronto’s landmark bus terminal on Bay Street, culminating in an all-day on-site event on Saturday, November 11th. The...

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

by ERA Architects

The Tower Renewal RAC Zone, a partnership between ERA Architects, the Centre for Urban Growth and Renewal, United Way Toronto & York Region, Toronto Public Health and the City of Toronto, has this week been honoured with an OPPI Award of Excellence. Through research, advocacy, and collaboration, this new zoning framework has been developed and...

A hospital with heart that embraces its patients celebrates its grand reopening

by ERA Architects

Dignitaries from the city and province flocked to the grounds surrounding Casey House on a beautiful autumn morning to celebrate the reopening of Canada’s only stand-alone hospital dedicated to those living with HIV/AIDS. Founded by a group of volunteers in 1988, Casey House was Canada’s first stand-alone treatment facility for people with HIV/AIDS, and the...

Diverse Recognition for ERA for Achievement in the Realms of Architectural Conservancy and Urban Design

by ERA Architects

The Architectural Conservancy of Ontario hosted its annual awards dinner on Friday, October 23rd at Osgoode Hall. The event presents opportunities to celebrate notable provincial people, projects and initiatives related to the field of built heritage conservation. ERA is thrilled to share that Edwin Rowse was honoured this year with the Eric Arthur Lifetime Achievement...

New Vision Church Preaches to the Converted as ‘The Music Hall’ (with new video link)

by ERA Architects

Hamilton’s newest live music venue is ready to showcase talent from across the region and beyond. New Vision United Church, the 150-year-old building located at 24 Main St West, formerly known as Centenary Church, is in the process of being transformed to comply with music industry standards while retaining its primary function as a place...

Capitalizing on Heritage / Awarding Conservation: Materials, Craftsmanship and Construction

by ERA Architects

Ottawa played host to a fulsome heritage conference last week, from Tuesday, October 10th to Saturday, October 14th. The annual event was presented by The Association for Preservation Technology International (APT), National Trust for Canada and Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals (CAHP). The conference was an opportunity for the partners to showcase their content in...

Tower Renewal Action Forum

by ERA Architects

Canada faces a growing housing affordability crisis. Now is the time for coordinated action to build a future around more complete, resilient, and affordable cities – and Tower Renewal is a strategy for realizing this change. Postwar apartment towers are the backbone of Canada’s purpose-built rental stock, and provide affordable housing to millions of Canadians. On October...

Letters to the Mayor: An outlet for expressions on city-building set amidst a developmental blank canvas

by ERA Architects

PARTISANS and Storefront for Art and Architecture present ‘Letters to the Mayor’ during the EDIT Festival, which challenges visitors to consider how we can make the world a better place. EDIT also brings life back to the abandoned Unilever Detergent factory in Toronto’s Port Lands, a 150,000sqft abandoned factory set on 60-acres of brownfield. This...

Paul Karakusevic on A New Era of Social Housing

by ERA Architects

ERA Architects, the Centre for Urban Growth + Renewal and the Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design are pleased to present architect Paul Karakusevic of Karakusevic Carson Architects at the University of Toronto. Please join us Monday October 2nd for Paul’s lecture A New Era of Public Housing, focusing on more than a decade redefining social housing...

‘Since Now, From Then’: Nuit Blanche Toronto 2017 at The Broadview Hotel

by ERA Architects

As Toronto’s east end and Riverside neighborhood enter a new phase, there is an opportunity to reflect on the social, political, cultural, and physical context while celebrating visions of the future. At Independent Project 77 of Nuit Blanche 2017, a collection of performances, projections, sculptures and installations along Broadview Avenue and Queen Street East will...

Toronto Urban Design Award Winners

by ERA Architects

The Toronto Urban Design Awards (TUDA) acknowledges and celebrates Toronto’s built environment, striving to “identify projects that are unequivocally public.” Winning projects were announced on September 13th during a private reception at the Palais Royale. ERA would like to congratulate the teams who contributed to 5 award-winning projects: Broadview Hotel, Award of Excellence – Private...

The Life-Sized City focuses a lens on Toronto’s urban landscape, celebrating the heroes who are making the city more livable

by ERA Architects

Host Mikael Colville-Andersen covers feel-good stories from local community-driven initiatives to government-funded transit and harbour front enhancement projects. The city is promoted as diverse, personable and multi-faceted. This collection of stories is what defines Toronto as a livable city, one whose population growth continues to outpace all others in North America. At the 28.20-minute mark...

Toronto the Good 2017

by ERA Architects

Toronto the Good is back, ushering in a new season at a new venue! It is an annual party presented by ERA Architects (and friends) to celebrate the city of Toronto, and contemplate its history and evolution with fellow architects, designers, and urban-minded people. For this instalment of our annual party we are supporting the...

Joseph Bloor: A Celebration to Honour a Prominent City-Builder

by ERA Architects

On Thursday, August 31st from 12:00 – 1:00pm at 117 Bloor Street East, Heritage Toronto will be hosting a plaque unveiling to commemorate Joseph Bloor. His surname harkens images of the city’s main cross-town artery and the path along which half of the TTC’s Line 2 traverses. What many do not know is that Joseph...

Update: RAC Zone Launch Event

by ERA Architects

On Wednesday, July 19th, leaders in the development of Toronto’s Residential Apartment Commercial (RAC) Zoning by-law gathered at York University to celebrate and explore challenges and next steps in empowering communities to utilize Toronto’s newest zone. The esteemed panel had representation from property owners, entrepreneurs, community members, academics and city builders with Graeme Stewart, Principal...