Odami (Toronto) is a partnership that blends and blurs ideas from one partner’s training in Europe with the other’s Canadian education, taking a cross-cultural approach to architecture. It extends well beyond in-house cultural cross-fertilization. “We like to talk about helping a project emerge from all the conditions—the quirky characteristics of the client or the site, or the research that we do about its history,” says Fohring.
Featured here, Aesop Yorkville draws inspiration from how that part of Toronto retained its Victorian architecture and intimate scale throughout the mid-century modern decades, when many heritage neighbourhoods were obliterated. While the store’s high, narrow dimensions and deep burgundy walls feel very Victorian, the most Odami thing about the project is its wainscoting. Text by Pamela Young, photo by John Alunan.
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The idea of replacing conventional construction with technologydriven solutions is key to projects by VFA Architecture + Design, based in Toronto. VFA’s Ukkei Homes harnesses prefabrication to create affordable laneway suites that can be added to existing properties.
Cleaver Residence illustrates VFA’s conception of home as the still point in a bustling world, and demonstrates the practice’s collaborative approach to working with clients. The design results from a close collaboration between its landscape designer client and VFA. Fong describes the limestone-clad front façade as “a canvas for the landscape”; it was intentionally kept very simple, almost blank. At the rear, the landscape juts into the architecture: a European beech rises up through the slim, open-ended courtyard that visually and acoustically buffers the ground floor’s ‘social’ kitchen and living room areas from quieter den and home office spaces. Text by Pamela Young, Photo by Scott Norsworthy.
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Nonument, a Toronto based studio positions itself at the intersection of art and architecture, where it's inaugural project presented ample opportunity for push and pull between the disciplines. “Every project, no matter its size or context, is a venture aimed at either confronting fundamental challenges or fostering experimentation.”
Originally a Victorian-era storage and distribution facility for ice blocks, Ice House is now a flexible home for a family of four. The residential renovation highlights the building’s material past. Working with the existing interior palette of wood and concrete, Cheng introduced a few strategic focal points. Chunky, cog-like white oak wedges slot into an unobtrusive black stringer, forming a feature stair that appears to float against the black Venetian plaster wall behind it. Text by Pamela Young, Photo by Scott Norsworthy.
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North Vancouver-based Mindful Architecture addresses the climate crisis though regenerative design approaches that are rooted in Indigenous principles such as circularity and living in harmony with the natural world. “We start by listening and learning about community-specific traditional forms, what kinds of tectonic systems they use, and we showcase the sophistication of these building strategies in a contemporary way,” says Cocivera.
Currently under construction, the Métis Cultural Centre in Fort McMurray marks the land with the Métis infinity symbol. The loop joins two large courtyards, which respectively house an outdoor amphitheatre and an enclosed ceremonial Fire Circle. On the roof, a terrace is shaded by a Dream Catcher-inspired trellis, and visitors enjoy views of the Athabasca River and Moccasin Flats. Text by Pamela Young, Image by Mindful Architecture.
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What is the potential of new models for practicing architecture? With LAAB, they set out to “demystify” design: making it clearer, more precise, and more participatory for clients. LAAB’s evidence-based approach as akin to urban design, in that it aims to consider as many parameters and competing interests as possible. Key to this is quantitative analysis. By using UX modelling, the studio begins by producing and working with data, which Lauzon says makes it easier for their clients to engage in the strategic design process.
Agora Maximus, a tactical urbanism project is an alternative to the standard temporary summer installations made of two-by-fours, Agora Maximus offers the type of modular, integrated, vegetated elements usually associated with permanent street furnishings. Text by Claire Lubell, Photo by Raphael Thibodeau.
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Guided by a sense of care and stewardship for the place he calls home, Alexandre Bernier’s portfolio is anchored by residential projects that blend modern aesthetics with Montreal’s architectural heritage—and are seamlessly integrated into the urban fabric. His design approach seeks to capitalize on what’s already working—the architectural elements that have allowed the city and its buildings to thrive for hundreds of years. This position is fundamentally geared towards environmental sustainability.
Appartements RJM transformed an existing duplex near Mont-Royal Avenue into a trio of three-bedroom units. On the street side, a third storey addition blends with neighbouring roof lines, while at back, the addition adopts the typical L-form of Montreal residences. Text by Jessie Mendoza, photos by Raphael Thibodeau.
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Twenty + Change: New Perspectives wouldn’t have been possible without the generous support of our incredible sponsors. Their contributions have been essential in celebrating and showcasing emerging architectural talent across Canada.
A heartfelt thank you to BDP Quadrangle, LGA Architectural Partners, Montgomery Sisam Architects, A+Dwire, and v2com newswire as Benefactor and Media Sponsors. Their commitment has not only made the special issue in Canadian Architect possible but has also helped elevate these new perspectives in Canadian architecture and the talented minds behind them.
Learn more about the Twenty + Change: New Perspectives cohort and our sponsors at TwentyandChange.org - see link bio.
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EHA (Eitaro Hirota Architecture) based in Vancouver, BC, takes both a cross-cultural and cross-generational view of design: they specialize in environments for community- based elder care, with several initial projects blending in elements from traditional Japanese homes to align with their clients’ background. By considering the full scope of changing spatial needs that people may have as they age, the practice aims to incrementally renovate and futureproof both buildings and cities.
Rosewood is a purpose-built co-living facility for Japanese senior care. The 10-bed facility integrates assisted living into a residential environment that encourages engagement in daily activities including cooking, laundry, and gardening. The boundaries of these institutional spaces are softened to bring in a broader public, while giving residents freedom of movement and allowing them to be visibly active members of their communities.
Text by Ushma Thakrar, Photos by EHA.
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AtLRG Architecture based in Winnipeg, has built a reputation for tackling complex urban sites, from new-builds to office-to-residential conversions — bringing a clear method and simplicity to the designs that made them viable. The house specialty is contending with trickier downtown sites, however, AtLRG is advancing design that allows intensification while fitting into the historic character of the area. The firm has also set its sights on winning more public sector commissions, and is currently working on an addition to the University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Architecture building.
Currently under construction, Moment is a 11,000-square-metre, 11-storey mixed-use development sandwiched between two heritage structures in Winnipeg’s historic Exchange District. The podium responds to the historic streetscape, while the tower portion is set back and angled to address the Red River. Text by John Lorinc, photo by ATLRG.
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One of the trends observed in this year’s selection was the rise of firms rooted in environmental sustainability practices. Architecture écologique based in Montreal, QB, is one of the firms chosen for its sustainable approach to design. Lemay’s early years of work focused on commercial interiors, but he became concerned with how much waste these projects produced—perhaps seeding his later interest in building sustainably. As he turned from interiors to architecture, Lemay gravitated toward residential projects— he likes the close client relationships and working at “a scale where you do everything.”
The Revelstoke Refuge featured here, designed for outdoor lovers, is a three-season construction perched on a rocky cap overlooking the Victoria River near Mount Revelstoke, British Columbia. Text by Claire Lubell, Photo by Bolide Studio.
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Poiesis Architecture, one of the selected firms as part of Twenty + Change: New Perspectives cohort, established a strong portfolio that largely involves projects designed to meet passive house quality control standards, or ventures that lean heavily on passive house approaches, particularly resiliency. Adjacent to its sustainability outlook, they are also pursuing projects that take advantage of the new residential intensification policies, such as a recent move to provide as-of-right approvals to triplexes and fourplexes.
The Little Italy Fourplex transforms an existing Edwardian home in Toronto to walk-up apartments. The design honours its heritage by blending original and new brickwork, integrating with the streetscape and preserving neighborhood charm. What was once a vacant single-family home is now a lively fourplex with two family-sized and two bachelor units, each with their own ground-level entrance. Text by John Lorinc, photo by Omar G. Robledo.
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Environmentally sustainable architecture is at the core of BoON Architecture’s mission, one of the selected firms as part of Twenty + Change: New Perspectives. The team, based in Quebec City, works to consciously mitigate risks like toxicity, flooding, and forest fire damage, and to reduce the ecological impact of their projects. Of BoON’s sixteen studio members, four have LEED credentials, four have Passive House certification, and four more have completed Passive House training; the studio as a whole is B Corp certified. Bouchard explains that their focus goes beyond energy models and carbon calculations, by considering the inherently social dimension of the environment—embracing a contextual, holistic, and multi-scalar approach. Their design method is, as he puts it, one of “empirical creativity.”
Featured here, Le Jardin d’Hiver is a demountable vault that is seasonally deployed in the courtyard of a popular Quebec City bar. Text by Claire Lubell.
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