Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/177297
P etroff Partnership Architects has been in business for 55 years. Over that time, the firm has stayed competitive by evolving to meet shifting social and architectural tides. Change, its four partners say, is an opportunity to explore new avenues and trends in the design world. When Henry Petroff founded the architectural firm in 1957 in Toronto, he was prepared to design modest residences and build a reputation that would, over time, open doors to bigger projects. It seemed the logical path for an enthusiastic young architect. A decade or so later, Petroff was designing apartment towers, supermarkets, retail boutiques, department stores and by the 1970s, his growing firm's signature was on some of the first covered shopping centres in Canada. They may have seemed revolutionary at the time but are a far cry from today's shopping centres. Design philosophies have radically evolved and suburban malls have been redeveloped, redesigned and reshaped into more street-friendly, personal places. "It's been quite an evolution and we're happy to have been part of every step," says Michaela Weiner, one of four partners at Petroff Partnership Inc., which employs more than 150 staff members, including architects, project managers, interior designers, planners, technologists, 3D artists, graphic designers and draftspersons. Although the firm works in many sectors, it is particularly in retail where Petroff has built a reputation as design leader. While suburban shopping centres continue to be redeveloped, increasingly retail projects are popping up in urban settings. The once-ubiquitous greenfield site in suburbia is now rare, leaving retail developers scrambling, often for small redevelopment or infill sites in urban settings. This is where Petroff sees the future. Multi-storey infill with deck parking presents "a much more sophisticated type of building and design response for retail than designs of 20 years ago," explains managing partner Glen Meschino. While the intensification trend is partly driven by rising land values, there is also a sound basis for sustainability behind the shift, adds Guela Solow-Ruda, also a partner at Petroff. "The idea that people should have places where they live, work and shop is one of the strongest drivers. It is sustainable because cars will be used less, and less energy consumed." The shifting architectural sands fit well into Petroff's design philosophies where contextualism, not object-building, is a priority. "Simply put, it is about connecting projects to their surroundings," says partner Mark Feldman. Petroff is still designing mall renovations in suburban locations. It is rarely straightforward work. "Part of the complexity comes because the building must remain open throughout the renovation process," explains Feldman. Success requires knowing all the players' roles, including constructors and owners – the latter particularly to sort out and coordinate leasing. "In addition, many of these projects require themed control elements to tie together many disparate existing building styles, which were often built in different periods," adds Meschino. While the retail design giant has built a Canadawide reputation for its work in the field, it is in the Greater Toronto Area where many of Petroff's longstanding projects are, including regional shopping centres such as Oakville Place, Upper Canada Mall and Markville Mall. In Markham, the Markville Mall stands out for a series of skylights along its main corridor – "a true galleria ahead of its time in the early 1980s," points out Feldman. "Interestingly, just about all of the partners have worked on the mall over the years as it required more improvements to stay relevant to the community." Petroff's work in the retail sector doesn't stop at shopping centres. Prototype design and rollout of major chains such as Walmart, Lowes, Shoppers Drug Mart and Whole Foods represents a significant piece of the pie. It can be tricky to satisfy a client's requirements, especially when a prototype is needed quickly, followed by a detailed rollout strategy for a plethora of stores. An example is Petroff's work for Chapters. The firm designed about 70 of the bookstores over a fouryear rollout. "We needed to maintain the Chapters brand within the local context while managing short timelines," explains Weiner. Clockwise from left (lead photo): Steelcase Woodbine Centre, Markham, Ontario; Sportsworld Crossing, Kitchener, Ontario; Scarborough Town Centre, Scarborough, Ontario. Photo credit: Yves Lefebvre; Pacific Mall, Steeles Avenue East, Markham, Ontario. Petroff Partnership Architects p08-11CoverStory.indd 9 december 2012 /9 11/16/12 3:17 PM