Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/177297
Left: Henan Art Center, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China. Below: Hangzhou International Conference Center, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China. It can be a daunting challenge creating designs with identifiable brand promotion markers while ensuring those designs fit their surroundings, she says. What works for Prince George, B.C., might not work in Toronto or Halifax. Building materials, climate and municipal parameters in one region might be "very different" from another. Petroff has designed well over 500 rollout projects, including more than 400 Walmarts, 35 Lowes and a significant number of Shoppers Drug Marts, Whole Foods, Best Buys, among others. Furthermore, because original prototypes were often produced in the U.S., Petroff frequently is required to "completely re-invent the concept to suit Canadian building codes, climate and construction practices," adds Meschino. One of the chief reasons for the firm's ongoing success is its ability to concurrently work with many commercial clients "actively competing with each other in the marketplace," the managing partner points out. "Their clients trust that the firm will treat each commission with the utmost confidentiality." While the retail sector remains the firm's core business, Petroff's portfolio covers lots of territory, including commercial office, hotel and industrial developments such as the head office and plant for Antamex (a high-end curtain wall and window system manufacturer). Another highlight is the Monarch Commerce Centre office building in Markham and the 500-employee Americredit Financial Services in Peterborough. Other notable mixed-use projects include 50 Sportworld Drive in Kitchener, Westmount and CitiPlaza in London, Ontario – both award-winning office-retail complexes. The firm generally takes on large- to mid-sized commissions, but Weiner says there is no project too small to consider. A bandstand in Markham and the High Park Straw Bale Children's Teaching Kitchen in a west Toronto neighbourhood are good examples. Both Weiner and Feldman talk enthusiastically about that kitchen project – and for good reason. "It enabled us to showcase multiple green technologies within 1,000 square feet, including a green roof, water harvesting, straw bale construction, solar panels and reclaimed materials" notes Weiner. "By doing projects like these, we can experiment with unusual green technologies, and get involved with our community," adds Feldman. 10/ december 2012 p08-11CoverStory.indd 10 But there is another good reason for taking on the small but forward-thinking designs. "They inform us on our larger projects," Weiner explains, noting the design practices for the straw bale project have been applied to such designs as Lansdowne Place in Peterborough. That project received a LEED-Commercial Interiors Silver certification. It is the first Canada Green Building Council LEED-Commercial Interiorscertified shopping centre (common area renovation) in Canada. Petroff Partnership has never stuck to the path of least resistance. In the early 1990s, it ventured into China when the country was still a new frontier for foreign developers and the architectural community. It took part in reshaping the skyline of Shanghai through the design of a number of very tall buildings. One features a large atrium framed in steel construction, a first for that city in 1993, says Weiner. Other projects on the vanguard followed – all prior to the Internet revolution coming to China – a time when instant information-sharing was still the future so much of the client contact had to be done in person. Technological advancements over the past 20 years have made some designs easier to complete, while allowing others to be more complex in form. Feldman says. The firm was among the first architectural practices to use AutoCAD in the 1980s when its purpose was largely to calculate leasing plans for large retail malls. Newer versions proved useful for base drawings and modifications and were an important tool in large rollout programs for major retail chains. Today, building information modelling (BIM) plays a role in many of its designs. In its earliest incarnations, BIM was unsuitable for additions and renovations to retail malls because detailed models couldn't be created without opening walls and ceilings to build precise 3D models of structures, explains Feldman. "Recent improvements in mapping technologies have made 3D CAD and BIM integral tools for retail renovations." With a wide range in age and experience of staff at Petroff, there is ample opportunity for cross pollination of knowledge, Feldman points out, adding that a number of people have spent their entire careers at the firm. "We think that's fortunate for us because of the knowledge and experience they bring to our firm." "Our partners and staff are of a new generation, but with a tradition of continuity," reflects Feldman. "We characterize ourselves as architects who have made it our business to redefine our approach, and in doing so have been part of every major retail trend over our history." As part of the company's long-term strategy, Petroff takes succession planning seriously in effort to keeping its brand "vibrant and the spirit of innovation alive, while eliminating hiccups in the change of power," he says. "If you've been around for 55 years in this business you've planned somehow to do it well." Meschino sees the coming decade as a good time to be in the field. "Green practices, sustainability, urban intensification and mixed-use applications will be delivered by architects using new forms of technology, like BIM, which enable us to hit the design and performance targets established at the outset. These types of projects are context-appropriate, and meet many current goals of architecture, planning and society as a whole." It is an "exciting era," he adds. "Many of our senior staff are now LEED AP, and we have a full-time BIM manager committed to elevating the technological skills of our whole design and production team. In some ways, it's almost as if we are using a completely new language." Solow-Ruda heads up ARK Inc. (Architects & Research & Knowledge), Petroff's sister firm which focuses on non-profit projects such as community centres and new forms of health care, including longterm care for seniors with mixed-use components such as retail. Good architecture comes from listening to clients, understanding the big economic picture, she points out. "We think we're good observers and because we're wholly Canadian-owned – a very large boutique firm – we're very nimble," says Solow-Ruda. "So as we see things evolving around us, we are very quick and responsive to changes." "I feel like the next 10 years will be a great time to be an architect because of the strong interest in people spaces, responsible sustainable urban design and integrated projects," Feldman points out. "We are going to be able to have a great deal of fun putting these projects together." ■ 11/16/12 3:17 PM