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Head office: 4th Floor - 4180 Lougheed Highway, Burnaby, B.C. V5C 6A7. Phone 604.299.7311, Fax 604.299.9188. Send covers of undeliverable copies to address above. Publications Mail Agreement No. 40065475. © 2012. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. Award is distributed to architects, interior designers, landscape architects, consulting engineers, specification writers, development companies and major construction companies throughout Western Canada and Ontario. For subscription information call 604.299.1023 or email: awardsubscriptions@ canadawide.com National Library No. ISSN 1202-5925. Printed in Canada by Transcontinental LGM Graphics. Award magazine welcomes your letters, corporate announcements or company information. The statements, opinions and points of view expressed in articles published in this magazine are those of the authors and publication shall not be deemed to mean that they are necessarily those of the publisher, editor or Canada Wide Media Limited. The acceptance and publication of advertisement of products and services does not indicate endorsement of such products or services. The publishers cannot be held responsible for unsolicited manuscripts and photographs. PERSPECTIVE by Allan Teramura, MRAIC Architecture Canada | RAIC Regional Director for Ontario North, East and Nunavut On Doing No Harm T he practice of architecture is, as we all know, regulated by provincial legislation designed to protect the public interest. This legislation is silent, however, on something that one would also expect to be inherent to the architect's métier; that is, the aspiration that one's actions leave the world a better place in a more general sense. Building should be, after all, an inherently positive and optimistic act, and I'm sure we all generally feel, with some justification, that our work has improved our communities in some way. The dysfunctional hospital ward reconfigured to suit modern medical practice, the crumbling warehouse given new life as an office building, the energy-saving green building – all of these are the kinds of projects The aodbt architecture + interior design head office in Saskatoon, Sask. gave new life to the former Star Egg which have a tangible public benefit Company warehouse. Architect: Bob Burnyeat, aodbt architecture + interior design. Photo: Grant Romancia that goes beyond mere compliance with life safety standards. Similarly, buildings that are a beautifully rendered expression of an and ensure the work upholds the standards of our profession such architectural idea become artefacts of our time, and part of our as they are. So I would like to pose the question: is this standard too cultural legacy and collective identity. low? I would argue that it is indeed too low, and that participating However, I believe architectural practice as a whole merits in projects that damage the physical and cultural environment is critical examination using a higher standard and broader criteria. professionally irresponsible, given what we know now about the For example, is it morally justifiable today to participate in the consequences of this sort of damage. construction of buildings that contribute to urban sprawl, or While many practitioners espouse the importance of ethical diminish the quality of life of their neighbours? Is the architect and sustainable architecture, I believe it is time for the profession culpable if he or she participates in the destruction of an to begin to address this issue in a more unified manner. As these ecologically important wetland, for example, simply because the values become more mainstream, the profession is at risk of being market demands it and bad municipal planning permits it? Is it marginalized if we do not demonstrate leadership in these areas. justifiable to participate in the creation of structures with inferior Elevating the standards of one's profession should be everyone's materials, knowing they will be sent to the landfill in 30 years? Is it aspiration, and this need not be excessively difficult. A starting point acceptable to create buildings that overwhelm the scale of existing may be the establishment of more robust Codes of Ethics, not unlike neighbourhoods, denying others access to natural light? the one adopted by the AIA. While most jurisdictions may have their Most of us have worked on projects of this nature at some own, I am not aware of one that addresses the broader issues of the point, although not one of us had this sort of work in mind when architects' responsibility to the natural and cultural environment. we embarked on our careers. Typically this work is neither No doubt there will be many different points of view on what professionally nor financially rewarding for architects, and serves constitutes ethical practice; all the more reason to begin this only to fill gaps or keep a client happy. We tolerate it, do our best, conversation now. ■ FEBRUARY 2012 p.04-05RAIC.indd 5 /5 1/23/12 10:07:27 AM