Award

DECEMBER 2017 | 7 PHOTOGRAPHY: (OPPOSITE) SHAI GIL; (THIS PAGE) GREG RICHARDSON WZMH Architects & Advance D iversity: the art of thinking independently together. For Toronto-based WZMH Architects this idea has weaved its way through the firm's very foun- dations since it was started back in 1961 by four previous associates of the great modernist architect Peter Dickinson: Peter Webb, Boris Zerafa, René Menkès and Warwick Housden. These four gentlemen, who at the time were in their 20s, understood that inno- vation and a fresh approach to problem solving should always be encouraged, and as a result staff members (that now exceed 120) have felt that true motivation to constantly adapt to produce architectural designs that are contemporary, relevant and meaningful. It is without question one of the reasons why the company has managed to ride the bumps and emerge even stronger. "Back in the 60s and 70s, when the company was known as Webb Zerafa Menkès Housden Partnership, we had a reputation for doing stand-out high-rise office build- ings and institutional work. However, in recent decades we have made a concerted effort to diversify and today have expertise in many sectors including judical [court- houses], hospitality [hotels/casinos], high-rise residential [condos], mixed-use, high-tech/mission critical [data centres], office buildings, retail and renewals of buildings that we originally worked on 40 years ago . . . and we continue to expand into other areas such as transportation and corporate interiors," explains Richard Myers, practice manager and senior associate principal at WZMH Architects. WZMH's influence on architecture over the years can be seen all over Toronto. In the downtown financial district you cannot walk more than a few steps without encountering a WZMH project. And yet, while the company may be well known for designing the CN Tower – which incidentally was honoured this year as a recipient of the prestigious RAIC's 2017 Prix du XXe Siècle – WZMH has a showcase of build- ings in every large Canadian city and many throughout the world. Over the years, WZMH has witnessed Toronto significantly change as its pop- ulation has grown from two million in the 1970s to more than six million today in the Greater Toronto Area alone. As a result, WZMH remains committed to its urban revitalization, and one great example of this is its contribution to the eclectic block of office buildings known as the Richmond-Adelaide Centre, which consists of five office buildings owned by Oxford Properties Group (namely 100, 120, and 130 Adelaide Street West as well as 85 and 111 Richmond Street West). As the architects of record on the recently completed EY Tower at 100 Adelaide Street West (with Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates as the design architect), the team carefully transformed and expanded the 14-storey Concourse Building – which is an Art Deco structure built in 1928 – to a state-of-the art, 900,000-square-foot LEED Platinum class AAA building. Only a few years prior, WZMH was tasked with the revitalization of the historically designated mid-century building at 111 Richmond Street West, a 15-storey building originally designed by Peter Dickinson. The LEED Platinum renovation included upgraded office space, better flow to the public con- course and much-needed natural light to the food court by means of a glass floor on the exterior courtyard above it. Current work at Richmond-Adelaide Centre includes an extensive renovation to the historic 85 Richmond Street and recladding of 120 and 130 Adelaide Street West. Another great example that demonstrates WZMH's ongoing architectural stewardship is The Royal Bank Plaza project, which the firm originally designed in 1976 after winning a design competition. The repositioning project adapts to this high-traffic challenge with a design that increases the prominence of the main entrances, enhances the main public lobbies, modernizes the retail mall and food court, and builds on the corporate prestige of the Royal Bank Plaza landmark. When it comes to diversity and growth, a project that truly demonstrates this philosophy is the funky Data Centre at 45 Parliament Street in Toronto. "The building is often referred to as 'that cool looking orange and black building in the Distillery District,'" laughs Myers. The building responds to its rich context through a visually interesting skin and stepped massing. At five storeys in height, this 22,000-square-metre data centre houses one level of underground parking, approximately 13,000 square metres of white space, one floor dedicated to build- ing systems and tenant offices on the ground level. Designed by principal Nicola Casciato, the building is clad entirely in a combi- nation of smooth and ribbed porcelain panels and set upon a clear glass base. The patterned facades are designed to pay homage to early computer "punch card" technology – an early form of data processing. "As testament to the close working relationship with the developer, City Planners and Waterfront Toronto, the team achieved minor variances, site plan application and building permit in 90 days," says Casciato. But WZMH's projects aren't just limited to Toronto; its architectural stamp can be witnessed across North America and internationally from Abu Dhabi and Shanghai to Cairo and Kuwait. And this stamp is being seen beyond what we may consider to be traditional design. The company has been involved in the research and design of prefabricated con- struction, which includes the repurposing of sea containers in a variety of innova- tive uses. With millions of containers all over the world lying unused, they present a unique and environmentally-responsible opportunity in the construction of homes, schools, offices and retail outlets. Nova Scotia Power Corporate Headquarters, Halifax, NS

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