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8 | DECEMBER 2017 WZMH Architects "The whole prefab idea is something we got into over a year ago for many rea- sons including quality and speed of construction, as well as potential cost savings. We started looking specifically at modular construction as it relates to high-rise residential," says Zenon Radewych, principal at WZMH. "We were hired by one of Canada's largest builders to design a prefabricated construction site office made of around 30 sea containers for a large hospital project. The goal was to design and build them so that we could later take them apart and reuse them on other proj- ects. The entire process from design to insulation installation on site was only four months, including all permits." Just recently, WZMH has been awarded a design for three prefabricated modular offices for a university in Canada and the company is also working with various soft- ware companies on a number of prefabricated design solutions. The future is here! It's fair to say that the company has grown rather substantially from its modest roots to become a global force in architectural design. And yet, despite being sev- eral generations on from its original founders, the company has retained many of its original clients from over 55 years ago, including Four Seasons Hotels and Oxford Properties Group, and has maintained its head office in Toronto after having several satellite offices across the world. Located on the 15th floor of 95 St. Clair Avenue West (a building WZMH designed more than 30 years ago), the company is running strong and set to expand even fur- ther as the team prepare to renovate their Toronto office for increased capacity, col- laboration and creativity. So what about the people? Who exactly are the brains behind today's WZMH? As a partnership of corporations, the team is composed of nine principles: Carl Blanchaer, who became a principal in 1988 and has served as design principal on many of the most important WZMH projects of the past two decades; Robert Sampson who joined the company in 1996 and has played a prominent role in the design and execution of major WZMH projects in both Canada and the Middle East; Zenon Radewych who joined WZMH in 1995 and became a principal of the firm in 2007; and David Moore who came joined the firm along with John Ricci as part of the merger with Pellow + Associates in 2015. Other principles include Nicola Casciato, John White, Len Abelman and Harrison Chan. "Pellow + Associates Architects was a 25+ person firm that was close to 40 years old and was a giant in the retail industry. The merger was mutually beneficial and has provided increased capability in mixed-use, master planning and retail sectors. The transition into WZMH was very smooth and we have already gained access to clients traditionally outside of our reach," says Myers. The team at WZMH understands very clearly that collaboration is key to its growth and the future of the industry. "We have developed strategic business alli- ances with other architectural firms and collaborate closely with leading contrac- tors such as PCL and EllisDon. The industry is indeed changing, and along with it WZMH is continuing to evolve; expanding its team, conducting in-house training and mentorship, and staying on top of technological advancements with most of its projects being prepared in Revit. "We're resilient – through the slow periods we've survived and thrived and have remained one of Canada's top architectural firms, and are now at one of our busi- est periods certainly in the past decade. Naturally, we have adapted to changing technologies over the years, which has helped keep us at the forefront of the indus- try," says Myers. "For instance, we no longer do physical models with board and foam, instead we purchased two 3D printers. It's amazing to see the forms gener- ated quickly and seamlessly, and the best part is, no one gets cut fingers! We are also beginning to use virtual reality as a means of exploring 3D spatial design concepts and giving our clients a closer look at the design in progress as it happens." However, one thing that remains constant is its ongoing commitment to clients, both past and present. "The firm was founded, in part, due to the confidence shown by several key clients, and the firm has thrived with the expansion of these relation- ships over the course of the past 50 years," says Myers. Looking ahead, the team at WZMH is excited for a new era of architectural design and ready to switch up gears to ensure WZMH continues to navigate all bends as smoothly and seamlessly as possible and remain on track. "I have to say that there are lots of exciting things happening right now. There is a real buzz in the air. It's fantastic to see the number of diverse projects people are working on in the studio; from hotel resorts in Egypt, to data centres in the U.S., to master-planned communi- ties in China, to Canadian embassies in Africa. Having been named one of Canada's Best Managed Companies by Deloitte back in 2015 we were driven to refine our growth strategies, strengthen our capabilities and establish a clear identity. We are proud of our team and our work, and we are excited to see a new found energy in the air." A RBC WaterPark Place, Toronto, ON Bay Adelaide Centre main lobby Bay Adelaide Centre, Toronto, ON 45 Parliament Street Data Centre, Toronto, ON PHOTOGRAPHY: (TOP 3) TOM ARBAN PHOTOGRAPHY INC.; (BOTTOM) MICHAEL MURAZ

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