Ontario

Clearly delineating space for a single mother and her teenagers was a primary consideration for this relatively small home. Spaces had to be segregated without feeling choppy, while also maintaining an open, airy environment. Photolux Studio/Christian Lalonde Overlooking a beautiful river valley, the house was conceived as a simple masonry volume with the ground floor being dedicated exclusively to the teenagers with bedrooms, TV area and sports equipment storage. The second storey features all of the common living spaces, as well as the master bedroom and bathroom. The 2 levels are joined by the double-height entryway and hallway below, creating the illusion of the primary living level floating above the serene vista beyond. Photo... More

Set at the crossroads of two historic transportation routes, the Waterloo Region Museum celebrates the region’s pioneering past and technology-driven present in an iconic landmark building. The museum’s colourful “quilt wall” of illuminated glass panels is based upon the vivid hues of quilts from the region's reputation as the quilt capital of Canada, but the interpretation is high-tech: computer code translates into colour a seminal 1905 quote by Canadian Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier that speaks to community, identity, and Canada’s emerging cultural mosaic. The vibrant quilt pattern is repeated at the museum’s main entrance, where coloured panels are fused with images from the museum’s collection... More

Nestled at the north edge of Toronto is York University. The university has resided in the area since 1959 and now enrolls 53,000 students on average annually, with 300,000 alumni worldwide. York U ranks #4 in Maclean’s Education 2024 standings for “Canada’s Best Comprehensive Universities” slotting just behind Waterloo and ahead of Carleton. For such a prestigious and well-known university, adequate student housing would help this continuing trend of success. Courtesy of The Quad at York University As a result, York University opened The Quad at York, a mixed-use building, in 2018. Phase II opened in October of 2022. Phase II of The Quad features many of the same benefits as Phase I. Both are mixed-use facilit... More

At the gateway to Algoma University in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, currently stands Shinhigwauk Hall, the former residential school where children from 184 First Nations communities across Canada were taken from their parents, families, culture and communities. Since the school’s official closure in 1970, the Children of Shinhigwauk Alumni Association, the survivors of the school, have been working with Algoma University to heal this place, and work toward reconciliation through the vision of a cross-cultural learning centre – a facility of healing, cultural preservation, dialogue and transformation. A new heart for the campus, the design intent of the Makwa Waakaa’igan Indigenous Centre of Cultural Excellence is to provide... More

The new Niagara College Welland Campus Student Commons establishes a welcoming heart within the sprawling, decentralized campus, establishing a flexible gathering place where students can study, collaborate, eat and socialize. In addition to enhancing student amenities, the project upgrades the 1970s era campus with a new north-facing entrance, enhances both wayfinding and branding with a bold graphic treatment, and opens the building to natural light and external views. Scott Norsworthy At the apex of a complex of dark, narrow corridors from previous renovations and additions, the project involved demolishing some tight spaces, improving wayfinding, and introducing natural light to the dated campus. The new 35,000 sf double-height sp... More

This summer house is set on the banks of Lake Huron in a small, remote Canadian town about an hour’s drive from London, Ontario. While the architectural context might be characterised as somewhat conservative “cabin country”, this house attempts to extend the possibilities of the traditional lakeside family retreat through a contemporary architectural approach, harnessing recent developments in design, technology and sustainability to connect meaningfully with its beautiful natural setting while exploringnew ways of enhancing the lifestyle experience of the family summer getaway.   While theaesthetic approach that Cape Town-based architecture firm SAOTA took might seem like a radical departure from the traditional r... More

This 198 m2 two storey waterfront cottage is located in Pefferlaw, Ontario.  Its entire backyard is facing the beautiful Lake Simcoe. The design objective was creating a simple pitched roof structure with maximum view towards the lake.  It was designed with two simple narrow box shape structures with pitched roof and a flat roof connection.    On the ground floor, there are double height living room, dining, kitchen and a bedroom.  On the second floor, there are master bedroom with a covered balcony looking down the lake, a bedroom, and a sitting area looking down the living room and the lake.       The interior was designed minimalistic and modern, but still warm and relaxing.  The main stai... More

The renovation of the Hamilton Public Library and Farmer’s Market was conceived as a design-driven opportunity to spur sustained urban renewal. A 96-meter long, continuous glass vestibule with LED lighting re-establishes the building’s relationship to York Street, while the interior executions are geared around elevating the library’s functionality to modern European standards. An emphasis on transparent materials facilitates a conversation between the library and adjacent market, which received a series of service upgrades. More

The second floor of a three-storey commercial warehouse in Toronto’s oldest standing row of buildings, is now home to a busy, real estate/design PR Firm. dpai was commissioned to design a space that enables the firm’ s flexible and collaborative work style, while functionally and aesthetically aligning with the firm’s creative philosophy. The existing textured, minimalist palette was emphasized. A boardroom and a pitch room was carved out with floor-to-ceiling glass partitions. At the back of the space, a new kitchenette opens onto an informal lounge area and a touch-down station was paired with lockable file storage. The large, custom pendant fixture by Toronto’s Lightmaker Studio was intimately suspended over a modular custom sofa s... More

Hamilton’s downtown renewal is well underway after suffering a fate similar to many post-industrial North American cities during the late 20th century. Notably, its renewal is grassroots, centering on the arts and entrepreneurial communities. A diversity of small, locally-owned businesses have taken root and are leading the economic and urban renewal. When the new owners of the old Tregunno Seeds warehouse began imagining the building’s future, dpai were asked to lead the initiative. The former seed warehouse had established itself as a regional hub for farmers, gardeners, and birdwatchers—in this sense it was an important resource to provide support for the productivity of the community. The designers and owners understood this and we... More

Our project is “ The Hambly House” and it is a rare example of 1930s Streamline Moderne architecture in Hamilton. The house has undergone a full restoration with an additional second storey wrapped in floor-to-ceiling glass. The renovation respects the original character and detailing of the designated heritage house and the interior has been completely refinished, and clean, minimalist custom millwork was designed throughout the house. The Hambly House is one of just a handful of Art Moderne houses in Ontario and it also won the Award of Excellence in Architecture at the Hamilton Urban Design and Architecture Awards. I have attached a few pictures for your consideration. Originally built in 1939, the Hambly House is one of only a handf... More