50 years later the drawing boards have disappeared!
"worlds apart"
"worlds apart"
Gerald Robinson in front of his Colonnade Building
Colonnade Building
I worked for Gerald Robinson in his architects office (marked by a blue square)
I worked for Gerald Robinson in his architects office (marked by a blue square)
Gerald Robinson today
when asked why so many buildings on fashionable Bloor Street have disappeared,
but not HIS !
because I built it "developer-proof" !
when asked why so many buildings on fashionable Bloor Street have disappeared,
but not HIS !
because I built it "developer-proof" !
3 days after I officially arrived in Toronto as "landed immigrant" in 1971 these two generous architects offered me my first employment
Both Jack Diamond and Barton Myers became famous architects and successful in their own right after they split up in 1975.
Jack Diamond
Barton Myers
Barton Myers' WOLF HOUSE, Toronto
Both Jack Diamond and Barton Myers became famous architects and successful in their own right after they split up in 1975.
Jack Diamond
Barton Myers
Barton Myers' WOLF HOUSE, Toronto
After Diamond & Myers I joined
Eberhard Zeidler's firm
Craig, Zeidler and Strong
(after 1975: Zeidler Partnership Architects)
I worked on details of Ontario Place, a waterfront Park on Lake Ontario in Toronto
Toronto's Eaton Center is part of Zeidler's fame
born in 1926, he still goes to the opera
Eberhard Zeidler's firm
Craig, Zeidler and Strong
(after 1975: Zeidler Partnership Architects)
I worked on details of Ontario Place, a waterfront Park on Lake Ontario in Toronto
Toronto's Eaton Center is part of Zeidler's fame
born in 1926, he still goes to the opera
from Craig, Zeidler, Strong on Queen Street East in downtown Toronto I moved on to WZMH Webb Zerafa Menkes Housden on St. Clair Avenue (mid-town Toronto)
Some of the architects that would become WZMH: Boris Zerafa (holding glasses), Peter Webb, Jack Korbee and Brian Brooks. 1961
Brian Brooks was the one who interviewed and hired me.
Some of the architects that would become WZMH: Boris Zerafa (holding glasses), Peter Webb, Jack Korbee and Brian Brooks. 1961
Brian Brooks was the one who interviewed and hired me.
from Craig, Zeidler, Strong on Queen Street East in downtown Toronto I moved on to WZMH Webb Zerafa Menkes Housden on St. Clair Avenue (mid-town Toronto)
Boris Zerafa at his desk
Boris Zerafa at his desk
I was in the design team of HAZELTON LANES, a multi-purpose luxury apartment complex in Toronto's posh mid-town Yorkville district
by WZMH Webb Zerafa Menkes Housden Architects
In the right foreground with the round windows: YORK SQUARE, by Diamond & Myers, Architects, who I also worked for
by WZMH Webb Zerafa Menkes Housden Architects
In the right foreground with the round windows: YORK SQUARE, by Diamond & Myers, Architects, who I also worked for
architectural model of HAZELTON LANES
the central courtyard is surrounded by luxury retail stores and featured a reflecting pool next to a restaurant (and served as a skating rink in winter)
PARC LEMONT GALLERY was a gallery featuring Harold Altman original lithographs of urban parks in Paris and New York, organised by me and run by Ingrid, the mother of my two wonderful children Richard and Lilly.
the central courtyard is surrounded by luxury retail stores and featured a reflecting pool next to a restaurant (and served as a skating rink in winter)
PARC LEMONT GALLERY was a gallery featuring Harold Altman original lithographs of urban parks in Paris and New York, organised by me and run by Ingrid, the mother of my two wonderful children Richard and Lilly.
Granite Place an apartment complex I worked on at WZMH
My design was for many terraces and a lower building, but the developer went for a high-rise, unfortunately
My design was for many terraces and a lower building, but the developer went for a high-rise, unfortunately
ROYAL BANK PLAZA
WZMH Webb Zerafa Menkes Housden Architects
I was a member of the design team
WZMH Webb Zerafa Menkes Housden Architects
I was a member of the design team
ROYAL BANK PLAZA (WZMH Architects)
the detailing of the ragged glass top was part of my chores
the detailing of the ragged glass top was part of my chores
My first architecture client
Richard Reininger
Chairman of R. Reininger & Sons Ltd
Leader in Canadian automotive cold metal stamping
1240 Twinney Dr, Newmarket, Ontario L3Y 5N1, Canada
Richard Reininger
Chairman of R. Reininger & Sons Ltd
Leader in Canadian automotive cold metal stamping
1240 Twinney Dr, Newmarket, Ontario L3Y 5N1, Canada
Office part of R. Reininger & Son
white aluminum cladding
green sheet glass imported from Pilkington UK
white aluminum cladding
green sheet glass imported from Pilkington UK
Entrance detail
green sheet glass supported by green glass mullions
(no visible metal frame)
green sheet glass supported by green glass mullions
(no visible metal frame)
R Reininger & Son
Office Entrance
Office Entrance
view from Hwy 404 towards the 3 executive offices with their terraces
on the right side the factory building was half hidden by an earth berm such that only the vertical metal clad upper half of the building height was visible, behind which ran the visitors' gallery
roof plan
the 3 executive office on the right hand side have a terrace each
the large rectangle housed an array of metal stamping machinery movable on a grid of rails
surrounded by a visitors' gallery
the top left rectangle housed the paint shop which was off limits to visitors because of its patented processes
the 3 executive office on the right hand side have a terrace each
the large rectangle housed an array of metal stamping machinery movable on a grid of rails
surrounded by a visitors' gallery
the top left rectangle housed the paint shop which was off limits to visitors because of its patented processes
windows of upper level executive office
side view
facing the offices
facing the offices
view towards to entrance
on the left side the grassy slope of the earth berm hides the lower part of the building creating a floating appearance of the upper part
on the left side the grassy slope of the earth berm hides the lower part of the building creating a floating appearance of the upper part
1963