Diamond Schmitt Architects
Diamond Schmitt Architects is an architectural firm founded in 1975 and located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Jack Diamond and Donald Schmitt are the founding principals of the firm.[1]
| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Architecture |
| Founded | 1975 |
| Founders | Jack Diamond Donald Schmitt |
| Headquarters | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Services | Architecture, Urban Design, Master Planning |
| Website | www.dsai.ca |
History
Born in South Africa, Jack Diamond arrived in Canada in 1964 as the Founding Director of the University of Toronto’s Master of Architecture program. From 1968 to 1975, he was principal in the firm of Diamond and Myers.
In 1975, he established A.J. Diamond Architects, which by 1989 had evolved into the partnership of A.J. Diamond, Donald Schmitt and Company.[2] Canadian-born architect Donald Schmitt studied architecture at the University of Toronto, and he has been in practice with Jack Diamond since 1978.
Architects
In addition to the firm's founding principals, there are 19 other principals, 6 senior associates, 22 associates, 5 Directors, 129 registered graduate and student architects, and a support staff of 43, for a total of 215.
Principals: Sydney Browne, Gregory Colucci, Martin Davidson, David Dow, Robert Graham, John Featherstone, Duncan Higgins, Helen Kabriel, Michael Leckman, Matthew Lella, Ana Maria Llanos, Jarle Lovlin, Jennifer Mallard, Gary McCluskie, Birgit Siber, Matthew Smith, Mike Szabo, Peggy Theodore and Michael Treacy.
Senior Associates: Michael Lukasik, Antra Roze, Nigel Tai, Joseph Troppmann, Sybil Wa, and Gary Watson.
Associates: Duncan Bates, Steve Bondar, Karel Brozik, Liviu Budur, Cynthia Carbonneau, Walton Chan, Aaron Costain, Leonardo de Melo, Cecily Eckhardt, Dan Gallivan, Dennis Giobbe, Vincent Goetz, Dan Klinck, Martin Kristensen, Sarah Low, Eric Lucassen, Marcin Ludwik Sztaba, Dale McDowell, Graeme Reed, Diana Saragosa, Jessica Shifman, and Matthew Tsui.
Directors: Bryan Chartier, Paul French, Elizabeth Gyde, Lilia Kiriakou, Jeanette Parker.
Selected projects
Since the practice was founded in 1975, the firm has completed a wide variety of projects worldwide that include:
- 1980: Betty Oliphant Theatre, The National Ballet School of Canada, Toronto, Ontario, Canada[3]
- 1981: Metro Central YMCA, Toronto, Ontario
- 1983: Berkeley Castle renovation (19th century complex of industrial buildings; former offices of Diamond and Schmitt), Toronto, Ontario
- 1990: The Jerusalem City Hall, Jerusalem, Israel, (with Kolker, Kolker and Epstein Architects, Jerusalem)
- 1994: University of Toronto Earth Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario
- 1994: Richmond Hill Central Library, Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada
- 1996: York University Student Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- 2000: Apotex Centre, Jewish Home for the Aged, Baycrest Centre, Toronto, Ontario
- 2001: Davenport Chemistry Research Wing, Lash Miller Laboratories, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
- 2001: St. Michael’s Hospital, Cardinal Carter Wing, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- 2002: Canadian Chancery, Prague, Czech Republic (with Aukett Fitzroy Robinson Architects, Prague)
- 2002: Bahen Centre for Information Technology, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- 2002: Los Alamos Civic Center, Los Alamos, New Mexico, USA
- 2002: Ontario Tech University North Campus, Ontario, Canada
- 2003: Max M. Fisher Music Center (home of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra), Detroit, Michigan, USA
- 2003: The Jewish Community Centre in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
- 2003: Cancer Research Institute, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada,
- 2003: Alumbrera House, Mustique, The Grenadines
- 2003: Gerstein Science Information Centre Master Plan and Renovations, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario,
- 2003: Queen's University Residences (Leggett Hall, Watts Hall, Leonard Hall), Kingston, Ontario, Canada, (with Shoalts and Zaback Architects, Kingston)
- 2004: The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jerusalem, Israel (with Kolker, Kolker, Epstein Architects, Jerusalem)
- 2004: Pierre Berton Resource Library, Vaughan, Ontario, Canada
- 2004: University of British Columbia Life Sciences Centre, Vancouver, B.C. Canada
- 2005: The Banff Centre Campus Master Plan and Implementation, Banff, Alberta, Canada
- 2005: The Esplanade, Medicine Hat Performing Arts and Heritage Centre, Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada
- 2005: Ontario Science Centre, Weston Family Innovation Centre, Toronto, Ontario
- 2005: Computer Science and Engineering Building, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- 2005: University of Guelph-Humber Academic Building, Toronto, Ontario
- 2006: Varsity Centre for Physical Activity and Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
- 2006: Garter Lane Arts Centre, Waterford City, Ireland [4]
- 2006: Four Seasons Centre for Performing Arts, Toronto, Ontario
- 2006: McGill University Master Plan, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- 2006: University of Windsor, Medical Education Building, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
- 2007: Banff Centre Sally Borden Building, Banff, Alberta, Canada
- 2007: McGill University Life Sciences Complex, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- 2007: Harman Center for the Arts Shakespeare Theatre, Washington, D.C., USA,
- 2008: Life Sciences Centre, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, (with Provencher Roy Associés, Montreal)
- 2008: Southbrook Vineyards, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
- 2008: Cambridge City Hall, Cambridge, Ontario
- 2008: Grand Theatre Renovation, Kingston, Ontario
- 2008: Lakefield College School Recreation Centre, Lakefield, Ontario, Canada
- 2009: University of Ontario Institute of Technology Master Plan and academic buildings, Oshawa, Ontario
- 2009: Camilla and Peter Dalglish Atrium at the Royal Botanical Gardens, Burlington, Ontario
- 2009: Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts, Richmond Hill, Ontario
- 2010: Charles & Myrtle Walker Novi Public Library, Novi, Michigan, USA
- 2010: Evergreen Brick Works Centre for Sustainability (Don Valley Brick Works), Toronto, Ontario, Canada[5]
- 2010: Santa Fe Community College Health and Sciences Building, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA (with Studio Southwest Architects, Albuquerque, N.M.)
- 2010: TEDCO’s Corus Entertainment Building "Corus Quay", Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- 2011: Centennial College Library and Academic Building, Progress Campus, Scarborough, Ontario, Canada
- 2011: University of Toronto Scarborough Instructional Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- 2011 : Montreal Symphony House, Montreal, Quebec, Canada (Joint venture with SNC Lavalin and Aedifica Architects, Montreal)[6]
- 2011: Integrated Sciences Building, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA (with H2L2 Architects, Philadelphia)
- 2011: Queen’s University School of Medicine, Kingston, Ontario, Canada (with Shoalts and Zaback Architects, Kingston)
- 2011: Burlington Performing Arts Centre, Burlington, Ontario
- 2011: University of British Columbia Faculty of Law building, Vancouver, British Columbia
- 2011: Algonquin College Centre for Construction Excellence, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- 2011: Ryerson Image Centre, Ryerson University, Toronto, Ontario Canada
- 2012 : University of Ottawa, Vanier Hall Academic Building, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- 2013 : The Mariinsky Theatre New Opera, St. Petersburg, Russia
- 2013: Hospital for Sick Children Research Building, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- 2013: Bridgepoint Health Chronic Long-term Care Complex, Toronto, Ontario
- 2013: Regent Park Residential Tower, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- 2014: Old main academic building at the Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada
- 2014: Lunenburg County Lifestyle Centre, Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, Canada
- 2015: FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
- 2015: Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
- 2016: Environmental Science And Chemistry Building, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- 2016: Delaware North Building, mixed use high rise in Buffalo, New York
- 2016: KPMG Office Tower, Vaughan, Ontario Canada
- 2016: Peel Memorial Centre for Integrated Health and Wellness, Brampton, Ontario Canada
- 2017: Lazardis Hall, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
- 2017: Emily Carr University of Art and Design, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- 2019: Dartmouth Sportsplex renovation, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
Work in progress
- Robarts Library Revitalization, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Obzor Luxury Beach & Spa, Black Sea Residential Resorts, Obzor, Bulgaria (with Urbiarch, Obzor)
- Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts and Sciences, Lubbock, Texas, United States
- Lethbridge Crossings Leisure Complex, Lethbridge, Alberta Canada
- Medicine Hat Regional Hospital Redevelopment, Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada
Awards
Diamond Schmitt Architects has received numerous regional, national and international awards for excellence in design. The firm was recognized in 2009 by Deloitte LLP, the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, KPMG, and the Queen’s University School of Business as being one of the 50 Best Managed Companies in Canada.[7]
Canadian Governor General’s Awards for Architecture
- Village Terrace, Toronto, Ontario, 1985[8]
- Citadel Theatre, Edmonton, Alberta, 1986[8]
- Metro Toronto YMCA, Toronto, Ontario, 1986[8]
- Earth Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, 1994[8]
- Richmond Hill Central Library, Richmond Hill, Ontario, 1994[8]
- York University Student Centre, Toronto, Ontario, 1996[8]
- Bridgepoint Hospital, Toronto, Ontario 2016[8]
Ontario Architect's Association Awards
- 2007: Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts [9]
References
- Robinson, John. "Architecture for the People." Toronto Star, 26 April 1987.
- Abel Joseph "Jack" Diamond at The Canadian Encyclopedia
- "Betty Oliphant Theatre." . . National Ballet of Canada,
- "New Order of the Garter." Irish Times, 4 November 2006
- ""An ever changing face at the Brick Works." World Architecture News 23 November 2007". Archived from the original on 13 March 2010. Retrieved 16 July 2009.
- "Diamond and Schmitt Architects to design new 2,100-seat concert hall for the Montreal Symphony Orchestra." Canadian Architect 2 july. 2009
- Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- Governor General’s Medals Recipients Archived 2 May 2014 at the Wayback Machine
- Ontario Architects Association Awards Listing
- Architectural Record Awards 2004
- Architectural Record Awards 2007
- Architectural Record Awards 2008