Günter Behnisch (1922-2010) was a German architect, born in Lockwitz. His first career led him to be a submarine commander during WW2. He surrendered his submarine and subsequently was a prisoner of war. A fellow prisoner sparked his interest in architecture – there’s a line I shan’t be using again. He studied architecture at the Technical University in Stuttgart. He taught architecture at the Technishce Hochshule Darmstadt. He was a proponent of deconstructivism. Deconstructivism in architecture means the breaking apart of a shape – perhaps next week’s exploration. He is Stefan Behrish‘s father.


The Bundershaus
1961, Bonn, Germany




Pavillon Gartenshau Dortmund
1969




Olympic Park
1972, Munich




Library of the University of Eichstatt
1980, Eichstatt, Germany




German Postal Museum
1990, Frankfurt, Germany




Tower Flughafen
1998, Nurnberg




Norddeutsche Landesbank
2002, Hannover, Germany



Academy of Arts
2005, Berlin, Germany

Finalizing our exploration of the finalists for Block 2, today we explore NEUF architect(e)s. They were to be in partnership with Renzo Piano. NEUF was founded in 1971 by Roger Desmarais (1934-2018), it was originally called Desmarais Tornay. With over 7,500 completed projects it is one of the largest architecture firms in Canada.


Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Motréal
2017, Montréal




Siege Social CSN
2017, Montréal




Yoo
2017, Montréal




Herzliah High School
2018, Montréal




Saint Hyacinthe Hotel and Convention Centre
2018, Saint Hyacinthe




The Mews, 101 Yorkville
2018, Toronto




Bibliothèque Donalda Charron
2021, Gatineau

As we continue our exploration of the finalists for Block 2, today we explore IDEA Inc. an Ottawa based architecture firm. For their Block 2 submission they had teamed up with Wilkinson Eyre.

IDEA is a multidisciplinary firm which brings together an award winning integrated design team to every project. They work in commercial, healthcare, recreational, and residential heritage restoration and preservation, repairs and renovations.


Algoma Public Health
2011, Municipality of Wawa




Nogdawindamin Child and Family Services Building
Proposed, Batchewana First Nation, Ontario




Health Centre
2009, Batchewana First Nation of Ojibway Indians, Ontario




National Portrait Gallery of Canada
2004, Ottawa, Canada




Phi Dental
2004, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario




Sault Area Hospital
2011- Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario




Canadian Aviation Space Museum
2010, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario




Thousand Islands Border Crossing
2017, Ontario & New York

Continuing our exploration of the architects who were in the finals for Block 2, today we explore Behnisch Architekten. They were teamed up with Watson MacEwen Teramura Architects. Behnisch Architekten was founded by Stefan Behnish in 1989. Stefan Behnisch was born in Stuttgart, Germany in 1957. His father was Günter Behnisch a famous architect. The firm has offices in Germany and the US. They are a successful international firm. Should you wish to explore the selected architects for Block 2 go to Zeidler Architecture Inc. and Britain’s David Chipperfield Architects.


Children’s Daycare Centre on Schwetzinger Terrace
2012, Heidelburg, Germany




City Hall Koldermoor with Libary and Educaiton Centre
2012, Kolbermoor, Germany




Schlaues Haus
2012, Oldenburg, Germany




City Hall Bad Aibling
2013, Bad Aibling, Germany




City of Santa Monica Public Parking Structure 6
2013, Santa Monica, California




John and Frances Angelos Law Centre, University of Baltimore School of Law
2013, Baltimore, Maryland




Secondary School
2013, Ergolding, Germany




Haus S
2014, Stuttgart, Germany




Refurbishment Sports Hall
2014, Lorch, Germany




WIPO Conference Hall World Intellectual Property Organization
2014, Geneva, Switzerland




Capital
2015, Rosenheim, Germany




Extension Spa Baths Bad
2015, Aibling, Germany

Before we continue our exploration of the finalists of Block 2, you may have heard that a selection has been made. The winners are the partnership between Toronto’s Zeidler Architecture Inc. and Britain’s David Chipperfield Architects. It seems like a good choice. As you know I was hoping for Bjarke Ingels but well…

Meanwhile, let us nevertheless continue our exploration of the finalists. Today Watson MacEwen Teramura Architects (WMTA). WMTA works on public as well as private high-level commissions. They are a hands-on firm committed to the participatory design in order to ensure client satisfaction.


Their submission for Block 2 Design




Albion Heatherington Recreation Centre




Atlantic Veterinary College Expansion




Communications Security Establishment Headquarters




Desmarais Hall




Fauteux Hall




Hunt Club Riverside Community Centre




Terrence Donnelly Health Sciences Centre

Continuing our visit with the finalists of Block 2, today let us look at Provencher_Roy.

Provencher_Roy was founded in 1983 by Claude Provencher and Michel Roy. Provencher_Roy is an award-winning architecture firm based in Montréal. They have a broad interest in all sizes of structures. They are conscious of interior design, urban design, urban planning, landscape architecture, industrial design, and sustainable development. Their plans are well thought out to provide the best experience for all involved.

In their own words: “Our practice is at the crossroads of architecture and urban planning, characterized by an approach inspired by the physical, cultural, geographical, historical, economical, and tangible and intangible heritage constraints particular to each site. We analyze this heritage over the years drawing on the implicit and explicit potential necessary to transform each setting into a space that supports collective well-being.”


Aux-Couleurs-du-Savoir Elementary School
2015, Saint-Jérôme




George Brown College: The Arbour
2018, Toronto




Îlot Balmoral
2019, Montréal




Reception Pavilion – Parcours Gouin
2019, Montréal




Samuel de Champlain Bridge
2019, Brossard




Îlot Bennett
2020, Montréal




Montreal Heart Institute
2021, Montréal




Scholars House, McGill Campus
2021, Montréal

Founded by Ed Zeidler (1926-2022), Zeidler architecture is a Canadian architecture firm. Zeidler created such iconic locations as the Toronto Eaton Centre, Ontario Place, and the Toronto Centre for the Arts. The firm is committed to creating a collaborative approach with considerations to sustainability and accessibility. They are the recipients of many awards. They are currently finalists for Block 2 as featured a couple of weeks ago.


The Bow
Calagary, Alberta




Le Marchand, Dalhousie University
Halifax, Nova Scotia




Livmore Highpark
Toronto, Ontario




The Residences at RCMI
Toronto, Ontario




Calgary City Centre
Calgary, Alberta




Bowness High School Modernization
Calgary, Alberta




Student Learning Centre
Toronto, Ontario




Sherbourne Estates
Toronto, Ontario




Cummings Library and Collaboratory Mohawk College
Hamilton, Ontario




2 Queen Street West
Toronto, Ontario

James Hoban was an Irish architect (1755-1831). His most important project is The White House. At first a wheelwright and carpenter he then studied at the Dublin Society’s Drawing School. He studied under Thomas Ivory. In 1785 he emigrated to the United States, Philadelphia more precisely. While he was in South Carolina George Washington saw Hoban’s Charleston County Courthouse at which point he was asked to design The White House.


Belcamp House
1785, Dublin, Ireland




South Carolina State House
1790, Columbia, South Carolina




Charleston County Courthouse
1792, Chesterton, South Carolina




First Bank of the United States
1795, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania




The White House
1800, Washington, DC




The Octagon House
1799, New York Avenue, Washington, DC