Rendering of the exterior view of the David Geffen Hall Redesign. DIAMOND SCHMITT ARCHITECTS
Donald Schmitt is Principal of Diamond Schmitt Architects.
On Monday, Lincoln Center announced that my firm, Diamond Schmitt, would lead the transformation of its David Geffen Hall, the home of the New York Philharmonic symphony orchestra.
Canadian architects aren?t just winning more work beyond our borders; we?re designing iconic work for a few of the world?s pre-eminent institutions. KPMB Architects was selected by Boston University for their new Center for Computing and Data Sciences. In October, Hariri Pontarini Architects won the RAIC International Prize for their extraordinary Baha?i Temple of South America in Santiago, Chile.
Baha’i Temple of South America in Santiago, Chile by the Hariri Pontarini Architects. HANDOUT
So what gives here"
Aren?t Canadians supposed to finish out of the medals"
Certainly, the remarkable growth in our urban centres has helped. There are more buildings to explore design ideas on, and more architects are delivering environmental and built form innovation. But the most creative architects from elsewhere also see Canada?s growth as an opportunity for them too. Foster and Partners and WilkinsonEyre from London, 3XN and BIG from Copenhagen and Snohetta from Oslo are all transforming the Canadian landscape.
There was a time when Canadian architects feared this competition. But now, we welcome excellence from anywhere because it makes us ...