After returning from the opening of this year?s Venice Biennale, I found myself thinking about the true value of promoting Canadian architecture abroad. How important is it for Canadian architects to be visible internationally" And if there is a value, what is it"
Designed by Bing Thom Architects, the 2008 London Design Festival installation at Canada House provided vital international exposure for Canadian architects. Photo by Morley von Sternberg.
For Bing Thom Architects (now Revery Architecture) and Fast + Epp Structural Engineers, their design and construction of an undulating wood wall around Canada House at the 2008 London Design Festival was invaluable?not only for the two firms, but for the rest of the Canadian design industry. The visibly striking, high-profile project reaffirmed the leadership role of Canada in general and British Columbia in particular in terms of wood innovation. For Johanna Hurme of 5468796 Architecture, the benefits of curating Migrating Landscapes, Canada?s exhibition at the 2012 Venice Biennale, have also been huge: ?The connections we made in Venice produced outcomes that we couldn?t possibly have anticipated at the time.? Hurme and her partners have been invited to lecture, sit on juries and committees, and collaborate on projects and competitions abroad. They won prizes at the World Architecture Festival, a P/A Award and coverage in international publications. The contacts made in Venice helped them realize their 2013 Professio...