SONG OF FOUR SEASONS The newly opened Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto, designed by Diamond and Schmitt Architects, Inc., combines the best features of traditional European grand opera houses within a thoroughly modern envelope. With a world-class opera company in each of Canada's three largest cities, it may come as a surprise that none claims a purpose-built modern opera house. Until now. — Published 2006.0621
	GRANDE BIBLIOTHÈQUE DU QUÉBEC A grand pedestrian promenade behind the front facade of the new Grande Bibliothèque of the Bibliothèque et Archives Nationales du Québec (BAnQ) links directly with the Metro, creating a 24-hour public thoroughfare tied into the fabric of the local community. The new library, in Montréal's Latin Quarter, houses two major collections: a large national reference library and an extensive lending library. But the 355,000-square-foot (33,000-square-meter), five-story glazed structure serves more than books. — Published 2006.0614
	CANADIAN WAR MUSEUM Designers of the new Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, Ontario could have merely created a protective envelope for Canada's wartime artifacts. Instead they designed a monumental structure to inspire a nation by integrating artistic symbolism with pragmatic innovation. — Published 2006.0125
	COMMERCIAL QUALITIES OF MONTRÈAL When a business community learns to appreciate the value of design excellence, an entire city can benefit. This is the lesson of the Commerce Design Montréal competition, which concluded its tenth annual round earlier this year. Twenty projects in the French-Canadian city demonstrate that design and business can help each other thrive. — Published 2004.0721
	B.C. CAMPUS COMPOSITE In the realm of mixed-use developments, certain mixes of use have become commonplace: office and retail; housing and schools; cultural and entertainment facilities. But a new complex for Surrey, British Columbia, Canada has drawn attention by combining an unlikely pair: a regional shopping mall and a campus for a major university. — Published 2004.0414
	UNCONVENTIONALLY COLORFUL In case the city of Montréal, Québec needed a kickstart into the 21st century, it certainly has one now. The colorful expansion of the Palais des Congrès doubles the size of the existing convention center and puts the city on notice that sober limestone and granite are being challenged as the urban norm. — Published 2004.0407
	NEW URBANITY IN MONTRéAL Montréal, Québec is a North American city with European flair and a crossroads of economic, cultural, and scientific influences. The festive city hosts four major universities, several research centers, and many cultural and sporting events. It is a leading North American convention venue. Reflecting this diversity, Montréal's architecture and urban development represent both new and traditional economic forces. — Published 2003.0625
	COOL AND GREEN "Green" buildings can be built in any climate. They can be kept within a reasonable budget, and they don't have to sacrifice architectural grace in favor of functional, environmental, and sustainable factors. Proving these claims is the recently completed Computer Science Building on the suburban campus of York University, Toronto. It is believed to be the most comprehensively green building in Ontario. — Published 2002.0403
	ERICKSON'S URBAN WATERFALL "You can't fight City Hall," goes the old adage. Yet the Waterfall Building, an innovative urban live/ work development in Vancouver, British Columbia, is proof that you can fight City Hall — and win. In this case, the city wins too. Zoning laws that were relaxed to permit the unconventional design will pave the way for similar projects in the future. — Published 2002.0220

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