Grove Inc. / Architecture
July 26, 2018 In Architecture, Design

Go BIG or go home.

A fantastic “zipper” pavilion designed for a 2016 architectural program by The Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG),  will have a temporary home in Toronto this summer before permanently moving to  Vancouver.   Formerly set up at Kensington Gardens in London as an interactive art installation, the structure has been purchased by Westbank Corp and will be on display here before moving on.   The installation at King and Portland is underway and we can’t wait to visit the finished product.  For more info read the story at blog.to, or click here

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June 5, 2018 In Architecture, City of Toronto, Construction

Tall Wood Building coming soon to U of T

Fresh on the heels of George Brown’s announcement of the construction of a new tall wood, low carbon, institutional building to add to their campus, U of T has just announced their plans to build a wood and concrete structure at their Bloor street campus.    The 14 storey building is slated to be the tallest of its kind in North America and plans are in the works to commence construction as early as 2019.  Find out more here.

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April 5, 2018 In Architecture, Design

George Brown’s newest campus addition

George Brown University announced a winner in it’s design challenge for The Arbour, the province’s first tall wood, low carbon, institutional building.  After a lengthy decision making process which shortlisted a number of promising designs from top-seated architectural firms, in the end, it was Moriyama and Teshima Architects and Acton Ostrey Architects collaboration and striking design that won out.

Serving as an educational and research hub, The Arbour will be home to Canada’s first Tall Wood Research Institute and will facilitate the exploration, ideas and research into low carbon, mass timber construction.  Located at the south east corner of Queens Quay and Sherbourne, construction is set to begin in 2021.  For more information, check it out here

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March 27, 2018 In Architecture, Design

Aanin – Welcome!

A beautiful new community center in Markham opened its doors on Family Day weekend to the delight of the city’s residents.   This 125,000 sq ft facility boasts amenities for every resident, young and old.  From a library to a decked out gym, a playground, aquatic centre, teaching kitchen and beautiful areas to sit and chill, this multi-million dollar complex has something for everyone.   Paying homage to the indigenous culture in the region, the name,  Aanin (meaning Welcome) Community Centre and Library is a welcome addition to this thriving city.   Check it out here.

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March 1, 2018 In Architecture, Design

The War Against Hostile Architecture

Also known as Defensive Urban Design,  this form of architecture has been around for decades.  As more applications are utilized in our modern day society, many feel that the design element, and those responsible for commissioning them have gone too far.   Primarily used for property protection and crime prevention, certain design elements target humans and even animals, subliminally removing them from areas with discreet design maneuvers.  More often than not, they go unnoticed and therefore unchallenged.

However, a  movement against these hostile architectural elements is afoot across the globe with many viewpoints, both pro and con.  Click  here to read more on this controversial subject.

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February 1, 2018 In Architecture

The Music of Architecture

It is a staggering truth that only 1% of all licensed architects in the US identify as Afro Americans.  The profession is vastly underrepresented by persons of minority backgrounds, but thankfully, architect Michael Ford and musicians such as Kanye West, Solange Knowles and Pharrell Williams are using their celebrity status to promote the field of architecture and encourage the creative energy in kids to think outside the box when choosing their occupational path.

Eleanor Gibson of Dezeen.com, sat down with Michael Ford to discuss the work being done to increase diversity in the architecture and design industries.   Read the story and interview HERE.

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December 28, 2017 In Architecture

The Top Ten…

As we come to the close of another year, there is no shortage of “Top Ten “everything in the media these days.  From top ten fashion trends of the year, to movies, diet plans, cars, electronics, personalities and so forth.   The lists are endless and for the most part, tedious .  However, Dezeen.com put out a list recently that we felt warranted a re-post on our blog. The top 10 architecture/design quotes of 2017.  Architecture and design is often overlooked for the integral part it plays in our societal composition, but Dezeen has captured 10 quotes from world renowned players in the field whose own thoughts  call up reflection on the world around us.  Click here to read more.

November 29, 2017 In Architecture, Construction

World Building of the Year

A building designed by the Chinese University of Hong Kong using “rammed earth” construction has been named by The World Architecture Festival as “World Building of the Year”.  Designed to withstand earthquakes, this building medium could help towns and villages worldwide mitigate the ravages of future earthquakes.  Click here for the whole story.

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November 9, 2017 In Architecture, Design

PERMIT AND RENDERING SERVICES

Grove Inc.’s design engineers can help homeowners create their renovation dreams through 3D imaging.  Using the  most basic of floor plans or just simple measurements, we can produce three dimensional renderings that help you understand, down to the finest detail, what your finished space will look like.  Our team of Professional Engineers and Architectural Technologists can also help with obtaining permits for your upcoming renovation.  For more information, call and speak with one of our design engineers, or email us at info@groveinc.ca.

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November 7, 2017 In Architecture

Frank Gehry on affordable design

At the ULI fall conference, world renowned, (and Canadian born) architect, Frank Gehry spoke to his audience about the role architects play today and the fundamental importance of working with developers to achieve great design at affordable prices.  Gehry gave sound advice on how the team aspect of developer and architect is imperative and that new technology should be utilized and continually improved to reduce waste and cost overruns.  At 88 years old, Gehry continues to design innovative, and edgy buildings proving his theories time and again while cementing his status as one of the world’s greatest living architects.  Read the full story on Gehry’s talk HERE

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