The Revelation and Revolution of Kirkor Architects

40 YEARS THIS FRIDAY…well maybe not this Friday…

Started in 1981 as Kirshenblatt Korman Architects, KIRKOR ARCHITECTS AND PLANNERS has grown into a studio of 150 architectural and design professionals in Toronto and Calgary. From our roots in community-based housing and in the early days of condominium development in Toronto, KIRKOR is recognized as one of Canada’s pre-eminent development architecture firms with world-class expertise in large-site development and master-planning, development and planning negotiations, tall-building and mid-rise architecture, all with a dedicated focus on complex mixed-use, residential primary building programs. 

And through our 40 years we’ve been a part of transforming not only our City but our communities. With over 4000 built project in Toronto and throughout Ontario, we have set ourselves apart from other architectural firms by focusing on all areas of the building, design, technology, construction and making a positive impact on the community. Our team is there from the very beginning stages to the completion of each and every project and we ensure that our clients know that we are available and dedicated to each stage of their project.

We design buildable solutions that focus on the way people will live and interact within and around the spaces and how the building itself will affect its surrounding context and environment.

Every architectural firm says that they design on time and on budget – we’re not so different in that adage, however, we have an innate understanding of what the drivers are for success for our clients and have finely honed our services and skills to ensure that these metrics of success are met for each and every one of our clients and their projects.

We believe in making a positive impact to our client’s corporate values.

KIRKOR has successfully executed over $2 Billion worth of development over the past FIVE years, delivering full-service architecture and master-planning, as well as acting as the lead Architect of Record in many joint ventures with both local and global design architectural firms. We recognize that, in the size of projects we deliver, we have a unique and distinct role in the building of our communities and the transformation of our Cities.

Take a look at our latest transformative developments – Aqualuna, Aquabella and Aquavista – we are proud to be the Architects of Record for these amazing projects!

Kirkor has had excellent collaborative relationships with innovative design firms on several of our mixed-use high rise developments. We’re known as the Developer Architect because we truly understand the needs of our clients and the value we bring to them. Our ability to collaborate and transform communities is one of our greatest assets. So it’s only natural that our partnerships with 3XN and Arquitectonica on the creation of Aqualuna, Aquabella and Aquavista for Hines Tridel located on one of Toronto’s most desirable waterfront sites created a catalyst for positive change on an otherwise desolate and underutilized site. By ensuring that the creation of these 3 magnificent mixed-use residential developments captured what it is to live and work and socialize on a human scale, we’ve energized and changed the city’s waterfront and social culture.

To do this, we speak confidently in a design language that; respects diversity of culture and age; promotes responsible sustainability and health; creates the built-environment to enable rich, cohesive experiences and uses; and, are economically viable, for our clients and their ultimate users.

OUR CLIENTS AND OUR PEOPLE ARE OUR SUCCESS

Our strength lies in the number of quality loyal clients that represent the premier development companies across the country. We treat every client and every project as if it were our first and most important and while we may not know all of the answers, we know the questions to ask, and whom to ask, to help others in their own work. We know how to orchestrate this information into a comprehensive action plan, providing excellence in service and design solutions.

We are hired to realize our client’s dreams, goals, and needs and we must first set aside our own aspirations so that we may listen to the challenges before us. We are only as good as our clients and we deeply respect their ongoing loyalty and commitment to excellence.

And we have been privileged to have excellent people along the way who have contributed to our success including past Partners, Steve Kirshenblatt, Mario Gumushdjian, Simon Ko and David Butterworth – each leader played a role in shaping our future for design and production, our standards and design principles. And not just our Partners but our dedicated and loyal staff, some of whom have been with us for over 35 years – each who, over the years, have had a hand in influencing and sharing knowledge into what Kirkor now represents. We are grateful to have worked with and continue to work with so many talented individuals who have put their faith in us to provide them with opportunities to learn, to excel and to advance in design and in technology. 

So full circle – we will continue to transform our built environment, focusing on sustainable solutions that protect our environment as much as they enrich the lives of those who chose to live in them. We are opening up markets out West with a strong and talented team of local Architects and designers who are keen on promoting the value of good architecture. And we continue to build and nurture our relationships across Canada with our clients, consultants, community associations, developmental authorities, constructors, and with our staff; these important relationships allow us to question our own work, test design and implementation strategies, so that we can continually fine-tune our approach to design, presentation, and execution. We will continue to press forward where the experience of architecture is open to all of our clients as the skillful practice of careful listening with the result of excellence in design. Our projects continue to evolve from these collaborations, expanding communities as we create future spaces for people to engage with our architecture.