Category: Uncategorized

MULTI-UNIT RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECT / ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNER (MID-LEVEL)

Superkül is a Toronto-based practice that works across typologies and scales to create vibrant, high-performance contemporary architecture of enduring value. We embrace a first-principles approach and enlist only the most advanced and sustainable methods to deliver vital and dignified design. The result: flexible, fluid, and functional spaces that are luminous and inviting.

Helmed by Meg Graham and Andre D’Elia, our mid-sized firm (35+ people) espouses a collaborative and convivial office culture that offers extensive opportunities for inspiring work, robust mentorship, and constructive career development. As we continue to grow, our goal is to maintain our award-winning residential practice while responding to an increased demand to execute exciting and complex institutional, multi-unit residential, and mixed-use projects.

THE ROLE

Superkül relies on its Architects / Architectural Designers to bring in-depth knowledge of design and architecture to support a range of projects, applying their skill and knowledge across settings to support various project goals. Architects / Architectural Designers should have the kind of experience and education that enables them to demonstrate superior creativity and insight with respect to structural and building requirements. 

We are looking for a mid-level Architect / Architectural Designer to work on our multi-unit residential team.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop and prepare design development materials and presentations

• Develop designs and details with design intent, based on research and resolution of technical and design issues

• Develop construction documents for projects of varying scope with minimal supervision

• Manage projects from concept through contract administration phases

• Prepare architectural drawings using REVIT, AutoCAD, SketchUp, and other modeling software

• Perform effective analysis of applicable building codes, by-laws, and other regulations and technical documents / reports to which a project may be subject

• Develop strong relationships with clients and internal teams

• Manage and coordinate consultants
• Other related duties will be assigned as required

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

• 3-5 years of post-graduate work experience in an architectural practice with significant experience in institutional, multi-unit residential, and commercial projects

• Project management experience, including managing an internal team

• Previous experience using Newforma and Microsoft Teams for Project Management an asset

• Completion of Master of Architecture from a recognized institution

• Proficiency in Revit, AutoCAD, Sketchup, and other 3D modeling software

• Ability to work well either on a team or independently

• Experience with Authorities Having Jurisdiction, including ZAA, SPA, building permit applications, and Committee of Adjustment

• Experience and expertise in construction documentation, including envelope detailing, for institutional, multi-unit residential, and commercial projects

• Experience with contract administration, shop drawing review, as well as on-site reviews and reporting

• High level of understanding of the Ontario Building Code and City of Toronto’s Zoning By-laws

• LEED and/or Passive House accreditation and knowledge of sustainable technologies beneficial

• Member of the Ontario Association of Architects and/or Royal Architectural Institute of Canada beneficial

• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite

• Excellent written and oral communication skills

• Competency in Microsoft Office, including Outlook, Word, and ExcelKind regards,

Interested candidates should submit their résumé, cover letter, and samples of their work (PDF file 5MB max) to [email protected] with “Multi-Unit Architect / Architectural Designer Position Application – Mid-Level” as the subject line.

SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECT / ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNER (MID-LEVEL)

Superkül is a Toronto-based practice that works across typologies and scales to create vibrant, high-performance contemporary architecture of enduring value. We embrace a first-principles approach and enlist only the most advanced and sustainable methods to deliver vital and dignified design. The result: flexible, fluid, and functional spaces that are luminous and inviting.

Helmed by Meg Graham and Andre D’Elia, our mid-sized firm (35+ people) espouses a collaborative and convivial office culture that offers extensive opportunities for inspiring work, robust mentorship, and constructive career development. As we continue to grow, our goal is to maintain our award-winning residential practice while responding to an increased demand to execute exciting and complex institutional, multi-unit residential, and mixed-use projects.

THE ROLE

Superkül relies on its Architects / Architectural Designers to bring an in-depth knowledge of design and architecture to support a range of projects, applying their skill and knowledge across settings to support various project goals. Architects / Architectural Designers should have the kind of experience and education that enables them to demonstrate superior creativity and insight with respect to structural and building requirements.

We are looking for a mid-level Architect / Architectural Designer to work on our single-family residential team.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop and prepare design development materials and presentations

• Develop designs and details with design intent, based on research and resolution of technical and design issues

• Develop construction documents for projects of varying scope with minimal supervision

• Manage projects from concept through contract administration phases

• Prepare architectural drawings using REVIT, AutoCAD, SketchUp, and other modeling software

• Perform effective analysis of applicable building codes, by-laws, and other regulations and technical documents / reports to which a project may be subject

• Develop strong relationships with clients and internal teams

• Manage and coordinate consultants

• Other related duties will be assigned as required

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

• 5+ years of post-graduate work experience in an architectural practice with significant experience in single-family residential projects

• Project management experience, including managing an internal team

• Previous experience using Newforma and Microsoft Teams for Project Management an asset

• Completion of Master of Architecture from a recognized institution

• Proficiency in Revit, AutoCAD, Sketchup, and other 3D modeling software

• Ability to work well either on a team or independently

• Experience with Authorities Having Jurisdiction, including building permit applications and Committee of Adjustment

• Experience and expertise in construction documentation, including envelope detailing, for single-family residential projects

• Experience with contract administration, shop drawing review, as well as on-site reviews and reporting

• High level of understanding of the Ontario Building Code and City of Toronto’s Zoning By-laws

• LEED and/or Passive House accreditation and knowledge of sustainable technologies beneficial

• Member of the Ontario Association of Architects and/or Royal Architectural Institute of Canada beneficial

• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite

• Excellent written and oral communication skills

• Competency in Microsoft Office, including Outlook, Word, and Excel

Interested candidates should submit their résumé, cover letter, and samples of their work (PDF file 5MB max) to [email protected] with “Single-Family Architect / Architectural Designer Position Application – Mid-Level” as the subject line.

BIM COORDINATOR + ARCHITECT / ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNER (MID-LEVEL)

Superkül is a Toronto-based practice that works across typologies and scales to create vibrant, high-performance contemporary architecture of enduring value. We embrace a first-principles approach and enlist only the most advanced and sustainable methods to deliver vital and dignified design. The result: flexible, fluid, and functional spaces that are luminous and inviting.

Helmed by Meg Graham and Andre D’Elia, our mid-sized firm (35+ people) espouses a collaborative and convivial office culture that offers extensive opportunities for inspiring work, robust mentorship, and constructive career development. As we continue to grow, our goal is to maintain our award-winning residential practice while responding to an increased demand to execute exciting and complex multi-unit residential, mixed-use, and institutional projects.

THE ROLE

Superkül requires a Construction Documents (CD) production Architect / Architectural Designer and part-time BIM Manager to work specifically on CDs in the multi-unit residential and institutional team. This candidate will assist and direct the project team(s) in the assembly, coordination, and completion of CDs for issuance to clients, consultant team, and municipal authorities. 

The part-time BIM management role would work closely with the Management Team / Project Architects to oversee, set up, and maintain project Revit models across all sectors in the office. The role will work with the in-house Revit team to build and maintain the office’s Revit Library as well as assist in the development and expansion of BIM capabilities within the office.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Produce and lead team in the production of construction drawing sets, from design development to construction documents and contract administration

• Prepare architectural drawings using REVIT/BIM360 and other modeling software

• Perform effective analysis of applicable building codes, by-laws, and other regulations and technical documents / reports to which a project may be subject

• Technical detailing

• Lead BIM coordination for all projects, facilitate BIM execution plans

• Create Revit standards, families, and templates

• Oversee the creation of Revit files at project start, maintenance and troubleshooting of files throughout the project as required

• Administer in-house training and guidance on BIM / Revit best practices

• Develop strong relationships with clients and internal teams

• Manage and coordinate consultants

• Other related duties will be assigned as required

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

• 5+ years of post-graduate work experience in an architectural practice with significant experience in institutional, multi-unit residential, and/or commercial projects

• Relevant experience of CD production for mid- to high-rise residential, commercial, institutional, and/or mixed-use buildings

• Extensive project management experience, including managing an internal team

• BIM coordination experience across a variety of sectors and project scales

• Broad knowledge of Revit / BIM360 and BIM subject matter expert

• Experience and expertise in construction documentation, including envelope detailing, for institutional, multi-unit residential, and/or commercial projects

• Previous experience using Newforma and Microsoft Teams for Project Management an asset

• Completion of a Bachelor or Master of Architecture or a Technologist Degree from a recognized institution

• Experience with Authorities Having Jurisdiction, including ZAA, SPA, building permit applications, and Committee of Adjustment

• High level of understanding of the Ontario Building Code and City of Toronto’s Zoning By-laws

• LEED and/or Passive House accreditation and knowledge of sustainable technologies beneficial

• Member of the Ontario Association of Architects and/or Royal Architectural Institute of Canada beneficial

• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite and competency in MS Office, including Outlook, Word, and Excel

• Excellent written and oral communication skills

Interested candidates should submit their résumé, cover letter, and samples of their work (PDF file 5MB max) to [email protected] with “BIM Coordinator + Architect / Architectural Designer – Mid-Level” as the subject line.

We are honoured and thrilled that Woodhouse kitchen was selected by Architectural Record for its annual kitchen and bath feature, in this month’s issue. Written by Sheila Kim and with photos by Kayla Rocca and Alex Fradkin, the full article can be viewed here.

We’re thrilled to announce that we have received two Canadian Interiors Best of Canada Awards for Memory Labs and Woodhouse! Many thanks to Canadian Inteiors and the 2020 Jury for this wonderful recognition, which we share with our clients and collaborators. Congratulations to our clients and our team — and to all of this year’s winners! More information about this 2020’s winning projects can be found here.

superkül is proud to announce that it has been shortlisted – twice! – in the 2020 Ontario Association of Architects’ Awards of Excellence program. Two of the firm’s residential projects – Woodhouse and What Remains to be Seen – were chosen as part of a select group of 20 finalists. Juried by a panel of design and architecture experts, this prestigious selection of projects will be further refined into a list of 10 winners, to be announced on April 3^rd. Read more.

Photo by Tom Arban of Crescent Road House.

superkül has been included on a list of the 15 best residential architects based in Toronto by Home Builder Digest. We are delighted by this recognition of including us alongside colleagues and friends whose work we greatly admire. Go see the full list and accompanying article here.

superkül is delighted to announce that we have been selected as 2020 Designer of the Year by Designlines magazine. The award recognizes the firm’s design acumen, and the accompanying article in Issue No. 1, 2020 of the magazine describes superkül as “a firm with superpowers [that] tackles every type of project with style and grace.” Seven of our projects are featured to illustrate the breadth and quality of our work: “super contemporary and innovative private homes – and cool additions to the city’s public realm.”

A celebration is being held to recognize superkül and other Toronto design luminaries on Friday, January 24, 2020 from 6:00pm to 9:30pm at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MoCA), the city’s latest destination for cutting-edge local and international art. Taking place during the city’s vibrant DesignTO Festival, the party is a great opportunity to meet, mix and mingle – as superkül claims its 2020 Designer of the Year title!

The Museum of Contemporary Art is located at 158 Sterling Road in Toronto. Free parking is available across the street.

superkül is pleased to announce the promotions of Kevin James, Shea Gallagher and Will Elsworthy to the role of Associate. Kevin, Shea and Will join the firm’s leadership team alongside Associate Ian Douglas and Principals Meg Graham and Andre D’Elia. Together, this group leads the practice in pursuing and delivering projects to the highest level of design, sustainability and client service. 

A skilled and versatile designer, Kevin has developed a keen ability to manage complex and challenging projects with a particular talent for fostering client relationships. He has led the design of several award-winning single-family residences, and is the lead architect on sustainable housing initiative called Passivhaus on the Laneways. As Associate, Kevin will continue to leverage his unique set of skills and experience in providing leadership to the residential team, and contributing to the design and development of the firm’s institutional portfolio.

Shea joined superkül in 2011 and is the project lead for a number of multi-unit residential and commercial projects including Junction House, Stratus Centre and 421 Roncesvalles. Shea has been instrumental in the practice’s growth as it completes larger and more complex projects. His dedication to technical excellence combined with his attention to detail and strong project management skills have made him a central member of our team and a natural mentor to his junior colleagues. Shea has a particular interest in sustainable design, and we look forward to strengthening his position in this area as he steps into his Associate role.

Will has distinguished himself as an exceptional designer and project manager at superkül. As an advocate for design and technical excellence, Will contributes his expertise to a wide range of projects of all scales across the studio including single family homes, Universal Music Canada and University of Toronto Student Commons. His commitment to innovation in building science and the use of computer technologies is highly valued by the studio. Will is very active in the Toronto architecture and design community including involvement with Design TO.

We are thrilled to announce that Junction House broke ground this past weekend! Working with Slate, dialogue38, Globizen and Paul Johnston has been an incredible experience so far and we can’t wait to see our design begin to be realized. A huge congratulations to the entire project team!

On Tuesday, September 17, 2019, superkül principal Andre D’Elia is participating in a panel interview at the 7^th Active House Symposium, entitled ‘Building Healthy, Living Healthy: A New Era in Sustainable Building Design’. This event follows the groundbreaking success of Great Gulf Homes Active Houses 1 and 2, single-family residences in the suburban communities of Thorold and Etobicoke, designed by superkül and built by Great Gulf.

The design strategy for Active House 1 in Thorold considered the environmental impact of the entire life cycle of the home from concept to performance, meeting the construction metrics outlined by the European Active House program. Active House 2 in Etobicoke improves upon the energy performance of its predecessor, claiming the designation of the first certified Active House in the world, utilizing sustainable design strategies that minimize energy consumption and maximize occupant comfort.

You are encouraged to attend, to hear what Andre and other esteemed professionals have to contribute to the ever-evolving discussion on sustainable design. Taking place at the Evergreen Brick Works in Toronto from September 16 to 17, 2019, this is the first time that this international event has come to North America. As we steer ourselves towards the pinnacle of energy efficiency, the symposium will reveal what’s next in high-performance buildings and people-centric design through two full days of thought-provoking presentations and engaging conversations, alongside a wealth of educational and networking opportunities with building industry professionals from Toronto and around the world.

For more information, please visit www.activehouse.ca.

The missing mid-rise: “neighbourly, pedestrian-friendly and a breath of fresh air”. Our project for Oben Flats has been featured in Designlines for contributing to the much needed mid-rise scale of development within Toronto’s rapidly changing urban fabric. Read more about the project and several others here.

We’re delighted that Compass House has been given a seven-page spread in the Spring issue of In the Hills, a magazine dedicated to country living in the Headwaters region of Ontario. Writer Tralee Pearce interviews Meg Graham and the proud owners of this country home, presenting an engaging account of how this highly sustainable and award-winning “Mulmur Masterpiece” came to be.

House in a Grove has been featured in Designlines spring issue #2! It’s profiled as one of four houses in a feature entitled ‘Look Book: Room to Bloom’. Writer Amrit Phull details the landscaping strategies of each project, describing the living spaces of superkül’s collaboration with Fox Whyte Landscape Architecture & Design as “flowing seamlessly into a series of functional outdoor areas for relaxation and entertainment.”

Making Marks: Architects’ Sketchbooks – The Creative Process – the followup to Will Jones’s Architects’ Sketchbooks – has just been released, and once again, drawings by superkül principals Meg Graham and Andre D’Elia are featured. Revealing why and how hand-drawing still matters, this global survey presents the freehand drawings, vibrant watercolours and abstract impressions of 60 renowned architects. Meg describes the role that sketching plays in the studio’s design process: ‘Sketching is such a foundational way of thinking for us, because it is so instinctive. There is no software between the brain and hand, impeding the flow of information or jamming the signal. We sketch forms and places that are curious, interesting, beautiful or inspiring, which then enter our collective memory and become part of the flow of information.’

Reed’s Bay House is once again propelled into the spotlight, this time in the recently published book, The New Cottage: Inspiration for America’s Favorite Home. Authored by architect Katie Hutchison, the collection of 25 cottages includes Reed’s Bay House on Wolfe Island, Ontario. These projects serve as case studies in support of 10 key design strategies, demonstrating how a classic home style can be updated for the needs of modern living.

As an architectural firm whose portfolio comprises a great many cottages, superkül is pleased that Reed’s Bay House was featured on a new television series entitled Great Canadian Cottages. With its simple shed-like form capitalizing on views towards the water and the surrounding bucolic landscape, Reed’s Bay House is situated on Wolfe Island, the largest of the Thousand Islands in northeastern Lake Ontario. Enthusiastically hosted by Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan, Great Canadian Cottages airs at 10:00pm Thursdays on Cottage Life TV.

As the Jury Prize winner in the Residential Interiors category of the prestigious Architizer A+ Awards, superkül’s A Room with a View project has been featured in a newly released publication, Architizer: The World’s Best Architecture 2018. Published by the venerable Phaidon Press, the exquisitely designed and produced book documents both jury and popular choice winners. The selected works are presented over 280 lush pages in a strikingly bold hardcover format, constituting “the definitive guide to the year’s best buildings and spaces.” More information on the book can be found here.

We are honoured to be listed at the top of NOW Magazine’s 10 Best Events at DesignTO happening January 18-27. Our installation ‘ReflectLive’ at Delisle-St. Clair Parkette explores our relationship with urban forests as manicured spaces offering relief from city life, as well as places we can regain a sense of adventure and playfulness. Congratulations to the project team: Alexandra Lavallée, Andre D’Elia, Candice Gouveia, Erica Govan, Janean Bruhn, Mo Sooror, Quan Thai and Tristan Roberton. More information about the installation and the team’s process can be found here.

We are over the moon to have won three awards in the Architecture MasterPrize awards program. Recently announced, three superkül projects were selected from stiff international competition: Compass House in the Residential Architecture category, Aesop Queen Street West in the Retail category, and A Room with a View in the Rooms and Zones category. Learn more+

We are honoured to have two of our projects profiled in the recently published book Canadian Contemporary: The Northern Home. Representing the diversity of superkül’s single-family residential portfolio, multiple-award-winning Compass House and Valley House respond to their specific environments of country and city in a subtle and considered fashion while meeting the unique needs of their inhabitants. A foreword by Avi Friedman provides a unifying perspective with respect to variations in climate and landscape across this vast country, while acknowledging issues of sustainability and material innovation that are addressed in the featured homes.

We are delighted that our project – A Room with a View – has won yet another award, its fourth! Selected by an esteemed jury for Remodeling Magazine’s Design Awards as a Grand Winner, A Room with a View was one of only nine winning projects in six categories. Learn more +

This summer, we celebrated our one-year anniversary since we moved into our new location at 35 Golden Avenue! Thank you Harluu for keeping us kül 

A reminder that our offices will be closed on Monday September 3rd, due to the Labour Day holiday. We will be back in action on Tuesday September 4th. Enjoy the long weekend!

David LeBlanc describes our Proper TV project as a landmark for the Dovercourt Village neighbourhood in The Globe & Mail’s Real Estate section. Originally serving as a postal sorting station, this mid-20th century building was renovated and welcomed a dynamic one-storey addition to serve as the headquarters for Proper, a television show producer. Read more +

Principal Andre D’Elia speaks with National Post writer Martha Uniacke Breen about how our House on the Archipelago remodel turned a cottage into an island oasis by drawing inspiration from the surrounding landscape of wind-twisted conifers and undulating swaths of exposed granite. Read more +

Our superkül staircase design is coming to fruition. The custom elliptical stairs were installed in four pieces last week. They were fabricated off site and CNC cut using a fibre optic laser. We’re looking forward to sharing the finished product with you!

Our A Room with a View project is the 2018 Architizer A+Awards Jury Winner in the Residential Interiors category. With entries from over 100 countries, the A+Awards represent some of the best of architecture worldwide, with jurors, comprising equal parts architects + designers, cultural thought leaders, developers and other creatives. We are honoured to be recognized amongst the winning projects. Learn more +

The fall edition of Designlines features our House in a Grove project as one of 8 picture-perfect homes across the GTA. Described by principal Meg Graham as “a house of the world,”, House in a Grove pays homage to its globetrotting owners by incorporating elements from many of the over 70 countries they have visited.

Toronto Life features our modern take on a heritage-designated cottage in the Annex as part of their dramatic case studies in innovation and renovation. Read more +

Home Review magazine details how our Compass House project is an example of a shared ethos of sustainability between architect and client resulting in spaces that are not only respectful of the planet but also beautiful that can be cherished for years to come.

In Canada, cottages – or cabins, or summer homes, or chalets – are a way of life. In “Escape to the Contemporary Canadian Cottage”, Azure.com shares projects — including our House on the Archipelago project — that highlight the diversity and beauty of the contemporary Canadian cottage. Read more +

Senior Architectural Designer, Deborah Wang shares her tips in making a home office space as practical as it is swoon-worthy in “Canada’s Best Life” featuring our Valley House project. Read more +

+House is the subject of the recently published Home for Health: Creating a Sanctuary for Healing. Authored by the client, Hilton Tudhope, the book is an invaluable resource for those considering a healthy and sustainable approach to design and construction. Details can be found at: www.buildforhealth.com.

In this edition of the umlaut update, we celebrate recent achievements and unveil new projects on the horizon.

Principal Meg Graham discusses superkül’s collaborative process in creating a one-of-a-kind home designed to showcase an art collection while maximizing the potential for indoor-outdoor spaces. Read more +

We are honoured to have our Great Gulf Active House included in this list of award-winning projects that push the envelope on environmentally conscious design. Learn more +

Dave LeBlanc talks to principal Meg Graham about the delicate, dream-like beauty of our OAA Award finalist, Compass House. Read more +

We are thrilled to announce that our House in a Grove project has been awarded a National Award of Excellence from the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects (CSLA). Congratulations to the team!

Check out the April issue of Canadian House & Home to learn more about ideal renovations, including a spotlight on our very own A Room with a View project. Read more +

Principal Meg Graham discusses superkül’s work creating context-specific designs for Aesop’s Rosedale and Ala Moana locations with Metropolis magazine. Read more +

We are pleased to share this short video that A-Frame Studio shot of our Compass House project.

We are honoured to share that our Compass House project has been chosen as one of the top 20 finalists in the province for a prestigious Ontario Association of Architects Design Excellence Award. Winners will be announced April 3rd. Read more +

Learn about our approach to offer contemporary townhouses on a site that seemed an unlikely candidate for an urban housing development in a recent issue of Builder magazine. Read more+

Photoshoot in progress for our recently completed office renovation project for Charles River Associates (CRA) Toronto Headquarters. Stay tuned for the final images!

Work continues at our Oben Flats St. Clair West location. View work in progress and formwork pictures here.

We were delighted to be listed as one of the top 15 Architecture firms in the city by BlogTO. Read more about Toronto’s architectural innovators here.

Check out our ‘Second Life’ installation in conjunction with Slate Asset Management at 40 St. Clair West for the Toronto Offsite Design Festival (TODO) until January 21st, 2018. superkül principal Meg Graham, along with representatives from Gensler and IBI Group recently participated in a talk titled, “Undo Toronto” to discuss pressing ctrl-Z on Toronto, making a case for change, one civic moment at a time. Presentations were followed by a moderated discussion moderated by Slate VP of Development, and blogger, Brandon Donnelly.

‘Second Life’ — Construction waste accounts for between 10% and 15% of all material used on a typical project, much of which is lost to landfill or downcycling. Our installation seeks to focus awareness on the negative impact that the architecture and design industry can wreak on the environment, and will also introduce various practices and methodologies available to mitigate the damage caused. Through a series of curated images, we consider and present waste reframed as opportunity. Our hope is to alter the manner in which construction waste is perceived, and to encourage innovation and the adoption of architectural best practices as part of a larger strategy of sustainability. Read more +

Photography: Arthur Mola

superkül goes above and beyond to enlarge a house too small for its owners’ needs. Read more +

superkül recently celebrated its 15th birthday with a party in our brand-new office on Golden Avenue. We warmly welcomed our valued clients, consultants, colleagues and collaborators to this festive event, and enjoyed the opportunity of catching up with one another over cocktails and canapés by local favourite Dundas Park Kitchen.

We thank you all for your contributions to our success over the past 15 years, and eagerly anticipate the privilege of collaborating on more projects in the future…for another 15, 30 or 45 years!

“Sometimes you need a retreat within your retreat.” Learn about how a modern addition transformed Pointe Cabin into a multigenerational cottage.