Four Architects Appointed to Order of Canada

The appointments, announced by Governor General David Johnston, recognize Canadian civilians who have contributed to the country’s fabric through a lifetime of extraordinary achievement. Instituted in Canada’s centennial year of 1967, the Order of Canada remains one of the nation’s highest honours.

Brigitte Shim and A. Howard Sutcliffe of Toronto-based Shim-Sutcliffe Architects Inc. were named members of the Order of Canada “(f)or their contributions as architects designing sophisticated structures that represent the best in Canadian design to the world.”

The firm has earned more than its share of accolades and awards for projects such as the Corkin Gallery and the Craven Road Studio in Toronto and the Muskoka Boat House on Lake Muskoka, among others. Shim-Sutcliffe’s larger-scale projects include the Bet Ha’am Synagogue in Maine and the St. Catherine’s Chapel in the University of Toronto’s Massey College.

Harold Kalman and James K.M. Cheng, both of whom are based out of Vancouver, were also appointed to the Order of Canada.

While Kalman recently retired from consulting, he has been an active figure in the fields of heritage and architecture history. He helped found and remains a principal with Commonwealth Historic Resource Management Ltd, which aims to help preserve, maintain, plan and interpret landscape and nature-based resources. He was named to the Order of Canada “(f)or his contributions to the preservation of Canada’s built heritage, as an architectural historian, practitioner and author.”

Cheng’s work has been instrumental in shaping design within the City of Vancouver with condominium towers made of his signature green glass visible throughout the city. For his work, Cheng has been credited with helping to create “Vancouverism” and was fitting named to the Order of Canada “(f)or helping to develop the Vancouver style of architecture, influencing the face of a city and a generation of Canadian architects.”

By Anthony Morales