Diamond and Schmitt Architects Incorporated
Toronto, ON
Company Overview
Diamond and Schmitt Architects have received national and international recognition for programming studies, renovations and new buildings that achieve design excellence, display a deep understanding of libraries and the communities where they are located and are innovative in the way in which user satisfaction is achieved.
The firm was established in 1975 and is comprised of two partners, fifty-five registered and graduate architects, of whom five are associates, five technicians, two registered planners and a support staff of twelve, seventy-six in all.
Mission: The firm seeks to achieve a high standard of excellence. Popular success has been achieved by unremitting attention to user needs and aspirations. Critical recognition has been achieved through commitment to design from first principles. We take pride in designing buildings which support both the ideals and the functional requirements of its users.
Design Excellence: The firm has received 86 medals and regional, national and international awards for design excellence. These include six Governor General's Medals and Awards. More important than awards, however, is the ability to design from first principles and create architectural excellence commensurate with the stature of the institution.
Project Management: The early planning stages of a project are particularly critical to the outcome, and we have developed an approach that ensures we have all the important information at hand and all the crucial systems in place before design development gets underway. Once preparations are complete, we take great care to maintain strict control over the design, documentation and construction processes, especially with respect to schedule, costs, and quality.
Schedule: Our firm has had great success in controlling schedules. For example, at George Brown College we completed the renovation of 160, 000 s. f. at a cost of $16.5 million, from design to completion of construction and occupancy in 6 months. In 1997 the Kingston Library was designed and built in 10 months. In 1999, three months after we were retained as architects construction began on site for the $95M, 560, 000 square foot Bahen Centre for Information Technology at the University of Toronto. Also in 1999 we completed design and tender documents on a $45M wing at St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto which was tendered $800, 000 under budget.
Cost Control Methodology: In our firm cost control is not simply a question of managing the design and construction process well but of designing solutions that are intrinsically economic. In this way economies in operating as well as capital costs can be achieved. In terms of managing projects well, we have refined an extremely effective cost control system with our cost consultant, in which cost budgeting and cost estimating is used. This allows all concerned to evaluate the systems and materials to be employed. In effect it uses cost control as a design tool.
Company Information
Physical Address
300-384 Adelaide St W
Toronto, ON M5V 1R7
CA
Mailing Address
300-384 Adelaide St W
Toronto, ON M5V 1R7
CA
Additional Details
Legal Name: Diamond and Schmitt Architects Incorporated
Number of Employees: 76
CA
Computer technology is a rapidly changing and developing field. Diamond and Schmitt Architects Incorporated maintain a leading position in utilizing, adapting and developing computer programs for the work of the firm.
Remarkable three dimensional modeling programs allow both the members of the firm and clients to test and refine options for site planning, landscape, building massing, shadow studies, plan configurations, construction systems, interior layouts, furniture arrangements, colours, textures and even lighting. Designs refined in this manner can then be transferred to production drawings.
The computer drawings have the ability to be linked to costing systems and building specifications. As a result, coordination with mechanical, electrical and structural engineering is achieved with speed and precision. The firms data bases can be used to produce management systems and other forms of information and control throughout the life of buildings, landscape or urban systems.
Besides the workstations used in technical fields, the office uses a network of personal computers for project planning and management, graphic production and information storage. In our commitment to remain on the leading edge of technological development we continue to explore and develop techniques that allow us to provide the best possible service in the fields of architecture, landscape architecture and planning.
Corporate Expertise:
----------------------- Architecture and Urban Planning
Corporate Language Capabilities:
----------------------- Chinese, Czech, English, English or French, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Korean, Russian
Proj: Israeli Foreign Ministry Country: Israel Contribution:
The plan is designed to meet the particular requirements of the Foreign Ministry of Israel. The 40, 000 square meter building is also intended to be a prototype of secure office design in a Middle Eastern context.
The foundation of the design is efficient and flexible office space. Configuration, column and window spacing, raised accessible floors and core design have all been planned to meet the highest standards of office accommodation, and to accept the widest range of office layouts. This has been achieved while satisfying structural economies and providing universal heating, ventilating, air conditioning, power and telecommunications distribution. Security measures have been incorporated throughout, including an innovative blast resistant wall assembly for the main reception space.
The design also accommodates elements appropriate to state and ceremonial functions. The $70.0M (US) project is scheduled for completion in February 2002.
Contacts
Services
- Architect - Architectural Programming
- Architect - Commercial (low Rise)
- Architect - Education - Other
- Architect - Education - Universities
- Architect - Energy Analysis
- Architect - Feasibility Study
- Architect - Functional Programming
- Architect - Government
- Architect - Health Care - Hospitals
- Architect - Health Care - Other
- Architect - Hotels/Tourism
- Architect - Interior Design
- Architect - Landscape Architecture
- Architect - Master Planning
- Architect - Office Building - High Rise
- Architect - Office Building - Low Rise
- Architect - Other (specify)
- Architect - Project Construction Management
- Architect - Residential - High Rise
- Architect - Residential - Low Cost
- Architect - Residential - Single Family
- Architect - Site Analysis
- Architect - Sports Facilities
- Architect - Urban Design
NAICS Categories
Additional Information
541310
Algeria, China, Cuba, Iran, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, United Kingdom, United States