Diamond Schmitt Architects Explained

Diamond Schmitt Architects Inc.
Type:	Private
Industry:	Architecture
Location:	Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Founders:	Jack Diamond Donald Schmitt
Foundation:	1975
Services:	Architecture, Urban Design, Master Planning
Homepage:	www.dsai.ca

Diamond Schmitt Architects is a Canadian architectural firm founded in 1975. It is headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. The firm was founded by architects Jack Diamond and Donald Schmitt.^[1]

History

Diamond was the founding director of the University of Toronto's Master of Architecture program. Diamond worked closely with Barton Myers, an American and Canadian architect, and is currently the president of Barton Myers Associates Inc. Myers established his own practice with Diamond in Toronto in 1968. Starting this year, the architects founded their new firm Diamond and Myers. The two eventually split in 1975. Diamond Schmitt Architecture would not officially begin until 1974 when Jack Diamond established his own firm, A.J Diamond Architects.

It was around this time that the partnership between Jack Diamond and Donald Schmitt began. Schmitt studied architecture at the University of Toronto where Diamond had worked, continuing his education until 1978. After thirteen years of A.J. Diamond Architects, in 1989, the firm had developed further when Jack Diamond partnered with Schmitt.^[2]

Founding

Abel Joseph "Jack" Diamond was born in 1932 in South Africa, and had arrived in Canada in 1964, the same year he started working for the University of Toronto. In 1970, Diamond had begun renovating a ceramics manufacturing plant, and adding living spaces on one of the floors.^[3] Five years later, Diamond established his company A.J Diamond architects, and three years later he would form his partnership with Donald Schmitt and Company.

Donald Schmitt was born 1951 in South Porcupine, a small mining town in northern Ontario. He went to high school at the University of Toronto Schools (UTS) and studied afterwards at the University of Toronto Faculty of Architecture.

Apart from the firm's founding principals, there are also 19 other principals, 12 senior associates, 37 associates, 8 directors, 129 registered graduates and student architects, and a support staff of 43.^[4]

Work in progress

• Ādisōke, the new Ottawa Public Library – Library and Archives Canada joint facility, Ottawa, Ontario^[5]
• Atlantic Science Enterprise Centre, Moncton, New Brunswick^[6]
• Clinical Support and Research Centre at St. Paul’s Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia^[7]
• Dani Reiss Modern and Contemporary Gallery at the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Ontario^[8]
• New Brunswick Museum, St. John, New Brunswick^[9]
• Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health at the University of Toronto - Scarborough Campus, Scarborough, Ontario^[10]
• School of Medicine at Toronto Metropolitan University, Brampton, Ontario^[11]
• Temerty Faculty of Medicine's new James and Louise Temerty Building at the University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario^[12]
• The New Vic at McGill University, Montreal, Quebec^[13]
• York University's Markham Campus, Markham, Ontario^[14]

Awards

Diamond Schmitt Architects has received numerous regional, national and international awards for excellence in design. The firm was recognized in 2009 by Deloitte LLP, the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, KPMG, and the Queen's University School of Business as being one of the 50 Best Managed Companies in Canada.^[15]

Canadian Governor General's Awards for Architecture

• Village Terrace, Toronto, Ontario, 1985^[16]
• Citadel Theatre, Edmonton, Alberta, 1986
• Metro Toronto YMCA, Toronto, Ontario, 1986
• Earth Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, 1994
• Richmond Hill Central Library, Richmond Hill, Ontario, 1994
• York University Student Centre, Toronto, Ontario, 1996
• Bridgepoint Hospital, Toronto, Ontario 2016

Ontario Architect's Association Awards

• 2024: David Geffen Hall^[17]
• 2022: Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts and Sciences^[18]
• 2020: Senate of Canada Building in joint Venture with KWC Architects Inc^[19]
• 2007: Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts

BusinessWeek/Architectural Record Awards

• 2004: Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jerusalem, Israel^[20]
• 2007: The Four Seasons Center for the Performing Arts, Toronto, Ontario, Canada^[21]
• 2008: Shakespeare Theatre at the Harman Center for the Arts, Washington, D.C., USA^[22]

Notes and References

1. Robinson, John. "Architecture for the People." Toronto Star, 26 April 1987.
2. Web site: Abel Joseph "Jack" Diamond . The Canadian Encyclopedia.
3. Web site: 17 October 2014 . A drink with architect Jack Diamond . Toronto Star.
4. Web site: Studio . Diamond Schmitt Architects.
5. Web site: New Ādisōke public library in Ottawa tops out . 24 November 2023 .
6. https://www.canada.ca/en/public-services-procurement/news/2021/12/government-of-canada-awards-contracts-for-design-and-construction-of-atlantic-science-enterprise-centre-providing-opportunities-for-indigenous-busi.html
7. Web site: McPherson . David . April 16, 2024 . Sky bridge to connect new state-of-the-art research facility to Vancouver's St. Paul's hospital . The Globe and Mail.
8. Web site: Humber . Larry . March 2, 2023 . Art Gallery of Ontario reveals designs for new $73m modern and contemporary art wing . The Art Newspaper.
9. Web site: Roche . Daniel Jonas . March 25, 2024 . Diamond Schmitt unveils New Brunswick Museum design in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada . The Architect's Newspaper.
10. Web site: McPherson . David . November 21, 2023 . New University of Toronto medical school to address shortage of health care professionals in Scarborough . The Globe and Mail.
11. Web site: Immen . Wallace . May 21, 2024 . Transforming a brutalist building into a state-of-the-art medical school . The Globe and Mail.
12. Web site: July 19, 2023 . Architects selected by University of Toronto for James and Louise Temerty Building . Canadian Architect.
13. Web site: Jeanfrancois . Moses . January 30, 2024 . New Vic, New Life: Diamond Schmitt shares design for McGill University's sustainable expansion at The New Vic . The Architect's Newspaper.
14. Web site: July 28, 2020 . Diamond Schmitt designs new campus for York University . Canadian Architect.
15. Web site: dead . Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies . https://web.archive.org/web/20070927234942/https://www.canadas50best.com/ . 27 September 2007 .
16. Web site: dead . Governor General's Medals Recipients . Royal Architectural Institute of Canada . https://web.archive.org/web/20140502055926/http://raic.org/honours_and_awards/awards_gg_medals/gg-pastrecipients_e.htm . 2 May 2014 .
17. Web site: April 5, 2024 . Ontario Association of Architects Reveals 2024 Design Excellence Awards Winners . Canadian Architect.
18. Web site: April 6, 2024 . OAA Reveals Design Excellence and Service Award Winners . Canadian Architect.
19. Web site: Past OAA Award Winners . Ontario Association of Architects .
20. Web site: dead . BusinessWeek/Architectural Record Awards 2004 . Architectural Record . https://web.archive.org/web/20150905141900/http://archrecord.construction.com/features/bwarAwards/2004.asp . Sep 5, 2015 .
21. Web site: dead . BusinessWeek/Architectural Record Awards 2007 . Architectural Record . https://web.archive.org/web/20150905171521/http://archrecord.construction.com/features/bwarAwards/2007.asp . Sep 5, 2015 .
22. Web site: dead . BusinessWeek/Architectural Record Awards 2008 . Architectural Record . https://web.archive.org/web/20081216063228/http://archrecord.construction.com/features/bwarAwards/default.asp . Dec 16, 2008 .