Aqualuna – Kirkor Architects and Planners

MEDIA POSTS

Is there a business case for sustainability in the

Is there a business case for sustainability in the profession of architecture?

As architects, our role as “master mediator” is to ensure the goals set by our clients and respective stakeholders are achieved on time and on budget. Sustainability is a key piece that, when brought to the forefront of decision making, means we design and build responsibly and in a climate-conscious way.

Our clients are seeking sustainable solutions and are looking to us for our expertise in understanding how structures and spaces are constructed and evolve over time. These solutions take into account technological advancements, societal changes, environmental considerations, and other relevant factors.

In the movement toward a low carbon future, we are advisors to our clients, guiding them toward decarbonization as we analyze construction specifications in a two-fold process:

1) Standard Specification - Determine and measure the Global Warming Potential (GWP) or unit of carbon emission, of every product used within the baseline/standard specification and,
2) Decarbonized Specification - Vet out low-carbon alternatives for application in projects with GWP values determined for those respective products.

This is the beginning of the Carbon Coalition.

Learn more about how architects have a key role in driving sustainability - stay tuned for our upcoming blog!

Bianca is an urban nine-storey mid-rise condominiu

Bianca is an urban nine-storey mid-rise condominium and an extraordinary example of our partnership work with @teeplearchitects. Projects like this, that employ the design architect/architect of record strategy, allow for meaningful architecture to take root while capitalizing on exceptional production teams to create buildings that are changing the fabric of our communities.

Registered as a LEED Gold Certified building, Bianca exceeds the Ontario Building Code’s requirement for energy efficiency by 27.7% with advanced heating and cooling technologies such as Variable Refrigerant Flow. From its interior to exterior, its most prominent sustainability feature materializes biophilic design. With 18,000 square feet of green roof that provides shade, reduces temperatures of surfaces and surroundings, and houses over 7000 square feet of water efficient plant material, residents can easily connect with nature from home. Bianca’s rooftop terrace is generously detailed with purposeful lush greenery throughout, and its other amenity spaces are intentionally designed with large windows that expose natural lighting and views of lively plants and trees.

Setting a benchmark for responsible urban development in Toronto, Bianca is a testament to our commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship.

Developer: @tridelcommunities
Photography by: Scott Norsworthy

We are very proud to announce that we have achieve

We are very proud to announce that we have achieved CanBIM Company Certification! Recognition as a certified company marks a milestone in KIRKOR’s implementation of Building Information Modeling (BIM), a core component of our work philosophy initiated in the early mid-2000s. Since adopting BIM, the way we deliver advanced services and solutions to our clients continues to evolve, underscoring our commitment to excellence in architecture.

To Jimmy Su, Noah Decock, Taylor Leong, Richard Chan, Tomas Lobo-Guerrero, Nicole Garcia, Derek Rudder, Alex Pitton, Jayvee Villanueva, Miles Dutton, and KIRKOR’s Director of Digital Practice, Jeremy McMartin, we commend you on the thousands of hours you’ve contributed to achieve CanBIM Professional Certification. Your eagerness to learn drives our collective success, and we will continue to support the team’s professional development as you lead KIRKOR’s BIM processes and technologies.

Thank you to the CanBIM Certification Assessment Panel and the Board of Directors of Building Transformations for your leadership through the group certification program, and for including us in this transformative community! We are eager to connect with more like-minded professionals, ensuring that buildings are designed and constructed with precision, efficiency, and the future in mind.

#wedesignliving #architecture #architect #architecturelovers #architectural #modernarchitecture #architecturedesign #archdaily #archilovers #interiordesign #canbim #toronto #torontolife #torontorealestate #torontoarchitecture #torontobuildings #bim #torontophotography #torontoblogger #torontoarchitect #torontoarchitecture #torontodesign #torontohomes #torontobuilding #torontointeriordesign #torontorealestate

Sitting on what was once home to a 1900s hotel, Th

Sitting on what was once home to a 1900s hotel, The Waverley, now a 15-storey mixed-use building, embraces the former hotel’s charm and its vibrant vestiges. Together with @fitzrovialife we transformed an underutilized site into a contemporary rental community and reconstructed The Silver Dollar, including its original sign. Not only did we rehouse a prized a cultural heritage landmark, but as @torontolife highlights, the Waverley successfully innovates the traditional residential lobby.

Located at one of Toronto’s liveliest intersections, College and Spadina, The Waverley introduces retail into its boutique lobby, creating a blended, multi-use space that is open to the public while also serving its purpose as the building’s entrance. With culturally-rich interiors designed by @thedesignagency and home to the popular @10deancafe, the lobby lounge fulfills merits of placemaking, earning a spot on @torontolife’s list of the city’s “swankiest condo lobbies”.

‘We Design Living’ by studying the character of urban spaces and interplaying programming and design with local cultures to enhance living experiences and enliven surrounding communities.

#wedesignliving #architecture #architect #architecturelovers #architectural #modernarchitecture #architecturedesign #archdaily #archilovers #interiordesign #architecturalphotography #toronto #torontolife #torontorealestate #torontoarchitecture #torontobuildings #torontoart #torontophotography #torontoblogger #torontoarchitect #torontoarchitecture #torontodesign #torontohomes #torontobuilding #torontointeriordesign #torontorealestate #torontoluxuryhomes #torontocondos #torontorenovation

Led by Director of Sustainability, Lara Gumushdjia

Led by Director of Sustainability, Lara Gumushdjian, our Carbon Coalition team is unlocking solutions and addressing the carbon emissions in architecture.

Discover the pivotal role buildings play in global warming and how KIRKOR’s strategic approach aims to mitigate this impact. Dive into our latest blog for insights. Link in bio.

#CarbonCoalition #SmallStepsBigChanges #Sustainability #CarbonFootprint

Over the coming weeks and months, we will be shari

Over the coming weeks and months, we will be sharing what we’ve found as a result of this initiative to build awareness through advocacy and education.

The goal: to bring people together through leadership, and to create meaningful change now in our joint efforts towards reducing embodied carbon in buildings.

This is the beginning of the Carbon Coalition...

#beaninitiatorofchange #smallstepsbigchanges #carboncoalition #earthday