May 09, 2025
We are happy to announce that the winner of the last month's JMA Architectural Scavenger Hunt is..... Mike Jepson who was the first to identify the April clue: the Waterloo Public Library Eastside Branch at RIM Park in Waterloo, which was designed in joint venture with ward99 architects.
A bit about the WPL Eastside Branch:
This bright and welcoming library received the 2022 Best New Library Building prize from the Ontario Library Association.
The design of this library included numerous environmental features, such as a roof designed to support solar panels in the future; a Trombe solar wall that preheats ventilation air during the winter; and fritted glass that is bird-friendly.
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June 11, 2025
We are happy to announce that the winner of the last month's JMA Architectural Scavenger Hunt is... Paul Lucier, who was the first to identify the May clue: the paramedic services station at Weber St. West and Water St. North in Kitchener.
A bit about this paramedic services station:
Completed in 2014, this small station with just one bay, fits two ambulances, parked in tandem. These stations have highly standardized operational components, consistent with other stations around the Region of Waterloo. This particular station had to also comply with City of Kitchener regulations for downtown urban development. This produced the concrete storefront façade addressing Weber Street and a front door entrance facing Water St. The variou…
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April 28, 2025
We're pleased to announced that John MacDonald Architect and Mark McInnis have received the Lieutenant Governor's Ontario Heritage Award for Excellence in Conservation for the adaptive reuse of the former Dickson Public School in Cambridge. At a ceremony held on Friday, April 25, 2025, at the Grand Staircase of the Legislative Building at Queen's Park in Toronto, John MacDonald, and Mark McInnis, accepted the award for Excellence in Conservation presented to Dickson Public School Adaptive Reuse, for exceptional achievement in conserving Ontario’s heritage. The Honourable Edith Dumont, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, and John Ecker, Chair of the the Ontario Heritage Trust celebrated projects and individuals who made exceptional co…
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April 21, 2025
Our staff are looking forward to once again participating in Jane's Walk, the annual community-based approach to city building that uses volunteer-led walking tours to encourage people to rediscover the value of walking, and to observe, reflect, share, question and re-imagine the places in which they live, work and play. This year, both John and Scott have Jane's Walks planned for the first full weekend of May (2-4).
Sharing Kingsdale Stories, with John
Neighbourhood and community are built from our individual stories. We live and grow by creating memories and patterns that turn streets, buildings, and parks into places of belonging. By sharing our everyday experiences, hopes and dreams for the spaces in which we live, we enrich one another and create c…
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April 11, 2025
We are happy to announce that the winner of the last month's JMA Architectural Scavenger Hunt is..... Dave Pawelko, who was the first to identify the March clue: the Nyle Ludolph Materials Recycling Center at 925 Erb Street West in Waterloo.
A bit about the Waterloo Region Materials Recycling Centre:
The building expansion was needed to handle the increased volume of material being collected through the blue box program. The bright blue boxy building visible from afar is a fun reminder of the local origins of this program that Nyle Ludolph, our local recycling champion, pioneered in the 70’s & 80’s.
The list of “must haves” for the renovation & expansion was complex, in tha…
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March 11, 2025
We are happy to announce that the winner of the last month's JMA Architectural Scavenger Hunt is..... Yvonne Ip who was the first to identify the February clue: the Region of Waterloo International Airport terminal, located at 4881 Fountain St N #1, Breslau.
A bit about the Region of Waterloo International Airport:
It was very exciting for us when we were commissioned to design of the regional airport, alongside ZAS. It was 2001, and we were just six years old!
The new terminal for the growing airport would include scheduled domestic and international flights.
Design work for the airport was well underway when 9/11 happened, causing the design work to pivot, as new security regulations came into effect quite quick…
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February 14, 2025
John MacDonald Architect continues to grow, and we invite you to help shape our Journey
Our forward-thinking design studio of twelve or so is presently working on a wide range of projects including heritage properties, mixed use and multi-res developments, emergency services and other public use facilities, public spaces, interior design, adaptive re-use, and custom residential projects. If you can bring a unique skillset(s) to our dynamic team and would like to assist us with our expanding project load, we'd like to hear from you.
The successful applicant will be involved with all phases of project development, including client / subconsultant support and will work in person at our open, light-fill…
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February 11, 2025
We are happy to announce that the winner of the last month's JMA Architectural Scavenger Hunt is..... Kim Lane, who was the first to identify the January clue: The Blacksmith Shop at Doon Heritage Village, located at 10 Huron Road, Kitchener.
A bit about the Doon Blacksmith Shop:
Doon Heritage Village showcases what a small town in this area would have been like in 1914. The inspiration for this small building was the Valentine Gies Blacksmith Shop, built around 1894 and originally located in Conestogo, Waterloo County.
The requirements for the Blacksmith Shop made its design particularly fun. It was completed in 2004, but it had to look as if it was a 20 year old building in 1914. In clos…
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January 30, 2025
On December 20, 2024, John MacDonald Architect (JMA) held a three hour design charrette (an intense collaborative design effort to produce and articulate ideas) for the Charles Street Bus Terminal site. The intention of this brief exercise was to imagine the possibilities and broaden the conversation in the community.
Visions were generated by four groups, each with three staff members and one community guest, as follows:
Group 1 had Mila Wiggins, Maria Meli and Mitali Dembla from JMA and guest Kevin Curtis, with a background in planning and extensive knowledge of regional planning matters.
Group 2 had Ashley Jardin, Esraa Saad and Scott Clark from JMA and guest Sandra Dunn, artist / blacksmith of Two Sm…
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January 10, 2025
We are happy to announce that the winner of the last month's JMA Architectural Scavenger Hunt is..... Tobias Gallas! being the first to identify the December clue: the Dickson Public School adaptive reuse, located at 65 St. Andrews Street, Cambridge, ON.
A bit about the Dickson Public School adaptive reuse:
Dickson Public School is a prominent city landmark as one ascends the St. Andrews Street hill from downtown Galt. This impressive 19th Century stone school building has recentlybeen repurposed into a residential building with 10 large units. The adaptive reuse of the Dickson Public School has not just saved it from falling into disrepair, but has brought into the community much needed residen…
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December 11, 2024
We are happy to announce that the winner of the last month's JMA Architectural Scavenger Hunt is..... Spencer Rand! being the first to identify the November clue: Norfolk Family Health Team's Simcoe expansion, located in Simcoe, ON.
Spencer, let us know if you want coffee from Matter of Taste, or an ice cream gift card from Four All, and swing by our office to pick up your price! It will be really nice to see you.
A bit about the Norfolk Family Health Team expansion:
This interior fit-up allowed the Team to expand into a spacious, fully accessible, central location in Simcoe. The ground floor facility (over 12,300 s.f.) now includes exam rooms, …
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Scott
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August 02, 2023
Thanks Nolan. If you can think of anything to add to the list, we'd be interested to hear from you.
Nolan Bentley
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August 01, 2023
I am going measuring tomorrow so this is a timely reflection :-) thx!
