March 22, 2022
Francis Green - Google Earth
Our staff occasionally assemble on Friday afternoons for an office exercise we call Things We Like. Centred around a theme determined earlier in the week, staff are invited to share examples of relevant things they enjoy. Since our first Things We Like in 2016, our staff have participated in 75 of these exercises. Some themes are intended to generate ideas for projects we're working on, while others are simply intended to encourage creativity and generate discussion about things we'd like to see in our community.
Preliminary Sketch of Downtown Kitchener, 1965 - Toronto Star
In May 2018, we met to reenvision Francis Green, the public space located at King and Francis in downtown Kitchener. This prominent corner wh…
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April 26, 2023
Our staff will once again be 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 (6-7).
Balzer-Manitou Trail: Parkway Potential, with Scott
Take a stroll with Scott Clark of John MacDonald Architect down Schneider Creek into the Balzer Greenway, following the route of a planned active transportation connection. Along the way, we'll look at the history of the Balzer farm, as well as discuss desire lines, local infrast…
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January 11, 2023
A polar bear carved out of snow in Kitchener's Victoria Park neighbourhood
Propinquity was the theme of the 29th annual Celebration of the Festival of Neighbourhoods. So what is propinquity? A standard definition is that it refers to the physical or psychological proximity between people. In the context of neighbourhoods and cities, it describes the likelihood of coming into contact with other people. So, a place that has qualities which encourage opportunities for encounters and interactions between strangers can be said to have propinquity.
Propinquity usually exists as a result of many different factors, especially those related to the built environment. However, an equally important factor is neighbourliness. By being a good neighbour, you can help incre…
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September 01, 2022
John MacDonald Architect is growing. Our forward-thinking studio of ten or so is presently working on a vast range of projects including adaptive re-use of heritage properties, residential care (including emergency shelters, group homes, and supportive housing), and various institutional projects including library exterior / accessibility renovations, public spaces, office renovations, and maintenance facilities, as well as a handful of private residences. 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 downt…
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July 11, 2022
Eastside Branch Design Team
We're pleased to share that the Waterloo Public Library's new Eastside Branch Library has been awarded the 2022 New Library Building Award by the Ontario Library Association (OLA). According to John MacDonald: “These are the awards we cherish, where clients and their community confirm that the performing facility meets their needs, inspires their use, and validates the trust they have placed in us.”
Commitment to community development, architectural & technological innovation, and creative advancements that emphasize local connections are important aspects that are embodied by the recipients of the New Library Building Award. The award aims to encourage and showcase excellence in the design of n…
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June 14, 2022
John MacDonald Architect is interested in hiring one to several architecture or architecture engineering student(s) to join our team in Kitchener. Undergraduate and graduate students seeking co-op placements are encouraged to apply. Preference is for a student able to start September 2022.
Our office is a small team of ten or so that is presently working on a vast range of projects including adaptive re-use of heritage properties, residential care (including emergency shelters, group homes, and supportive housing), and various institutional projects including library exterior / accessibility renovations, office renovations, and maintenance facilities, as well as a handful of private residences.
We offer exposure to all phases of…
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Tags: JMA
April 19, 2022
It has become something of an office tradition for our staff to participate 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. With the return to in-person events for 2022, no less than three of our staff members have planned Jane's Walks for the first full weekend of May (7-8).
The Towers Among Us, with John
On Saturday afternoon, John is inviting the community on a walk around downtown to learn about the history of architectural towers and the factors that govern their design. …
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Tags: Community
March 15, 2022
John MacDonald Architect is interested in hiring an architecture student to join our team in Kitchener. Undergraduate students seeking co-op placements are encouraged to apply. Preference is for a student able to start May 2022.
Our office is a small team of eight that is presently working on a vast range of projects including adaptive reuse of heritage properties, residential care (including emergency shelters, group homes, and supportive housing), and various institutional projects including a library, office renovations, and maintenance facilities, as well as a handful of private residences. We offer exposure to all phases of project development and mentorship from the firm principal and senior level staff.
The successful applicant will work in perso…
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Tags: JMA
March 03, 2022
John was recently invited to deliver a keynote address to the Southern Ontario Growth Conference, organized by 50 by 2030 Waterloo Region. The focus of the second day, when John spoke, was to help municipalities connect with organizations, experts, academia and other municipalities who have knowledge and resources to help them better incorporate responses to climate change into their official plans.
John's address, titled The middle isn’t missing, it has been misplaced, is now up on YouTube and can be viewed below:
With respect to the planning of our communities, John's keynote advocates for fundamental changes to the planning process, and for transparency in the planners' role, to give us hope for different result…
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November 03, 2021
Stage 1: Information Package
John MacDonald Architect is looking for a bright professional to join our Waterloo Region firm. We wish to augment and diversify our capacity in the key areas of communication and information management, project team support, marketing and promotion.
Our Firm
Our small, full service design consultancy provides personal and caring service from project conception to completion. We apply our processes and expertise on behalf of a wide variety of clients, for projects ranging in scale from urban to building to interior and object design.
We are often the co-ordinating centre of an overall project team, focusing client and other consultants to the task at hand. We lead multi-disciplinary teams that integrate creativity…
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August 26, 2021
Enrich your experience of architecture with tips on how to draw from your own perceptions.
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