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Acclaimed Toronto-based firm WZMH Architects, known for office, institutional and highrise residential work across Canada and around the globe, has merged practices with pellow + associates, a firm with a broad retail-focused portfolio. WZMH's extensive portfolio of past work includes the CN Tower, Scotia Plaza, and Royal Bank Plaza, all Toronto landmarks.
The partnership offers an opportunity for purpose-built retail to be more wholly integrated into projects, resulting in true mixed use. Examples include local specialty shops along residential streets or a more robust mix of tenants in larger projects. These projects, with thoughtfully planned office, retail and residential, encapsulate a trend increasingly pursued by owners.
Carl Blanchaer , partner at WHMZ explained the merger, stating “Retail is the key to a bustling street and engaging pedestrian realm, and we are thrilled to join with pellow in continuing to promote the seamless integration of new developments that include strong and considered retail components into the existing urban fabric.”
Pellow's David Moore added “Today’s retail design requires a flexible approach that responds to the everchanging retail environment. We look forward to joining WZMH in incorporating creative retail solutions into larger masterplanned and mixed-use projects.”
Seen from left to right in the image above celebrating the recent expansion of Les Promenades Gatineau, are Carl Blanchaer, John White, and Harrison Chan, principals at WZMH Architects; David Moore and John Ricci, principals at pellow+associates; along with representatives from Oxford Properties Group.
pellow + associates recent high profile retail projects include the Outlet Collection at Niagara, Canada’s largest open-air mall, Toronto’s lifestyle-centered Shops at Don Mills, and the new Coca-Cola Canada headquarters which added three storeys to the top of 333 King Street East.
More recent projects by WZMH Architects include the mixed-use hotel complex Nation Towers in Abu Dhabi, Toronto’s masterplanned community Emerald City, the luxury adaptive reuse project Yorkville Plaza, and the Four Seasons Luxor Resort Hotel in Egypt. They are also executive architect, with Kohn Pedersen Fox, of Toronto’s EY Tower at 100 Adelaide St. West.
While the two practices have begun working together, for the time being they will retain separate offices.
