ERA Architects
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Founded in 1990, E.R.A. Architects Inc. Our core values embrace fostering professional integrity and expertise through research, education and mentoring.
Architecture, landscape, and planning specialized in heritage conservation, cultural engagement, democratic design, and value-based city and community building. specializes in architecture, landscape, and planning as they relate to historical places, and provides full professional services for both the public and private sectors. Our core interest is in connecting heritage issues to wider consider
03/14/2026
Thanks to everyone who attended The Future of Art and Urban Spaces, a multidisciplinary discussion panel about supporting Toronto’s endangered cultural spaces, co-hosted by ERA’s Art=Waterfront initiative, The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery, and writer and curator Alex Bowron. Stay tuned for a video of the panel that will be published soon!
A huge thanks to Philip Ocampo, Alica Hall, Sandra Brewster, Alex Bowron, Adelina Vlas, and Alessandro Tersigni for their powerful insights about how all of us can better support invaluable spaces for arts and culture across Toronto.
🔗 Read more about ERA’s leadership in creating, maintaining, and expanding cultural spaces at the links in our bio.
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📸 Photography by Mina Markovic
Last night, a splendid gathering of Toronto’s architectural and heritage community feted the publication of "Toronto Edwardian: Frank Darling, Architect of Canada’s Imperial Age" in the delightful ballroom of the old Christie mansion (now Regis College).
Remarks by Tamara Anson-Cartwright, Michael McClelland, and the book’s author, David Winterton, were rousingly concluded with a woodwind duet performed by students from the Glenn Gould School.
Thank you to all who joined us for the book launch and for helping inaugurate our new favourite cocktail, the Darling Fizz! The first monograph on Frank Darling is published by McGill-Queen’s University Press and proudly supported by ERA Architects.
📸 by Mina Markovic
The day has finally come! After years of research, analysis, writing, and travel, real copies of Toronto Edwardian: Frank Darling Architect of Canada’s Imperial Age have landed at ERA!
We couldn’t be happier with the result.
There are so many people to thank, including: the team at MQUP; Sean Blank and Daniela Risi as the project’s steadfast research assistants; and of course the leadership and staff at ERA for supporting this project that will finally shed light on this important Canadian architect.
The book contains fine contemporary photography from Sean Galbraith, Brent Wagler, Ben Rahn of A-Frame and Nigel Molaro of ERA.
We’re so looking forward to celebrating at the book launch next week!
12/15/2025
At the heart of the University of Toronto’s St. George Campus, King’s College Circle has long been a defining open space, a ceremonial landscape, and a daily crossroads for generations of students.
The Landmark Project reimagines this historic setting for the next century of campus life. A coordinated series of landscape transformations removed vehicles from the Circle, restored it as a pedestrian-focused green space, and created new opportunities for gathering, reflection, and movement through the campus core. Below the renewed lawn, a new underground parking structure integrates essential infrastructure discreetly within the historic urban landscape.
Prime architects: / .inc
🔗 Learn more about this project on our website
📸 by
12/15/2025
At the heart of the University of Toronto’s St. George Campus, King’s College Circle has long been a defining open space, a ceremonial landscape, and a daily crossroads for generations of students.
The Landmark Project reimagines this historic setting for the next century of campus life. A coordinated series of landscape transformations removed vehicles from the Circle, restored it as a pedestrian-focused green space, and created new opportunities for gathering, reflection, and movement through the campus core. Below the renewed lawn, a new underground parking structure integrates essential infrastructure discreetly within the historic urban landscape.
Prime architects: / .inc
🔗 Learn more about this project on our website
📸 by
We’re proud to announce the beginning of construction of the Ray McCleary Towers Net Zero Retrofit at 444 Logan Avenue, one of Canada’s most ambitious Net Zero Carbon retrofits.
This landmark Tower Renewal initiative pioneers a prefabricated high-rise envelope retrofit model — among the first of its kind in Canada. This approach allows residents to remain safely in place while achieving deep reductions in carbon emissions, energy use, and operating costs to help ensure affordability and climate resilience for decades to come.
Led by Community Housing and supported by , Natural Resources Canada, The Atmospheric Fund (TAF), The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and the . We’re excited to work with these partners to demonstrate how Canada’s aging apartment towers can become a foundation for low-carbon, affordable housing innovation nationwide.
🔗 Read more through the link in our bio
🎥 .ca
For this year’s spooky season, ERA’s resident sign expert and co-editor of , has compiled a walk through some of Toronto’s most conspicuous ghost signs.
Here we see the Lowe’s Theatre ghost sign on Victoria Street. Originally painted over a century ago, it was restored by in 2022.
🔗Read the full article at the link in our bio
📸 Photos by and
10/28/2025
Thank you to and for co-hosting the 2025 National Trust for Canada Conference in beautiful Kjipuktuk (Halifax). Our staff had a great time attending this year’s presentations, tours, workshops, and field sessions!
This year’s theme, “Heritage Now!”, explored how heritage can respond to today’s most urgent challenges — from climate change and housing pressures to equity and representation. Halifax’s rich heritage and vibrant cultural landscape made it the perfect setting for these conversations.
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1. Lighthouse on Georges Island National Historic Site
2. Africville Museum
3. Town Clock on Citadel Hill
4. Argyle Street Entertainment District
5. Granville Park on Upper Water Street
Congratulations to ERA founding principal Michael McClelland for winning Heritage Toronto’s Special Achievement Award!
The Heritage Toronto Board noted that Michael’s work has “transformed how we understand, conserve, and experience Toronto’s built heritage… His vision of heritage as a tool for equity, sustainability, and community-building has broadened the scope of what, and who, heritage represents.”
🔗Watch the full video on our channelm.mcclelland
10/21/2025
We’re proud to share that at the 50th annual Awards, our co-founding principal .m.mcclelland received the Special Achievement Award in recognition of his contributions to Toronto’s heritage.
Three ERA projects were also recognized in the Built Heritage category:
Deer Park Church – Crafts & Trades
FitzGerald Building – Adaptive Reuse
2 Queen Street West – Planning & Architecture
We extend our thanks to all of our collaborators and congratulate this year’s winners and nominees who continue to celebrate and protect Toronto’s heritage.
10/07/2025
The transformation of the Pilkington Glass Complex at 15–35 Mercer Street has reached substantial completion.
Once home to the Pilkington Glass Company from 1895 to 1969, the site’s three heritage buildings have been retained and adapted as part of a new two-tower development that introduces Canada’s first Nobu Restaurant, Hotel and Residences.
Led by and , ERA worked closely with the design team to develop strategies for conserving and sensitively adapting the retained heritage fabric. Highlights include the reinstatement of missing heritage elements, accessibility upgrades, and the meticulous reconstruction of the Vitrolite glass-clad lobby at 31 Mercer Street.
🔗 Learn more on our website.
📸 by Mina Markovic and .ca.
📸 Images 5 & 7 by
10/03/2025
Construction has recently wrapped on the rehabilitation of the Drug Trading Company Building at 25 Ontario Street.
Built between 1942 and 1946 with a distinctive Art Deco and Streamline Moderne façade by Margison and Babcock Engineers, the building has been carefully adapted as a high-performance workplace office tower.
Led by , ERA provided heritage planning, conservation strategy, and oversight of stabilization and restoration. Original features such as the decorative metal entrance doors, pinned metal signage, and T-profile steel windows were reinstated, while sensitive repairs and adaptive interventions ensured long-term stability and functionality.
🔗Head to our website to read more.
📸 Drone shots by .ca.
📸 Detail shots by .
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Address
625 Church Street, Suite 600
Toronto, ON
M4Y2G1
Opening Hours
| Monday | 9am - 5pm |
| Tuesday | 9am - 5pm |
| Wednesday | 9am - 5pm |
| Thursday | 9am - 5pm |
| Friday | 9am - 5pm |