Donald Schmitt Explained

Donald Schmitt (born 1951) is a Canadian architect.^[1]

Born in 1951 in South Porcupine, a mining town in northern Ontario, he went to high school at the University of Toronto Schools (UTS) and studied afterwards at the University of Toronto Faculty of Architecture.

Donald Schmitt has practiced architecture with A.J Diamond since 1978 and is a Principal in the firm currently known as Diamond Schmitt Architects Incorporated.

He is the Founding Chair of the Public Art Commission for the City of Toronto for which he was awarded the Civic Medal and is currently a member of the University of Toronto Design Review Panel.^[2] He served on the Design Review Panel of the National Capital Commission^[3] for over a decade and for many years for Waterfront Toronto.^[4]

Buildings of note

• 1983: Metro Toronto YMCA, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• 2002: Bahen Centre for Information Technology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada^{[5] [6]}
• 2002: University of Ontario Institute of Technology Master Plan
• 2003: Max M. Fisher Music Center, Detroit, Michigan, USA
• 2004: Pierre Berton Resource Library, Vaughan, Ontario, Canada^[7]
• 2005: University of Guelph-Humber Academic Building, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• 2008: Cambridge City Hall, Cambridge, Ontario, Canada
• 2010: Evergreen Brick Works Centre for Sustainability, Toronto, Ontario, Canada^[8]
• 2012: Daniels Spectrum, Toronto, Ontario, Canada^[9]
• 2013: Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning at the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• 2017: Emily Carr University of Art+Design, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
• 2017: National Arts Centre Rejuvenation, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada^[10]
• 2017: The Globe and Mail Centre, Toronto, Ontario^[11]
• 2019: The Senate of Canada Building, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada^[12]
• 2021: The Drake Hotel's new Modern Wing, Toronto, Ontario, Canada^[13]
• 2022: David Geffen Hall, New York, New York, USA^[14]

Work in Progress

• Ādisōke, Ottawa Public Library - Library and Archives Canada joint facility, Ottawa, Ontario^[15]
• Dani Reiss Modern and Contemporary Gallery at the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Ontario^[16]
• Clinical Support and Research Centre at St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia^[17]
• New Brunswick Museum, Saint John, New Brunswick^[18]
• Park Road, Toronto, Ontario^[19]
• Temerty Faculty of Medicine's new James and Louise Temerty Building at the University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario^[20]

Publications

1996: Works: The Architecture of A.J. Diamond, Donald Schmitt and Company, 1968-1995^[21]

2008: Insight and On Site, The Architecture of Diamond and Schmitt^{[22] [23]}

2024: Set Pieces: Architecture for the Performing Arts in Fifteen Fragments^[24]

Awards

• 2019 Order of Canada^[25]

External links

• Diamond and Schmitt Architects Incorporated

Notes and References

1. Robinson, John. "Architecture for the People." Toronto Star, April 26, 1987
2. Web site: DRC Members .
3. Web site: National Capitol Commission Advisory Committee on Planning, Design and Realty . 2009-07-03 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110122134722/http://www.canadascapital.gc.ca/bins/ncc_web_content_page.asp?cid=16302-22555-22568-23145&lang=1 . 2011-01-22 . dead .
4. Web site: Donald Schmitt . 7 February 2019 .
5. http://www.greatspaces.utoronto.ca/projects/bahen.htm University of Toronto Capital Projects
6. Polo, Marco. "Green Giant." Canadian Architect, January 2003
7. http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6370907.html Oder, Norman. "Looking Snazzy on the Inside." Library Journal 15 09. 2006.
8. Web site: An ever changing face at the Brick Works." World Architecture News 23 11. 2007 . 2009-07-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100313152305/http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com/index.php?fuseaction=wanappln.projectview&upload_id=1624 . 2010-03-13 . dead .
9. Web site: October 10, 2012 . Daniels Spectrum a cultural hub and part of Regent Park renewal . ConstructConnect.
10. Web site: Cogley . Bridget . January 26, 2018 . Diamond Schmitt swaps concrete for glass at brutalist arts centre in Ottawa . Dezeen.
11. Web site: Perkins . Tara . September 18, 2013 . Globe and Mail to be lead tenant of new Toronto office tower . The Globe and Mail.
12. Web site: Pintos . Paula . The Senate of Canada Building / Diamond Schmitt Architects + KWC Architects . ArchDaily. 11 April 2019 .
13. Web site: Calvet . Stephanie . May 11, 2022 . Inside the Drake Hotel's New Modern Wing . designlines.
14. Web site: Davidson . Justin . October 8, 2022 . The New Geffen Hall Is Here. How Does It Sound? . New York Magazine.
15. Web site: Harrouk . Christele . January 31, 2020 . Diamond Schmitt Reveals Design for Ottawa Public Library and Archives Joint Facility . ArchDaily.
16. Web site: Humber . Larry . March 2, 2023 . Art Gallery of Ontario reveals designs for new $73m modern and contemporary art wing . The Art Newspaper.
17. Web site: McPherson . David . April 16, 2024 . Sky bridge to connect new state-of-the-art research facility to Vancouver's St. Paul's hospital . The Globe and Mail.
18. Web site: Roche . Daniel Jonas . March 25, 2024 . Diamond Schmitt unveils New Brunswick Museum design in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada . The Architect's Newspaper.
19. Web site: Bisby . Adam . September 28, 2023 . On the map: Yorkville tower puts sharp new spin on flatiron design . National Post.
20. Web site: July 19, 2023 . Architects selected by University of Toronto for James and Louise Temerty Building . Canadian Architect.
21. Diamond, A.J., Donald Schmit. " Works: The Architecture of A.J. Diamond, Donald Schmitt and Company, 1968-1995" Halifax: Tuns Press, 1996
22. Diamond, A.J., Donald Schmitt, and Don Gilmour. "Insight and On Site. The Architecture of Diamond and Schmitt." Toronto: Douglas & McIntyre, 2008
23. https://archive.today/20130118222838/http://www.cdnarchitect.com/issues/ISarticle.asp?aid=1000224968&PC= Canadian Architect Review
24. Diamond Schmitt Architects. “Set Pieces: Architecture for the Performing Arts in Fifteen Fragments” Berlin: Birkhäuser, 2024
25. News: Wall . Don . Architect Schmitt humbled by Order of Canada nod . 27 January 2021 . Daily Commercial News . ConstructConnec . 16 July 2019. Government, Others.