Nestled in Barrie, Ontario, Canada is the Georgian College – a pioneering institute that is more than a place for students to earn a diploma or degree. It’s a place where students are encouraged to “innovate with faculty, industry and community partners to turn ideas into products and grow the regional economy.” (Georgiancollege.ca).

It’s known as one of the most respected cultural landmarks in the Caribbean, is home to more than 4,500 iconic works of art, and attracts tens of thousands of tourists annually…the Museo de Arte in Ponce, Puerto Rico is a brilliant showcase of design and daylighting by renowned architect Edward Durrell Stone.

The museum was completed in 1965 and was funded by founder, Mr. Luis A Ferré Aguayo,

Nearly three years ago, architects Diller, Scofidio + Renfro broke ground on the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archives’ (BAM/PFA) $112 million expansion and renovation. Diller, Scofidio + Renfro successfully merged old and new into a dynamic state-of-the-art home for BAM/PFA’s offices, collections, and programs. The project integrates a 48,000-square-foot Art Deco–style building, formerly the University of California Berkeley printing plant, with a 35,000-square-foot new structure.

The healing benefits of daylighting are proven on humans who recover faster with fewer complications given well daylit environments in healthcare facilities …so why wouldn’t they provide the same benefits to animals? This question was influential when Diamond Schmitt Architects of Toronto, Canada in partnership with DesignLeveL Inc. started designing the Toronto Zoo’s $19.1 million state-of-the-art Wildlife Health Centre.

Maintaining the integrity of a century old, 10-storey historic property while undergoing a rehabilitation and expansion is no easy feat. Now, add the challenge of maximizing daylight and honouring the artistry of Canada’s premier dance facility—Espace Danse at the Wilder Building in Montreal, Canada. Architects Lapointe Magne and Associates and Aedifica’s end work is a unique and whimsical masterpiece.

When you walk into the Kenneth C. Rowe Management Building at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, you’ll immediately appreciate the gentle wash of natural light that passes through the inspired building.

The recent addition to the historic campus is a collaborative effort between architects John Dobbs & Associates of Halifax and Shore, Tribe, Irwin & Partners of Toronto. This team achieved a seamless combination of aesthetics and function, creating the optimum learning space for the acclaimed Canadian university.

Every fast-growing small town wants a landmark building...some type of central and highly visible structure that defines its regional position, prosperity and hopes for the future. In 2004, the town of Port Hawkesbury had reached that “coming of age”.

Mid-west schools take their athletics seriously. Kirkwood Community College is no exception, with their varsity basketball and volleyball teams winning four national titles over the past decade.

In planning a new recreation center to serve both the college and the local community, it was clear that its design would need to please a demanding group of users. The architects at Neumann Monson in Iowa City eagerly took up the challenge.

It is no secret that retrofits can pose some very unique issues for design teams.

Sydney Academy, a high school serving some 800 students in Sydney, Nova Scotia, was originally built in 1959, using glass block as a major feature of the building envelope. The glass block, integrated with small vision glass units, worked well for daylighting purposes and was an excellent choice for a translucent glazing in its day.

It’s not easy to break with tradition in one of the older settlements in North America. But when a new grade school was being planned in Sydney, Nova Scotia to replace a well-worn complex of buildings, the key stakeholders involved decided to do exactly that. The resulting new facility incorporates not only new electronic building controls and teaching equipment, but an entirely new approach to harvesting daylight in the classroom.