Peter Clewes is a Canadian architect and the principal of the Toronto-based firm

architectsAlliance architectsAlliance is a Toronto-based architectural firm headed by architect Peter Clewes. It was formed in 1999 with the merger of Wallman Clewes Bergman (composed of Rudy Wallman, Peter Clewes and Ralph Bergman) and Van Nostrand DiCastri Arch ...

. He has been one of the leading architects in the condo boom that has reshaped Toronto in the first decade of the 21st century. His projects include SP!RE,

Casa Condominio Residenza Casa Condominio Residenza, or The CASA, is a high-rise condominium building at 33 Charles Street East near the intersection of Bloor Street and Yonge Street in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It features a New Modernist design by architectsAlli ...

Murano Murano is a series of islands linked by bridges in the Venetian Lagoon, northern Italy. It lies about north of Venice and measures about across with a population of just over 5,000 (2004 figures). It is famous for its glass making. It was on ...

, Burano,

X Condominium architectsAlliance is a Toronto-based architectural firm headed by architect Peter Clewes. It was formed in 1999 with the merger of Wallman Clewes Bergman (composed of Rudy Wallman, Peter Clewes and Ralph Bergman) and Van Nostrand DiCastri Arch ...

, 20 Niagara,

Ideal Lofts Ideal Lofts is an architecturally noted low-rise Loft#Soft loft, soft loft Condominiums in Canada, condominium apartment building in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located at Markham_Street,_Toronto, Markham Street and College_Street_(Toronto), ...

, and MoZo. He most often works for Howard Cohen of

Context Development Context is a real estate development company focused on high-rise residential developments in downtown Toronto. It was founded in 1997 by Stephen Gross and Howard Cohen. The name was chosen as each project fits in the context of the neighbourhood ...

s. Clewes designed buildings can be described as neomodern. He is notable for creating unadorned towers with large expanses of glass and well thought out interior layouts. He is a critic of neo-historical and postmodern structures, arguing there is no reason to force tiny windows and aged styles when modern technology can create expansive floor to ceiling windows. He has argued forcefully against contextualism, and has not employed it for projects such as his Distillery District designs. He told ''

The Globe and Mail ''The Globe and Mail'' is a Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of approximately 2 million in 2015, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on weekdays and Saturdays, although it ...

'' "We need to create buildings of our time. Architecture is a record of where a city and a culture was at a particular time." His designs have been well received by customers and critics.

Christopher Hume The ''Toronto Star'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper. The newspaper is the country's largest daily newspaper by circulation. It is owned by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation and part ...

is one of his strongest advocates. Hume, the architecture critic for the ''

Toronto Star The ''Toronto Star'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper. The newspaper is the country's largest daily newspaper by circulation. It is owned by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation and part ...

'', has given rare A ratings to several of Clewes' designs and has called him "the leading condo designer of his generation"Hume, Christopher. "Like it or not, condos will keep going up". ''Toronto Star.'' December 20, 2008 Originally from Montreal, Clewes studied at the University of Waterloo. From university he gained a co-op placement with the renowned Arthur Erickson. He then joined Erickson's firm in Toronto. With Erickson he participated in a number of major projects, including the

Canadian Embassy in Washington The Embassy of Canada in Washington, D.C. (french: Ambassade du Canada à Washington, D.C.) is Canada's main diplomatic mission to the United States. The embassy building designed by Arthur Erickson and opened in 1989 is located at 501 Pennsylvani ...

. In 1986, he left to help form a separate practice, Wallman Clewes Bergman. Wallman Clewes Bergman merged with Van Nostrand DiCastri Architects in 1999 to form architectsAlliance. Clewes has taught at the University of Toronto and is a currently a member of the Toronto Waterfront Design Review Panel.

References

*"Looking for Clewes; Toronto's leading condo architect says the city is 'becoming an interesting place'" Donna Laporte. ''Toronto Star'': Dec 6, 2008. pg. CO.4 *''Clewes muses: Condo architect Peter Clewes reflects on Toronto's waterfront, pedestrians and need for a grand vision;" Linda Roland. ''Toronto Star.'' May 6, 2000. pg. P.01

External links

Official profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clewes, Peter Canadian architects Modernist architecture in Canada Living people People from Montreal University of Waterloo alumni University of Toronto faculty Year of birth missing (living people)