Raymond Tait (Ray) Affleck (20 November 1922 – 16 March 1989) was a Canadian architect. He was born on 20 November 1922 in
Penticton
Penticton ( ) is a city in the Okanagan Valley of the Southern Interior of British Columbia, Canada, situated between Okanagan and Skaha lakes. In the 2016 Canadian Census, its population was 33,761, while its census agglomeration
The ce ...
,
British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
.
He died in Montreal on 16 March 1989.
["Raymond Tait Affleck"]
Canadian Encyclopedia, 2014. Retrieved 6 August 2014 One of the founders of
Montreal
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple ...
-based architectural firm
Arcop
Arcop (also ARCOP) was an architectural firm based in Montreal, renowned for designing many major projects in Canada including Place Bonaventure, Place Ville-Marie and Maison Alcan. The firm was originally formed as a partnership under the name Af ...
, he also taught at leading universities in Canada and the United States.
Academic career
Raymond Affleck attended
McGill University
McGill University (french: link=no, Université McGill) is an English-language public research university located in Montreal, Quebec
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous ...
, receiving a Bachelor of Architecture degree in 1947,
and in 1948 undertook postgraduate studies at the Federal Technical Institute in
Zurich.
He later taught at prominent universities including
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of high ...
,
University of Manitoba
The University of Manitoba (U of M, UManitoba, or UM) is a Canadian public research university in the province of Manitoba.[University of Toronto
The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public university, public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park (Toronto), Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 ...](_blank)
and
Technical University of Nova Scotia
The Technical University of Nova Scotia (TUNS) was a Canadian university located in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
TUNS was officially founded as the Nova Scotia Technical College on 25 April 1907. On 1 April 1997 it was merged into Dalhousie Universit ...
.
He was a Fellow in the
Royal Architectural Institute of Canada
The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) is a not-for-profit, national organization that has represented architects and architecture for over 100 years, in existence since 1907. The RAIC is the leading voice for excellence in the built ...
(1965) and an Academician in the
Royal Academy of Arts (1967).
Business career
He opened the R.T. Affleck independent architectural practice in 1952,
and in 1955 participated in the creation of an architecture firm together with Guy Desbarats, Dimitri Dimakopoulos, Fred Lebensold and
Hazen Sise
Hazen E. Sise (1906–1974) was a Canadian architect, educator, and humanitarian.
Early life and education
Sise was born in 1906 in Montreal, Quebec. His father was president of the Northern Electric Company, and his uncle president of the Bel ...
. This firm changed its name to Arcop Associates, Architects and Planners in 1970.
Major projects
Projects undertaken by Arcop ranged from
Queen Elizabeth Theatre
The Queen Elizabeth Theatre is a performing arts venue in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Along with the Orpheum, Vancouver Playhouse, and thAnnex it is one of four facilities operated by the Vancouver Civic Theatres on behalf o ...
, Vancouver (1955) to St John's (Newfoundland) Arts and Cultural Centre (1967). These projects helped to establish Affleck as an influential architect.
[Raymond Affleck fonds, 1956-1977]
Canadian Architectural Archives, University of Calgary (2014), retrieved 6 August 2014 Between 1964 and 1968 Affleck was mainly engaged on the
Place Bonaventure
Place Bonaventure is an office, exhibition, and hotel complex in Downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada, adjacent to the city's Central Station. At in size, Place Bonaventure was the second largest commercial building in the world at the time of its ...
complex in central Montreal, which has been described as "a somewhat forbidding example of Brutalism". Other prominent projects included
Place Ville Marie
Place Ville Marie (PVM for short) is a large office and shopping complex skyscraper in Downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada, comprising four office buildings and an underground shopping plaza. It serves as the main and official headquarters for Ro ...
(1956-1965) and
Maison Alcan
Maison Alcan (English: Alcan House) is a building complex located on Sherbrooke Street in the Golden Square Mile district of Montreal, Canada. The complex was used to house the world headquarters for Alcan, now part of Rio Tinto Alcan, until 2015. ...
(1983) in Montreal.
Other projects
*
Place des Arts
Place may refer to:
Geography
* Place (United States Census Bureau), defined as any concentration of population
** Census-designated place, a populated area lacking its own municipal government
* "Place", a type of street or road name
** Often ...
(Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier), Montreal (1963)
* University Centre, McGill University, Montreal (1965)
* Stephen Leacock Building, McGill University, Montreal (1965)
* Life Sciences Centre,
Dalhousie University, Halifax (Nova Scotia) (1971)
* Mughal Sheraton Hotel,
Agra
Agra (, ) is a city on the banks of the Yamuna river in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, about south-east of the national capital New Delhi and 330 km west of the state capital Lucknow. With a population of roughly 1.6 million, Agra i ...
(1978)
*
Place Air Canada, Montreal (1983)
* Post Office,
Mont-Royal
Mount Royal (french: Mont-Royal, officially Town of Mount Royal, french: Ville de Mont-Royal, abbreviated TMR, french: VMR) is an affluent on-island suburban town located on the northwest side of the eponymous Mount Royal, northwest of Downtown ...
* Number One Wood Avenue, Montreal
Architectural thinking
In projects such as Place Bonaventure, Affleck sought to include indoor pedestrian routes and atria, design features suited to a cold climate.
The aim was an integrated architectural plan encompassing buildings, streets and main highways.
At Maison Alcan, a restored historic hotel and
greystone houses on
Sherbrooke Street
Sherbrooke Street (officially in french: rue Sherbrooke) is a major east–west artery and at in length, is the second longest street on the Island of Montreal. The street begins in the town of Montreal West and ends on the extreme tip of ...
are joined to the modern glass and aluminum-clad structure behind by means of a glazed atrium. Market Square (
Saint John, 1983) is another important conservation and infill project that demonstrates the application of Affleck's urban theories.
Personal life
Affleck married Betty Ann Henley in 1950. They had five children,
including animator
Neil Affleck
Neil Affleck is a Canadian animator, director, and actor. He has worked as an animator on ''The Simpsons'' and '' Family Guy''. As an actor, he appeared in the 1981 film ''Scanners'' and had a leading role in the 1981 film '' My Bloody Valentine ...
and architect
Gavin Affleck
Gavin Affleck (born October 11, 1958), FRAIC, is a Canadian architect known for the design of cultural institutions and public spaces. He is the founding partner of the Montreal firm Affleck de la Riva alongside Richard de la Riva, and is the son ...
.
Awards
*
Massey Medal
The Royal Canadian Geographical Society (RCGS) awards the Massey Medal annually to recognize outstanding personal achievement in the exploration, development or description of the geography of Canada. The award was established in 1959, by the Ma ...
- 1961, 1964, 1967, 1970
*
Canadian Centennial Medal
The Canadian Centennial Medal (french: Médaille du centenaire du Canada) is a commemorative medal struck by the Royal Canadian Mint in 1967 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation and was awarded to Canadians who were ...
- 1967
* Award of excellence, Canadian Architectural Yearbook, 1968
*
Aga Khan Award for Islamic Architectural Design, 1980
"ARCOP"
The Canadian Encyclopedia. Accessed January 25, 2010.
* ''Prix d'excellence'', Ordre des architectes du Québec
The Ordre des architectes du Québec is a professional association representing architects in the Canadian province of Quebec
Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name i ...
, 1984["Honorary Degree Citation - Raymond Affleck"]
Concordia University, June 1988, retrieved 8 October 2014
* Royal Architectural Institute of Canada
The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) is a not-for-profit, national organization that has represented architects and architecture for over 100 years, in existence since 1907. The RAIC is the leading voice for excellence in the built ...
(RAIC) Gold Medal (posthumously) - 1989
References
External links
* Finding aid for th
Ray Affleck fonds
Canadian Centre for Architecture
The Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA; french: Centre Canadien d'Architecture) is a museum of architecture and research centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is located at 1920, rue Baile (1920, Baile Street), between rue Fort (Fort Street ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Affleck, Raymond
1922 births
1989 deaths
Modernist architecture in Canada
People from Penticton
Canadian company founders
20th-century Canadian architects
Architects from Montreal
McGill School of Architecture alumni
Canadian expatriates in the United States