Diamond Schmitt Architects

Diamond Schmitt Architects Inc.
TypePrivate
IndustryArchitecture
Founded1975
FoundersJack Diamond
Donald Schmitt
HeadquartersToronto, Ontario, Canada
ServicesArchitecture, Urban Design, Master Planning
Websitewww.dsai.ca

Diamond Schmitt Architects is a Canadian architectural firm founded in 1975. It is headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. The firm was founded by architects Jack Diamond and Donald Schmitt.[1]

History

Diamond was the founding director of the University of Toronto's Master of Architecture program. Diamond worked closely with Barton Myers, an American and Canadian architect, and is currently the president of Barton Myers Associates Inc. Myers established his own practice with Diamond in Toronto in 1968. Starting this year, the architects founded their new firm Diamond and Myers. The two eventually split in 1975. Diamond Schmitt Architecture would not officially begin until 1974 when Jack Diamond established his own firm, A.J Diamond Architects.

It was around this time that the partnership between Jack Diamond and Donald Schmitt began. Schmitt studied architecture at the University of Toronto where Diamond had worked, continuing his education until 1978. After thirteen years of A.J. Diamond Architects, in 1989, the firm had developed further when Jack Diamond partnered with Schmitt.[2]

Founding

Abel Joseph "Jack" Diamond was born in 1932 in South Africa, and had arrived in Canada in 1964, the same year he started working for the University of Toronto. In 1970, Diamond had begun renovating a ceramics manufacturing plant, and adding living spaces on one of the floors.[3] Five years later, Diamond established his company A.J Diamond architects, and three years later he would form his partnership with Donald Schmitt and Company.

Donald Schmitt was born 1951 in South Porcupine, a small 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's Faculty of Architecture.

Apart from the firm's founding principals, there are also 19 other principals, 12 senior associates, 37 associates, 8 directors, 129 registered graduates and student architects, and a support staff of 43.[4]

Works

Buildings designed either in part or in full by Diamond Schmitt Architects
Building name Image Location Years
built		 Notes
Canada
Bahen Centre for Information Technology Toronto, Ontario 2002–2003 Located on the St. George campus of the University of Toronto.[5]
The Image Centre Toronto, Ontario 2008–2012 Formerly the Ryerson Image Centre, located at Toronto Metropolitan University.[6]
Environmental Science and Chemistry Building Toronto, Ontario 2013–2015 Located on the Scarborough campus of the University of Toronto.[7]
Senate of Canada Building Ottawa, Ontario 2014–2018 Interior renovation.[8]
Robarts Common Toronto, Ontario 2017–2022 Addition to Robarts Library on the St. George campus of the University of Toronto.[9]
York University Markham Campus Markham, Ontario 2020–2024 A new campus of York University in Markham.[10]
Oak House Toronto, Ontario 2021–2025 Student residence on the St. George campus of the University of Toronto.[11]
TMU School of Medicine Brampton, Ontario 2024–2025 A new satellite campus of Toronto Metropolitan University in Brampton.[12]
Ādisōke Ottawa, Ontario 2020–present New joint facility between Ottawa Public Library and Library and Archives Canada.[13]
Myron and Berna Garron Health Sciences Complex Toronto, Ontario 2024–present Building to house the new Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health on the Scarborough campus of the University of Toronto.[14]
Atlantic Science Enterprise Centre Moncton, New Brunswick 2024–present [15]
Clinical Support and Research Centre Vancouver, British Columbia 2024–present Located at St. Paul’s Hospital.[16]
New Brunswick Museum Saint John, New Brunswick 2024–present [17]
McGill Sustainability Park Montreal, Quebec 2025–present Formerly the New Vic Project, located at the Royal Victoria Hospital, McGill University.[18]
Dani Reiss Modern and Contemporary Gallery Toronto, Ontario TBA Part of the Art Gallery of Ontario.[19]
James and Louise Temerty Building Toronto, Ontario TBA Will house the Temerty Faculty of Medicine on the St. George campus of the University of Toronto.[20]
United States
Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts and Sciences Lubbock, Texas 2017–2021 [21]

Awards

Diamond Schmitt Architects has received numerous regional, national and international awards for excellence in design. The firm was recognized in 2009 by Deloitte LLP, the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, KPMG, and the Queen's University School of Business as being one of the 50 Best Managed Companies in Canada.[22]

Canadian Governor General's Awards for Architecture

  • Village Terrace, Toronto, Ontario, 1985[23]
  • Citadel Theatre, Edmonton, Alberta, 1986[23]
  • Metro Toronto YMCA, Toronto, Ontario, 1986[23]
  • Earth Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, 1994[23]
  • Richmond Hill Central Library, Richmond Hill, Ontario, 1994[23]
  • York University Student Centre, Toronto, Ontario, 1996[23]
  • Bridgepoint Hospital, Toronto, Ontario 2016[23]

Ontario Architect's Association Awards

BusinessWeek/Architectural Record Awards

  • 2004: Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jerusalem, Israel[27]
  • 2007: The Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, Toronto, Ontario, Canada[28]
  • 2008: Shakespeare Theatre at the Harman Center for the Arts, Washington, D.C., USA[29]

References

  1. ↑ Robinson, John. "Architecture for the People." Toronto Star, 26 April 1987.
  2. ↑ "Abel Joseph "Jack" Diamond". The Canadian Encyclopedia.
  3. ↑ "A drink with architect Jack Diamond". Toronto Star. 17 October 2014.
  4. ↑ "Studio". Diamond Schmitt Architects.
  5. ↑ "Bahen Centre - Past Project". University of Toronto | University Planning, Design & Construction. Retrieved 12 July 2026.
  6. ↑ "Ryerson Image Centre". Architectural Record. 16 May 2013.
  7. ↑ "Environmental Science & Chemistry Building - Past Project". University of Toronto | University Planning, Design & Construction. Retrieved 12 July 2026.
  8. ↑ "Restoring and modernizing the Senate of Canada Building". Government of Canada. 26 June 2025. Retrieved 12 July 2026.
  9. ↑ "Robarts Common by Diamond Schmitt breaks ground at UofT". Canadian Architect. 24 July 2017.
  10. ↑ "Diamond Schmitt designs new campus for York University". Canadian Architect. 28 July 2020.
  11. ↑ Teles, Anthony (15 April 2025). "Final Touches Underway at University of Toronto's Oak House Residence". UrbanToronto.
  12. ↑ Immen, Wallace (21 May 2024). "Transforming a brutalist building into a state-of-the-art medical school". The Globe and Mail.
  13. ↑ "New Ādisōke public library in Ottawa tops out". 24 November 2023.
  14. ↑ McPherson, David (21 November 2023). "New University of Toronto medical school to address shortage of health care professionals in Scarborough". The Globe and Mail.
  15. ↑ Canada, Public Services and Procurement (20 December 2021). "Government of Canada awards contracts for design and construction of Atlantic Science Enterprise Centre, providing opportunities for Indigenous businesses". www.canada.ca.
  16. ↑ McPherson, David (16 April 2024). "Sky bridge to connect new state-of-the-art research facility to Vancouver's St. Paul's hospital". The Globe and Mail.
  17. ↑ Roche, Daniel Jonas (25 March 2024). "Diamond Schmitt unveils New Brunswick Museum design in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada". The Architect's Newspaper.
  18. ↑ Jeanfrancois, Moses (30 January 2024). "New Vic, New Life: Diamond Schmitt shares design for McGill University's sustainable expansion at The New Vic". The Architect's Newspaper.
  19. ↑ Humber, Larry (2 March 2023). "Art Gallery of Ontario reveals designs for new $73m modern and contemporary art wing". The Art Newspaper.
  20. ↑ "Architects selected by University of Toronto for James and Louise Temerty Building". Canadian Architect. 19 July 2023.
  21. ↑ "Diamond Schmitt's Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts and Sciences breaks ground in Texas". 24 April 2017.
  22. ↑ "Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies". Archived from the original on 27 September 2007.
  23. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Governor General's Medals Recipients". Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. Archived from the original on 2 May 2014.
  24. ↑ "Ontario Association of Architects Reveals 2024 Design Excellence Awards Winners". Canadian Architect. 5 April 2024.
  25. ↑ "OAA Reveals Design Excellence and Service Award Winners". Canadian Architect. 6 April 2024.
  26. 1 2 "Past OAA Award Winners". Ontario Association of Architects.
  27. ↑ "BusinessWeek/Architectural Record Awards 2004". Architectural Record. Archived from the original on 5 September 2015.
  28. ↑ "BusinessWeek/Architectural Record Awards 2007". Architectural Record. Archived from the original on 5 September 2015.
  29. ↑ "BusinessWeek/Architectural Record Awards 2008". Architectural Record. Archived from the original on 16 December 2008.
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