Jack Diamond (architect)


Abel Joseph "Jack" Diamond, is a Canadian architect from Pier Retief, South Africa. Diamond arrived in Canada in 1964 for the University of Toronto. In 1974, he established his architectural practice, A.J Diamond Architects. In 1978, Diamond merged with Donald Schmitt and Company. Their practice evolved into Diamond Schmitt Architects. They are reputable for their buildings across Canada and the rest of the world.

Early Life and Education

Jack Diamond was born on November 8th, 1932 in Piet Retief, South Africa, and belongs to a Jewish Family . Diamond's great-grandfather was a rabbi in London, England. In 1917, Diamond's grandfather died in a pogrom in Lithuania. Diamond's father, Jacob Diamond, migrated to South Africa before the Second World War.
Diamond's mother had kept a house plan Diamond drew when he was four. His love for architecture begun at a young age. To Diamond, buildings have been always unique way of playing house. Diamond has a passion for various forms of art; painting, sketching, and music.
Diamond has a love for watercolor paintings and sketches. His house is decorated with cities and landscapes paintings from throughout his career. His sketches are published in a book by Douglas & McIntyre, called Sketched:From Here and There. The book consists of many sketches that resembles his very own sketch book.
In 1956, Jack Diamond received a Bachelor of Architecture from University of Cape Town. He studied at University of Oxford in England, and received a Masters of Arts Degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics. Diamond received his Masters of Architecture at University of Pennsylvania in 1962. It was at the University of Pennsylvania where Diamond met his wife, Gillian. In Philadelphia, Diamond worked with the reputable architect, Louis Kahn. In 1964, Diamond emigrated to Canada and became the director of the Architecture Program at University of Toronto.
In 1995, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada and was awarded the Order of Ontario in 1997.
He has served as a member of the Ontario Human Rights Commission from 1986 to 1989, as Chairman of the Design Advisory Committee for the National Capital, Ottawa and as a Commissioner of the Greater Toronto Area Task Force.

Career and Design Approach

Diamond begun his career in architecture in 1968, shortly after he joined University of Toronto He stayed with the University of Toronto until 1970.
In 1970, Diamond had managed to persuade people in Toronto to look into heritage preservation of an old ceramics In 1970, Diamond persuaded people in Toronto to consider heritage preservation of an old ceramics manufacturing plant. At the time, the idea of preserving an old warehouse was a bizarre concept. Diamond had borrowed money and renovated the building and live in one of the floors. The project was successful and other individuals showed interest. The old warehouse went under renovation and is later sold to Ed Mirvish. Diamond is a known pioneer in Toronto's heritage restoration.
In 1975, Diamond established his practice A.J Diamond Architects. In 1978, he forms a partnership with Donald Schmitt and Company and the practice evolved into Diamond and Schmitt Architects employing over 120 staff. Diamond Schmitt Architects have designed academic, cultural, commercial, healthcare, civic and residential buildings Their approach to architecture revolves around human activity.They challenge design in hopes of creating spaces that create a better way of living by using creative design strategies.
Site context is a large focus of Diamond's. It is important for him to make buildings relate to their location as well as reflect the users of the building. To Diamond, buildings with a loud presence were more difficult to be compatible in their surroundings. He believes that it is important for a building to be part of the city its located in. Not every building needs to be a defining landmark.

Notable Projects

Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts

The Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts opened in 2006. It is home to the Canadian Opera Company and the National Ballet of Canada. The Performing Arts Centre design keeps the city noise of Toronto out. The performance sounds are also well contained inside. The surrounding context allows for the building to engage with the streetscape. The Glass exterior on the corner of Queen st. and University st. allows for views inside and out, creating an animated experience for those inside and out. The corner lights up at night and allows for a lantern like effect. The Theater is building near the subway line so acoustics clarity is important. The Theater sits on a double layer of concrete with more than 500 high performance rubber pads. The stages, auditorium, and rehearsal hall are a separate structure from the rest of the building. This allows for stronger noise control. The Theater contrasts privacy of the closed auditorium with the transparency of glass in the public gathering spaces. The Theater is known to excel expectations and help deliver high quality performances.

United Kingdom Holocaust Memorial Competition

The United Kingdom Holocaust Memorial was an international design competition held in 2017. Diamond Schmitt's entry was among the finalists, although it was ultimately not selected. Located in Victoria Tower Gardens, the Memorial represents honor to the victims and survivors from the Holocaust. The entrance of the Memorial is a ramp that circles around the middle. The cast-iron walls are a darker material are a reminder of the events that took place in the Holocaust. The sunken middle opens up to the sky to bring lightness into the memorial and contrast to the darker walls. The middle of the Memorial is the 'Court of Conscience'. The names of the victims are the only sounds heard within the quiet memorial. The Holocaust Memorial is a place of reflection to honor the victims and survivors of the Holocaust from the Second World War.

Mariinsky II

The Marinsky II opened in 2013 in St. Petersburg, Russia. This theater was one of the first major Russia opera houses to be constructed in over a century. Acoustic quality and the experience of a performance were two main goals when designing the Mariinsky II. The main auditorium of the theater is clad in Onyx. The warm glow from the Onyx can be seen at street level outside. The warm glow is considered to be the artistic spirit from art institutions in Russia. The backstage is designed to allow for 5 stages to be worked on simultaneously, making it easier for crews working on productions. The theater is a symbolism of the power art has within Russia

Other Projects