Canadian architects are often heard expressing disappointment at the conservative nature of their clients and the nation as a whole when it comes to design. And, stereotypical jibes made about Canada usually involve the word ‘boring’ at some point.
However, a quick tour of this vast country shows that while the architecture may be somewhat conservative, it can also be wonderfully considered design: elements of Swiss and Finnish architectural aesthetic blended with a vernacular born out of a harsh climate and unique geographical conditions, be they crowded cities or endless expanses of wilderness.
Canadian Modernism, to give this raft of recent and varied work a moniker, has been influenced more by early 20th Century European architecture than that of the same period in the USA. A generation of practitioners, including such includes renowned names such as Bing Thom, Shim Sutcliffe and Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg, have developed this rigorous and restrained style carefully, coaxing large corporate clients away from the excesses of 1980s architecture and convincing residential patrons of the beauty of clean modern lines.
Those schooled by these large practices are now starting to make their mark on the Canadian architectural scene. Canadian Modernism is being refined once again. It pervades all areas of the built environment, from holiday cottage to worship space and the results are one of the architectural world’s best-kept secrets, for now.
INFORMATION
ADDRESS
Mauritskade 57
-
Is the Calibri typeface 'woke'? We asked its designer'It's more a compliment than something bad for me,’ says the Dutch type designer Lucas de Groot
-
The Wallpaper* Design Awards are back in 2026 – see who's shortlistedOur annual design awards returns in January – here are the first shortlisted nominees
-
RIBA House of the Year 2025 is a ‘rare mixture of sensitivity and boldness’Topping the list of seven shortlisted homes, Izat Arundell’s Hebridean self-build – named Caochan na Creige – is announced as the RIBA House of the Year 2025
-
This Toronto pizzeria hides a sultry bar with serious biteNorth of Brooklyn unveils a fresh, two-level outpost where crisp, light-filled minimalism gives way to a warmer, neon-lit upstairs area
-
Matteo Thun carves a masterful thermal retreat into the Canadian RockiesBasin Glacial Waters, a project two decades in the making, finally surfaces at Lake Louise, blurring the boundaries between architecture and terrain
-
A new café-bar in Vancouver reawakens a modernist landmarkArthur Erickson’s Waterfall Building enters a new chapter with Ellipsis, a day-to-night gastronomic concept designed for conviviality
-
Has the ice cream parlour come of age?A global wave of architecture studios is treating the scoop as spectacle, turning parlours into immersive social spaces
-
The ultimate amenity in this Canadian apartment building? A trio of scene-stealing restaurantsPart of Citizen on Jasper, a new residential tower, Va!, Olia, and Mimi offer a thrilling day-to-night dining experience
-
The Amsterdam to London Eurostar route has reopened – here’s where to stay, eat and drink in the Dutch capitalPassengers can now travel between the cities without having to stop off in Brussels, which makes it the perfect time to check out Wallpaper’s favourite spots in Amsterdam
-
The most whimsical hotel Christmas trees around the worldWe round up the best hotel Christmas tree collaborations of the year, from an abstract take in Madrid to a heritage-rooted installation in Amsterdam
-
Six brilliant bars for your 2025 celebrations, hot off the Wallpaper* travel deskWallpaper’s most-read bar reviews of the year can't be wrong: here’s inspiration for your festive and new year plans, from a swanky Las Vegas lounge to a minimalist London drinking den
