From century-old warehouses getting a second life to cutting-edge industrial spaces that actually care about the planet - here's what we've been up to. Each project tells its own story, and honestly, we're pretty proud of how they turned out.
Riverside Mill Conversion
Hamilton, ON
HeritageIndustrial
GreenTech Manufacturing Hub
Mississauga, ON
SustainableLEED Platinum
Distillery District Annex
Toronto, ON
HeritageAdaptive Reuse
Port Lands Masterplan Phase II
Toronto, ON
Urban DevelopmentMixed-Use
Northern Logistics Center
Brampton, ON
IndustrialNet Zero
Kingston Market Square
Kingston, ON
Heritage
EcoVillage Commons
Ottawa, ON
SustainableCommunity
Stelco Heritage Campus
Hamilton, ON
Industrial
Riverside Mill Conversion
Breathing New Life into Hamilton's Industrial Past
This 1892 textile mill was basically rotting away when we first walked through it. Water damage, structural issues, the whole nine yards. But man, those brick walls and timber beams had character you just can't replicate nowadays.
Spent about 18 months carefully restoring the original facade while gutting and rebuilding the interior to meet modern codes. The trick was preserving what made the building special while making it actually usable. We kept the exposed brick, restored the wooden trusses, and added a steel mezzanine that feels like it's always been there.
Now it's a mixed-use space with offices, a cafe, and some artist studios. The old mill wheel is still there too - turned it into a feature installation in the main lobby. Client wanted to keep that connection to the building's roots, and honestly, it turned out better than we expected.
Project Details
Completed: March 2024
Size: 45,000 sq ft
Duration: 18 months
Heritage Status: Designated Provincial Heritage Site
Key Features
Original brick facade restoration
Timber truss preservation
Modern steel mezzanine addition
Energy-efficient upgrades
Historic mill wheel feature
Adaptive mixed-use layout
Before Restoration
Deteriorated state with water damage and structural concerns
After Restoration
Transformed into vibrant mixed-use community space
GreenTech Manufacturing Hub
Setting New Standards for Industrial Sustainability
When a tech manufacturer came to us wanting a net-zero facility, we didn't just slap solar panels on the roof and call it a day. This project was about rethinking industrial architecture from the ground up.
We oriented the building to maximize natural light - cuts down on lighting costs by about 40%. The roof's got 3,200 solar panels generating more power than the facility uses on most days. Rainwater harvesting system handles all the non-potable water needs, and we used recycled steel for about 70% of the structural components.
What I'm really proud of though? The building actually teaches. There's a visitor center where the client shows other manufacturers how they did it. LEED Platinum certification came through last fall, and it's become kind of a case study for sustainable industrial design.
Project Specifications
Completed: September 2023
Size: 120,000 sq ft
Certification: LEED Platinum
Energy Efficiency: Net-Zero Operation
Sustainable Features
3,200 rooftop solar panels
Rainwater harvesting system
70% recycled steel structure
Natural daylighting design
Geothermal HVAC system
Green roof sections
Environmental Impact
40%
Reduction in lighting costs
Net-Zero
Annual energy balance
85%
Water use reduction
450 tons
CO2 offset annually
Distillery District Annex
Honoring Toronto's Distillery Heritage
Working in the Distillery District is... well, it's intimidating. You're surrounded by some of the best heritage preservation work in the country. When we got tapped to restore one of the outlying warehouses, we knew we had to get it right.
This building dates back to 1871 - used to store barrels of whiskey before Prohibition shut everything down. The limestone foundation was solid, but everything else needed serious attention. We documented every brick, every beam, every architectural detail before touching anything.
The restoration took 14 months of painstaking work. Found original windows in the basement that we used as templates for replacements. Brought in heritage masons to repair the brickwork using traditional lime mortar. Now it houses a boutique hotel and some retail spaces, but you'd swear it's been there untouched for 150 years.
