As architects, we are motivated by an interest in creating something that lasts – structures and sites that will remain part of our cities for generations to come. We also appreciate the fact that our most successful endeavours often evolve over many years. And sometimes they take much longer than anticipated, thanks to the many complexities and variables inherent in delivering these kinds of developments. Though we usually think of building our legacies with, well, buildings, our practices have the potential to leave an even more significant impact.
This year marks Adamson’s 90th anniversary, and it’s incredible to see how much the firm has achieved over the decades. Gordon Adamson could surely never have imagined what he was creating a foundation for when he launched his eponymous firm in Toronto. The young architect had just turned 30, and our hometown – which had just marked its centennial – was a much smaller city in a much bigger world. Trans-Pacific phone calls were only made possible that same year, and we were still five years away from Pan American offering the world’s first transatlantic passenger service from New York to the UK. There’s no doubt Mr. Adamson was determined to leave his mark on the world, but the mark he imagined likely didn’t stray beyond Canada’s borders.
Striking out on his own was a bit of a risk for Adamson, but he established what would become a long tradition of taking a chance on young architects and giving them space to grow. Over time, Adamson and his team grew an impressive portfolio of significant Toronto projects and, eventually, work in other Canadian cities. He encouraged burgeoning talents to explore new frontiers – on the map and in design – setting a path for generations of successors to blaze new trails under the Adamson name.
Over time, these generations of Adamson team members built a reputation for technical skill, creativity, and collaboration that began to gain notice in the industry. They established strong relationships with other architects, carving out a niche that launched Adamson onto the international scene.
Establishing a specialty in the Architect of Record / Executive Architect role brought us work in the U.S., then the UK and Asia. Successful projects led to more projects in the same locales, and Adamson soon grew from one little Canadian practice into an international family of affiliated firms. We have grown not through mergers and acquisitions but organically, through people and partnerships that created opportunities to branch out into new territories. It is the relationships we have built alongside these projects that allowed the roots first planted in Toronto to reach cities far and wide.
Over the past few decades, we have launched several new offices, in several cities and, yes, with quite a few names. You might know us as Adamson Associates Architects; Adamson Associates, Inc.; Adamson Associates (International) Limited; or perhaps AAI Architects, P.C. (And if you have worked with more than one of our teams and are not quite sure what to call us, we get it!)
While we don’t all share the same name, we do share our skills, our experience, our expertise, and a common creative culture. We share our history, and we share an exciting future. Every office and every team member is part of the ongoing evolution of the firm started by a young architect named Gordon Adamson 90 years ago, and we can’t wait to see what is yet to come. So, thank you, Gordon, and all that came after him as a part of this amazing journey – and cheers to the next 90 years!