Kurt Kraler

Redtail East Hotel & Winery

ERA Architects Inc. (2022)

Our team was retained to prepare a Design Concept Package that articulates a vision for a future mixed-use development in Prince Edward County. 

The proposed site strategy revolves around the concept of navigating the site in relationship to the existing hedgerows. The central access road will guide visitors through the site, connecting the various programmatic elements and defining their relationship to nature.

Nestled amongst lush hedgerows, the winery building is an elongated bar building with articulated north and south gable ends. This provides opportunities for long expanses of glazing and prime outdoor patio spaces at the edges of the
vineyard and flower fields. The hotel program includes 148 bedrooms spread
across 38 buildings. The buildings are arranged in a series of clusters with landscape buffers provided between them to enhance views and maximize privacy.

556 Yonge Street Contemporary Facade Design

ERA Architects Inc. (2021)

Retained as a design consultant for the project, our team prepared elevations and details to support the architect of record, K&K Architects. ERA developed
a contemporary exterior facade that responded to the neighbouring context and complied with the Historic Yonge Street Heritage Conservation District design guidelines.

Coboconk Wellness Centre Feasibility Study  

ERA Architects Inc. (2020)

The City of Kawartha Lakes approached ERA Architects to develop a Feasibility Study for the conversion of the historic Coboconk Train Station building into a “wellness centre”, providing community access to medical services, dental care, a pharmacy and event spaces.

The train station was constructed in 1910 to replace a previous building that had been struck by lightning and burned to the ground. The Grand Trunk Railway station serviced the Kawartha Lakes region until 1965 and remained unoccupied for several years. Eventually, the building was relocated on to a new concrete block foundation in its current location overlooking Coboconk Legion Park.

In consultation with the client and stakeholder group, ERA established the following heritage design parameters to guide the design of the adaptive reuse and new addition:

• conserve and interpret historic train station features;
• interpret historic plan for new uses;
• prioritize historic train station as main entrance;
• form, scale and materiality of new addition to be subordinate yet complimentary to historic structure.

As a result, the waiting and reception areas were located in the historic train station, reemphasizing its historic use and prioritizing the building as the main entrance. All medical facilities are located on the ground level for ease of access from the main parking lot while the separate community event spaces are accessible from the lower level. The massing of the new addition mirrors the pitch roof form of the train station with contemporary details like reorienting the direction of the wood cladding to follow the roof angle.

I was involved from the initial consultation with the client team to the final Schematic Design deliverable which included a program list, area breakdowns, a site plan, floor plans, elevations and renderings. The drawing package was developed in Revit.

68-70 Wellesley Roof Replacement

ERA Architects Inc (2020)

Historically known as the William McBean Terrace, this designated heritage building is located at the northeast corner of Church and Wellesley Streets in Toronto’s Church-Wellesley neighbourhood. The extant buildings were constructed in 1878 and designed as a group of 2½-storey row houses that were later converted to commercial and residential uses.

Some signature heritage attributes that were restored include painted brick cladding with stone and wood detailing, the mansard roof with the decorative shingles, the extended eaves with brackets, and the dormers with decorative detailing.

My involvement in the project occurred during the Contract Administration phase, where I conducted regular site reviews, prepared field review reports, selected finishes, reviewed samples and mockups with the contractor, and coordinated any changes with City of Toronto Heritage Staff.

Cambium Farms Renovation & Addition

ERA Architects Inc. (2019)

*Winner of the Architectural Merit Award at the 2020 Ontario Concrete Awards*

Dating back to 1873, the Cambium Farms barn consists of historic elements typical of similar structures from its day, particularly the vertical wide-board siding and the wood frame, exposed beams, posts and rafters, and the concrete silo positioned by the barn’s front entrance. Owned and operated by the Williams family, the site transitioned into a working event space after daughter Kaitlynn hosted her own wedding. Since then, it has become a premiere event venue for those looking for a historic and rustic flourish that celebrates Ontario’s unique farmstead typology.

ERA Architects was retained to oversee the upgrade of the historic barn for the modern requirements of a 21st-century event space including two new additions. The rear south addition was created to add a formal entry, vestibule and cloakroom for the venue, while the east side addition provides much needed amenity space — including washrooms and a catering kitchen. All new construction was made to be compatible with the surrounding concrete outbuildings, while referencing the adjacent barn’s vertical exterior siding. Salvaged wood siding, floorboards, and timbers were used in a modern application on the interior, to ensure the inside of the building’s new spaces compliments the barn’s exposed interior structure.

I was involved in every stage of the project, from the initial site investigation, site measurements and schematic design to the design development and the development of construction drawings. During construction, we worked closely with the contractor to ensure the design was executed in accordance with the contract documents.

Banff Substation Columbarium Feasibility Study

ERA Architects Inc. (2018)

ERA responded to an RFP for a structural and maintenance assessment of the Banff Power Substation heritage building in collaboration with Read Jones Christoffersen (RJC) engineers. In April 2018, ERA was awarded the contract to develop a conservation plan and schematic design ideas for the adaptive reuse of the Banff Power Substation for columbarium uses and integration with the Old Banff Cemetery.

A schematic design approach was proposed that animates both the building and the site around it, using paths, landscaping, seating and program elements such as a memorial wall, scattering garden and freestanding exterior columbaria to integrate the site with the adjacent Cemetery. 

The proposed site strategy revolves around the concept of passage through the Site. The passage, or procession, mirrors the visitor’s experience of mourning, fostering moments of pause and reflection, while emphasizing continuous progress forward.

The historic Banff Power Substation will host the interior columbarium, accommodating 200 niches and private reflection areas. The niches are positioned according to the existing window proportions, which ensures that no niche is too close to the floor. 

Four movable benches built into the columbarium structure allow for flexible seating throughout the building. The conversion of the Substation’s centre rear window will provide a door to provide access to the south Memorial Wall.

The Substation’s history as an electrical transformer is reflected in the conservation of the remnant transformer infrastructure including the ceramic entry ports and wood insulators. The interpretation of the existing trench, which formerly contained transformer infrastructure, is highlighted with a visual and tactile Rundle-stone slab outlined in the floor.

Captain G.E. Morden House, Oakville

ERA Architects Inc. (2019)

Built in 1858, the Captain G.E. Morden House is an example of an original residential estate built during the time of settlement in the Town of Oakville. The house was built by John Triller Howell in the Ontario Gothic Revival style with a rectangular two-and-a-half storey masonry structure that bears unique floor-to-ceiling windows on the structure’s principal facade.

The original structure was relocated to a new foundation, positioned further south on the site, reinforcing its historic relationship to the street. Working with experienced heritage contractors, the rubble stone masonry structure was reinforced with deep repointing along with repairs to the stucco facade treatment.

Set behind the original structure, the new addition forms a visually compatible backdrop that is subordinate to the heritage home. Its design drew inspiration from the heritage characteristics of the original house, including gable ends, dormer windows and similarly angled pitched roofs. The house now boasts four bedrooms, a two-car garage, ample living spaces and an expansive finished basement.

Design development and construction drawings were produced in Revit which allowed the small team to efficiently coordinate drawings, generate renderings and produce design options.

To T.O.

Winter Stations Proposal (2019)

An annual international design competition, Winter Stations is an exhibition of temporary public art installations that incorporate lifeguard stands on a beach along Ashbridges Bay in East Toronto.

For 2019, the theme for competition submissions was “Migration” and the movement from one location to another, acknowledging all of the layers and complexities that come with it.

Our proposal visualizes this convergence of migratory paths in Toronto, one of the most multi-cultural cities in the world. The proposed design consists of 31 painted bamboo rods of varying lengths, slotted through a lifeguard stand to intersect around a singular point. 

With census data, we compiled the reported “Places of Birth” by Toronto residents (see diagram above) and assigned each rod to a represent a country. The length of rod is determined by the distance to the country of origin while the colour corresponds to a gradient that indicates the number of immigrants from that country. The combined effect creates a dynamic composition of colour and complexity.

In collaboration with Kristina Seo.

Broadview Avenue Feasibility Study

ERA Architects Inc. (2018)

Developed for an Official Plan Amendment, ERA prepared a design proposal for an 11-storey, multi-unit residential building on Broadview Avenue in
Toronto. My contribution to the project included preparing several design sketches and compiling precedent images for review with the project architect and principal-in-charge. After several design charrettes, we settled on a grid patterns with buff brick columns and beams that draw on the local material
palette. The height was mitigated by a terraced north elevation, stepping down to the neighbouring residential context.

The Generic Spectacle

Graduate Thesis Work (2014-2016)

My graduate thesis work examines the influences of intersecting social, economic, and political histories in the development of the Las Vegas Strip along with the implications on urban design and architecture. As a vanguard of neoliberalism, the Strip has been adopted as a viable model for development, a result of the convergence of capital and increasingly consolidated ownership. This thesis synthesizes the work of Guy Debord’s The Society of the Spectacle (1967), Rem Koolhaas’ The Generic City (1994), and the seminal Learning from Las Vegas (1972). Thesis research has been selected for publication, presented at several conferences and has been recognized with commendation.

Casa Della Citta

Fourth-Year Design Studio (Autumn 2011)

The Casa Della Citta (Museum of the City) takes cues from its Roman context, revealing traces of the built environment that once was. A series of urban interventions around the site attempt to unveil an obscured historical context with negation and casting as key tactics. Completed in collaboration with Sophia Szagala, this project received an Outstanding Design Award for exceptional student work.

MTO Traffic Operations Centre

Kasian Architecture Ontario Incorporated & McCallum Sather Architects (2013)

Completed in advance of the 2015 PanAm Games, the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) COMPASS campus was designed to be barrier-free and incorporate industrial materials that relate to its testing facilities. Working closely with the client, the design team developed detailed laboratory layouts using coordinated Revit models, which will be incorporated in Phase 2 of the construction plan. The interior design also includes archival photos and a vibrant colour palette to contrast with the neutral palette of natural material finishes.

Sheep Farm Retrofit

Third-Year Design Studio (Winter 2011)

Focusing on the urban design scale and the existing urban context, this project attempts to reinforce urban boundaries to further enrich the quality of public buildings and spaces. By utilizing ‘the edge’ as a tool for emphasizing public areas as opposed to means of exclusion is an important distinction between the ideology of the old and the new.As a precedent, the Lund city wall characterizes the transition of a medieval defence typology into an updated conception of public space. Currently used by joggers, cyclists, and flâneurs, alike, the former city wall acts as an edge to the Innerstaden park as well as a connection to the pedestrian network at large.The proposed includes; a landmark tower that provides an anchor for the adjacent public square as well as extended views to the city limits, the renovation of the old observatory building into a full-service restaurant, a lower profile addition that houses a barn and subsequent space for public education programs, facilities for the demonstration of the yarn making process, and a pasture for sheep to graze and interact with passers-by.

Collective Housing

Third-Year Design Studio (Winter 2010)

By envisioning the role of elevator as both crane and a means of access, a new form of collective housing could be achieved. The infrastructure for the unique elevator would be initially built, allowing for the elevator to act as a crane and construct the building around itself.

Upon completion, each dwelling unit would be left completely empty with only utility connections available, allowing the tenant to order and install modular living components. Additionally, the maneuverable exterior shutters could be operated by the tenant in order to optimize comfort, control, and privacy.

A consideration for the vitality of the ground plane was also made in allocating program and public spaces. The cross traffic between the mutli-media library, dance/performance studios, and community cafe would populate the interior two-tiered courtyard between the two buildings.