Canadian Women Now and Then: More than 100 Stories of Fearless Trailblazers

Canadian Women Now and Then: More than 100 Stories of Fearless Trailblazers — page 9
ARCHITECTS Brigitte Shim NOW Born 1958 Birthplace Kingston Jamaica Born in Jamaica to Chinese parents Brigitte Shim arrived in Toronto with her family as a child It was winter and she felt she had stepped into a a gigantic freezer A few days later she got her first glimpse of snow when a blizzard hit Being surrounded by snowflakes made Brigitte appreciate Canada's natural beauty- an experience that would influence her as an architect While studying architecture at the University of Waterloo Brigitte met her husband Howard Sutcliffe They formed their own firm in 1994 Shim Sutcliffe Architects based in Toronto The company quickly became famous for its creative and sophisticated designs They have won many prestigious awards including 14 Governor General's Medals in Architecture It's important to Brigitte that her buildings fit into their surroundings and incorporate local traditions materials and construction techniques One of Brigitte's most famous designs is for her own home Laneway House in Toronto Many architects might choose expensive materials for their homes But for Laneway House Brigitte combined inexpensive materials such as concrete with higher quality ones such as mahogany The house's location was also an unusual choice it's in a laneway between the neighbours garages Brigitte hopes that her home will show how laneways can be a better use of space for cities Another of Brigitte's world famous designs is Weathering Steel House in Toronto Even rock star David Bowie asked to take a tour inside this unusual home