Episodes in Public Architecture, a Book about the Collaborative Design Process, Takes Readers on a Personal Journey with Author Andrew Frontini

The stories Frontini tells in Episodes in Public Architecture draw out universal themes from the intensely local experience of working in Ontario, Canada. Each building featured in the book is a snapshot of the realities impacting the author at that time and in that place.

Readers see Frontini as a student dabbling in art and music before settling on a career in architecture and, later, as a seasoned design director mentoring his successors. Over this interval, we also see epochal geopolitical and technological changes—from the Cold War to the era of globalization, from hand drawing to AI-enabled design tools.

Across this journey, Frontini sticks to his mission of imbuing each project with cultural meaning and public life as he navigates the often complexly conflicting agendas of clients, contractors, colleagues, and the odd design celebrity, including Cornelia Oberlander and Phyllis Lambert.

“Andrew Frontini’s journey from student to an award-winning architect at a global practice reflects a career within a profession that has undergone dramatic change: increasingly complex client groups, sophisticated forms of public engagement and a broader agenda recognizing diversity and inclusion,” writes Ian Chodikoff, former editor-in-chief of Canadian Architect. “Filled with candid anecdotes, this book reveals how Frontini’s commitment to lifelong learning and fostering solid relationships has shaped his practice and inspired a new generation of architects.”

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Book Launch

A book launch party will be held March 27 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Swipe Design | Books + Objects, 401 Richmond Street West, Toronto. Frontini will talk about the book and read select passages. The event is open to the public and free of charge.

Images

For press images of Episodes in Public Architecture, click here.

About Andrew Frontini

Andrew Frontini, OAA, NSAA, FRAIC, LEED AP BD+C, is a principal at Perkins&Will and design director of the global firm’s Toronto and Ottawa studios. He led the design of several of the firm’s award-winning projects, including the Toronto Metropolitan University Daphne Cockwell Health Sciences Complex, the Bank of Canada Head Office Renewal, and the recent revitalization of the Weldon Library at Western University, among many more. His work is characterized by a strong social agenda, bold material expressions, and considered responses to context. In addition to his role at Perkins&Will, Frontini has taught at the University of Waterloo, where he continues to serve as a visiting critic; the University of Toronto; and the Toronto Metropolitan University School of Architecture.

About Perkins&Will

Perkins&Will, an interdisciplinary, research-based architecture and design firm, was founded in 1935 on the belief that design has the power to transform lives. The firm is committed to creating a better, beautiful, more equitable world through Living Design, an approach that integrates environmental, social, and design considerations to advance ecological health and well-being. Architizer named Perkins&Will the world’s “Best Sustainable Firm” in 2023, and Metropolis named it “Firm of the Year” in 2022 for its industry leadership in advancing climate action and social justice. Fast Company named Perkins&Will one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies in Architecture three times, and in 2021, it added the firm to its list of Brands That Matter—making Perkins&Will the first architecture practice in the world to earn the distinction.

With an international team of more than 2,500 professionals, Perkins&Will has 32 studios worldwide, providing integrated services in architecture, interior design, branded environments, urban design, and landscape architecture. Partners include Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects; Portland; Nelson\Nygaard; and Pierre-Yves Rochon (PYR). For more information, visit www.perkinswill.com.