The SALA community is remembering our friend and colleague, Peter Cardew, who passed away on Monday, October 26.
Peter made longstanding and profound contributions to SALA, specifically in the MArch program. He served on graduation project committees, led option studios, and participated on innumerable design review juries. His mentorship extended beyond academia. Many of the colleagues in his practice have gone on to form their own, taking with them the strengths of Peter’s meticulous dedication. In recent years, Peter was a committed member of SALA’s Advisory Council, providing the school with invaluable advice.
Peter has made an indelible impact on the city. Arriving in Vancouver in the late 1960s, through his work with Rhone & Iredale Architects and later his eponymous practice, Peter Cardew Architects, he has created some of our most well-loved spaces. While always maintaining a practice of modest scale, the office produced an extraordinary variety of projects, encompassing the programmes that would construct an entire city. Apart from his own practice, Peter was an active participant in Vancouver’s Urban Design panel and contributor to debate regarding the city and design issues within the profession.
Peter was the recipient of many awards throughout his career, including the prestigious RAIC Gold Medal in 2012. The jury citation describes his impact on the profession:
“The quality of his work is consistently high, consistently thoughtful, and timeless. His commitment to the fundamental importance of the ‘art’ of architecture is evident in the poetry of the forms of his projects and his dedication to the broader community and profession is demonstrated through his teaching and design review panel work. Peter Cardew is an architect to be admired and emulated.”
Our thoughts and sincere condolences are with Peter’s family, friends, and colleagues.
An outdoor, socially-distanced celebration in remembrance of Peter will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Friday, October 30 at the corner of Railway Street and Dunlevy Avenue. View more details here.