Jack Diamond

Born in South Africa in 1932, Canadian architect Jack Diamond was the founding director of the Master of Architecture program at the University of Toronto before establishing his own firm, Diamond and Schmitt Architects, in 1975. His projects include the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto, The Montreal Symphony House, Jerusalem City Hall and the Harman Center for the Arts in Washington, D.C.

Diamond received his MA in politics, philosophy and economics from Oxford University, followed by a Masters degree in Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania under the supervision of Louis Kahn. His projects in the city of Toronto exemplify his style of clean, modern buildings that are incorporated seamlessly into their neighbourhoods. Diamond has been an outspoken critic of the lack of fiscal power in cities and the wastefulness of low-density suburban sprawl. He has argued that these conditions will prevent Toronto from ever becoming a truly beautiful city.