Ronald Thom

Ronald James Thom, (May 15, 1923 – October 29, 1986) was a Canadian architect. He is well known for two works: Massey College and Trent University's riverside campus.

Early years He was born in Penticton, British Columbia, the son of James Thom and Elena Myrtle Fennel. Thom served as an aviator with the RCAF during World War II, returned and graduated from the Vancouver School of Art in 1947. He never went to architecture school but apprenticed at Thompson, Berwick & Pratt, where he quickly became recognized as an unusually gifted draughtsman and designer. and also designed notable houses in the Vancouver area, several of which won Massey Awards, the country's top award for architecture. In 1957, he became a registered architect at Thompson, Berwick and Pratt and a partner shortly afterward.

Professional practice

He established R.J. Thom & Associates in Toronto in 1963 and later the Thom Partnership. He was a Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. In 1980, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. He battled alcoholism throughout his life and was eventually forced out of the partnership by some younger partners. He died at his office in 1986 after a bout of heavy drinking. His ashes were taken back by his family and scattered off the Pacific Ocean at Lighthouse Park in West Vancouver.

He was the subject of a major retrospective exhibition in 2013 and 2014, "Ron Thom and the Allied Arts" featuring a collection of photographs, drawings, letters and furniture that he designed for his buildings. The exhibition was shown in British Columbia in 2013, at the Gardiner Museum in Toronto beginning in February 2014, and at the Beaverbrook Gallery, Fredericton in November 2014.

Works

Interior steps of the Bata Library (CC: Dieter Janssen St. Jude's Cathedral (Iqaluit) 1970 Ronald Thom Modern architecture Iqaluit (destroyed 2005) 200px Fleming College 1973 Ronald Thom Modern architecture Peterborough, Ontario 200px Pearson College of the Pacific 1977 Ronald Thom & Barry Vance Downs Modern architecture Victoria, British Columbia College Education Centre 1982 Ronald Thom Modern architecture Nipissing University, Nipissing, Ontario Toronto Zoo – master plan and pavilions (including African and Indo-Malaysian Pavilions) 1974 Ronald Thom with Craig & Boake and Clifford & Laurie Modern architecture Metropolitan Toronto Zoo, Toronto, Ontario Atria North office complex (Phase I), North York 1978–80 Ronald Thom Modern architecture 2255 Sheppard Avenue East, Toronto, Ontario 200px New Shaw Festival Theatre 1973 Ronald Thom Modern architecture 10 Queen's Parade, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts 1977 Ronald Thom Modern architecture 130 Navy Street, Oakville, Ontario 200px The Westin Prince Hotel, Toronto 1975 Ronald Thom Modern architecture 900 York Mills Road, Toronto, Ontario Toronto Metropolitan University Architecture Building 1979–1981 Ronald Thom Modern architecture Toronto Metropolitan University 325 Church Street Toronto, Ontario

Honours and awards Source: Fellow, Royal Architectural Institute of Canada Member, Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (1973) Member, Ontario Association of Architects Member, Architectural Institute of British Columbia Member, Quebec Association of Architects (1966–1969) Honorary Doctorate of Law (LL.D) Trent University 1971 Honorary Doctorate of Engineering Trent University 1973 Winner of Design Competition for Massey College, University of Toronto Citations of Excellence in Architecture by International College and University Conference and Exposition, 1970 Toronto Chapter Annual Design Award – 1970 National Design Council Merit Awards 1971 Canadian Housing Design Council Award 1971 Canadian Architect Yearbook Award of Excellence 1974

Personal

Thom was married twice, first to Christine Helen Millard (1923) in 1943 and survived by second wife Molly (m. 1963), daughter Emma (a veterinarian) and son Adam Thom (himself an architect).