Bing Thom

Bing Wing Thom, CM (Chinese: 譚秉榮; 8 December 1940 – 4 October 2016) was a Canadian architect and urban designer. Born in Hong Kong, he immigrated to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada with his family in 1950.[1] His paternal grandfather originally immigrated to Vancouver in the 1890s and his father was born in New Westminster before moving to Hong Kong after being unable to practice as a pharmacist in Canada.[2]

Bing Thom
Born(1940-12-08)8 December 1940
Hong Kong
Died4 October 2016(2016-10-04) (aged 75)
Hong Kong
NationalityCanadian
Alma materUniversity of British Columbia
OccupationArchitect
AwardsOrder of Canada
Central City plaza and forecourt in Surrey, British Columbia
Central City mixed-use development in Surrey, British Columbia, opened 2003
Chan Centre for the Performing Arts at UBC in Vancouver, British Columbia
Chan Centre for the Performing Arts – Concert Hall in Vancouver, British Columbia
Aberdeen Centre in Richmond, British Columbia
Sunset Community Centre in Vancouver, British Columbia
Model of Arena stage Theatre Expansion in Washington, D.C.

Career

Thom received a Bachelor of Architecture in 1966 from the University of British Columbia and a Master of Architecture in 1970 from the University of California, Berkeley.[3]

He moved to Tokyo in 1971 to work for Japanese architect-urbanist Fumihiko Maki. Returning to Canada in 1972, he joined Arthur Erickson Architects as project director and oversaw projects such as Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto (1977), the Robson Square Courthouse Complex in Vancouver (1973–1979) and the Air Defence Ministry Building in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

In 1981, Thom established his own architecture firm, Vancouver-based Bing Thom Architects.[1] In 1995, Thom was made a Member of the Order of Canada and he was a recipient of the Golden Jubilee Medal for outstanding service to his country. He was a Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. Thom received honorary degrees from the University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University.

In 2010, Thom was awarded the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada's Architectural Firm of the Year award.[4] and in 2011 he was awarded the RAIC's highest honour, the RAIC Gold Medal.[5]

Thom died at age 75 of a brain aneurysm while on a trip to Hong Kong in October 2016.[6]

Bing Thom Architects

As of 2015 the firm had a total staff of 47, including principals Venelin Kokalov and Shinobu Homma,[7] directors, registered architects, architectural graduate and students, urban designers and planners, and support staff.[8]

The firm specialized in urban planning and complex building types such as civic buildings, performing arts centres and public spaces. Typically projects are mixed-use, integrating commercial, residential and cultural uses to create a sustainable whole. They had offices in Vancouver, Hong Kong, and Washington, DC. Today only the Vancouver office survives under a new name Revery Architecture.

Architectural and urban design projects
Structure Location Type Year
Xiqu CentreTsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong, ChinaPerforming arts structure (Chinese opera)2018
Allard HallEdmonton, Alberta, CanadaUniversity arts centre2017
Guildford Aquatic CentreSurrey, British Columbia, CanadaCommunity centre2015
Aberdeen Square retail and office addition to Aberdeen CentreRichmond, British Columbia, CanadaMixed-use development2013
Tarrant County College Downtown CampusFort Worth, Texas, United StatesEducational institute2011
Surrey City Centre Public LibrarySurrey, British Columbia, CanadaLibrary2011
Arena Stage Theater expansionWashington, DC, United StatesPerforming arts structure2010
SAIT Polytechnic Parking GarageCalgary, Alberta, CanadaParking structure2009
Sunset Community CentreVancouver, British Columbia, CanadaCommunity centre2008
Trafalgar Square InstallationLondon, England, United KingdomPublic square2008
Aberdeen Centre addition and condo developmentRichmond, British Columbia, CanadaResidential structure2008
SAIT Polytechnic Master PlanCalgary, Alberta, CanadaEducational institute2007
Trinity Uptown planning and urban design studyFort Worth, Texas, United StatesMixed-use development2006
Central City Shopping Centre, SFU campus and office integrationSurrey, British Columbia, CanadaEducational institute and retail development2004
Aberdeen CentreRichmond, British Columbia, CanadaRetail, entertainment development2004
City of Dalian MasterplanDalian, People's Republic of ChinaCity plan1995
City of Yuxi MasterplanYuxi, People's Republic of ChinaCity plan1999
Chan Centre for the Performing Arts at UBCVancouver, British Columbia, CanadaPerforming arts structure1997
Canada Pavilion at Expo '92Seville, SpainGeneral structure1992
False Creek Yacht ClubVancouver, British Columbia, CanadaGeneral structure1989
The Pointe condominiumVancouver, British Columbia, CanadaResidential development1995
Pacific Canada Pavilion, Vancouver AquariumVancouver, British Columbia, CanadaGeneral structure1998

Awards and prizes

Publications
  • Bing Thom Architects, Bing Thom Works, Princeton Architectural Press, 2011[13]
  • Roan, Neill Archer, Scale + Timbre, The Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, Black Dog Publishing, 2002
  • Bing Thom Architects, Canada Pavilion: Expo '92 Seville, Spain, Bing Thom Architects, Inc., 1992

References
  1. Bing Wing Thom at "Encyclopedia of Music in Canada", retrieved 1 September 2019
  2. Renowned Vancouver architect Bing Thom has died
  3. Vancouverism website. "Vancouverism - Westcoast Architecture and City Building - London, Paris". Archived from the original on 23 January 2010. Retrieved 17 August 2010.
  4. Royal Architectural Institute of Canada website "RAIC > Honours & Awards > Honours > RAIC Gold Medal > 2010 Medalist". Archived from the original on 8 May 2010. Retrieved 17 August 2010.
  5. Royal Architectural Institute of Canada Gold Medal – 2011 Recipient "Architecture Canada > Honours & Awards > Honours > Gold Medal > 2011 Medalist". Archived from the original on 27 April 2012. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
  6. "Vancouver architect Bing Thom dead at age 75". CBC News. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 4 October 2016.
  7. "Team". Revery Architecture.
  8. AIBC firm description. Retrieved 2013-12-08
  9. http://awards.aibc.ca/award-recipients/2016-recipients/ 2016 Recipients - AIBC Awards
  10. http://awards.aibc.ca/award-recipients/2013-recipients/ 2013 Recipients - AIBC Awards
  11. "Canada's Top 25 Immigrants 2012". Canadian Immigrant. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  12. https://raic.org/raic/gold-medal-%E2%80%94-2011-recipient Gold Medal - 2011 Recipient, RAIC Website
  13. Bing Thom Works - Princeton Architectural Press https://www.papress.com/html/book.details.page.tpl?isbn=9781568989594
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