Bing Thom Works

Vancouver-based Bing Thom Architects have quietly produced a portfolio of built work that garners praise not only for its inspired spaces and forms, but for the inspirational role their buildings play in the lives of the communities they call home. Founded in 1980 by architect Bing Thom, the firm specializes in complex building types such as performing arts centers, civic buildings, museums, and urban master plans. Their projects are often mixed use, integrating commercial, residential, and cultural uses to create a vibrant and sustainable whole. At the forefront of the design-build movement for nearly thirty years, the firm participates in every phase of the building process, from concept to design, contracting to construction. Bing Thom Works, their first monograph, begins with the firm's biggest project to date: the expansion of the Arena Stage in Washington D.C. Three distinct and discrete theater venues are bonded together by a sensually curving roof and curtain wall, creating a miniature arts village in an underserved neighborhood. A series of essays reveal a philosophical and practical approach to architecture that is applicable at any scale—from designing cities to handrails. Highlights of their recent work follow, including the stately Chan Centre for the Performing Arts at the University of British Columbia, their fluid plan for Tarrant County College in Fort Worth, Texas, the stunning Acadia Residence, and more. Bing Thom Works features an introduction by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Fumihiko Maki.