A definitive biography of an iconic Canadian architect—and a social portrait of the midcentury design world he lived in.
Publish Date – September 13, 2022
Vancouver Book Launch with author Adele Weder – September 21, 2022 at Inform Interiors
Ron Thom came of age in the mid-20th century, just as the modern movement and an impending building boom were about to reshape the country. Talented in music and art as well as design, he rejected sleek austerity in favor of modern architecture that is warm, intimate, and beautiful. He worked from coast to coast, and his most renowned buildings-Massey College, Trent University, the Shaw Festival Theatre, and landmark houses-continue to inspire generations of architects, as well as the legions of people who work, study, visit, and live in them.
In Adele Weder’s new biography, Thom emerges as a complex figure, gifted with creative genius but pursued by demons. More than just the life story of one man, this book is a portrait of the society that shaped him. His world included Jack Shadbolt, Arthur Erickson, the Massey family, Barbara and Murray Frum, and many other luminaries of 20th-century Canada.
To unpack this multifaceted story, Weder pored through institutional and personal archives in Victoria, Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal, Peterborough, and Toronto. She tracked down and interviewed Thom’s surviving friends, colleagues, and family members across the country, from New Brunswick to Vancouver Island. Her extensive research serves as the bedrock for Ron Thom, Architect-a book for anyone interested in a transformative era in Canada’s cultural history.” – Greystone Books
About the Author
Adele Weder is an architectural writer, curator, and cultural journalist whose work has been published in design journals and anthologies across North America. She is the founder of the non-profit West Coast Modern League. Adele lives in Vancouver and Haida Gwaii, British Columbia.
Event Details
Ron Thom, Architect: Vancouver Book Launch
WED, September 21, 2022 – 5:00pm to 7:00pm
Inform Interiors, 50 Water Street, Vancouver, BC
Presented by UBC SALA & Inform Interiors
Free Event. Registration Required.
Ron Thom, Architect: The Life of a Creative Modernist
By Adele Weder
Published by Greystone Books
Released September 13, 2022