Ronald Thom

Ronald Thom
Born	May 15, 1923 Penticton, British Columbia,
Died	October 29, 1986
Nationality	Canadian
Alma mater	Vancouver School of Art
Awards	OC
Practice	Thom Partnership
Buildings	Massey College and Trent University's riverside campus.

Ronald James Thom, OC (May 15, 1923 – October 29, 1986) was a Canadian architect.

He was born in Penticton, British Columbia, the son of James Thom and Elena Myrtle Fennel, he 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 drawer and designer. He was the primary designer of the B.C. Electric Building on Burrard Street, in Vancouver, British Columbia. 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 parter shortly afterward. He is the most admired Canadian designer of universities for his two masterpieces, Massey College and Trent University's riverside campus.

He established R.J. Thom & Associates in Toronto in 1963 and later the Thom Partership. He was a Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. In 1980, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. He had a lifelong battle with alcoholism 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 oeuvre includes:

Building	Year Completed	Builder	Style	Location	Image
Master plan and buildings of Massey College	1963	Ronald Thom	Modern architecture	University of Toronto Toronto, Ontario
Co-designer of Fraser Residence	1968	Ronald Thom/Paul Merrick	Modern architecture	Toronto, Ontario
Master plan and renovations of Catherine Parr Traill college buildings; Champlain College, Lady Eaton College, the Bata Library and science complex on the Symons Campus	1969–1973	Ronald Thom	Modern architecture	Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario
St. Jude's Cathedral (Iqaluit)	1970	Ronald Thom	Modern architecture	Iqaluit
Fleming College		Ronald Thom	Modern architecture	Peterborough, Ontario
Pearson College of the Pacific	1977	Ronald Thom & Barry Vance Downs	Modern architecture
College Education Centre	1982	Ronald Thom	Modern architecture	Nipissing University, Nipissing, Ontario
Master plan and pavilions (including African and Indo-Malayisan Pavilions)	1974	Ronald Thom	Modern architecture	Metropolitan Toronto Zoo, Toronto, Ontario
Atria North office complex (Phase I) in Toronto 1980	1980	Ronald Thom	Modern architecture	Toronto, Ontario
Shaw Theatre	1973	Ronald Thom	Modern architecture	Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts		Ronald Thom	Modern architecture	Oakville, Ontario
Prince Hotel	1975	Ronald Thom	Modern architecture	Toronto, Ontario
George Vari Engineering and Computing Centre		Ronald Thom	Modern architecture	Ryerson University 325 Church Street Toronto, Ontario

External links

• R J Thom
• Early photos and letters concerning the development of Trent University
• Ron Thom Slide Show