Derek Nicholson as both builder and client has been involved with numerous projects that have received the recognition of local and international awards and publications. These distinctions are a result of Derek’s dedication to excellent design, management and construction, and to the high caliber of the architects and designers with whom he collaborates. Awards include four Governor General’s Medals – the greatest honour for architecture in Canada.
Awards
2021 Heritage Toronto Historic Property - Craven Road Studio, Shim Sutcliffe Architects
2020 Governor General’s Award - Lake Kawagama Retreat, Shim Sutcliffe Architects
2020 Designlines Best Restaurant of the Year - Lady Marmalade, Omar Gandhi in Collaboration with SvN
2018 Architecture Masterprize Winner (Rooms & Zones) - A Room with a View, Superkül
2018 Remodeling Magazine Grand Winner (Bathroom Remodeling) - A Room with a View, Superkül
2018 Architizer A+ Award Winner (Residential Interiors) - A Room with a View, Superkül
2016 Canadian Green Building Award National Winner - Grange Residence, Williamson Chong Architects
2015 OAA Design Excellence Honourable Mention - Port Hope Residence, Teeple Architects
2015 OAA Award of Excellence Finalist - Grange Residence, Williamson Chong Architects
2014 Canadian Architects Awards- Fox Lake Residence, Williamson Chong Architects
2014 Interior Design Best of Year Awards - Pilot Coffee Roasters, Williamson Chong Architects
2014 Residential Architect Design Awards- Howland Residence, Williamson Chong Architects
2014 Residential Architect Design Awards- Blantyre Residence, Williamson Chong Architects
2010 Governor General’s Award – Craven Road Studio, Shim Sutcliffe Architects
2007 City of Toronto Urban Design Award – Galley Residence, Williamson Chong Architects
2007 Design Exchange Award – Galley Residence, Williamson Chong Architects
2006 Wood Design Award of Honor – Craven Road Studio, Shim Sutcliffe Architects
2004 Governor Generals Award – Weathering Steel House, Shim Sutcliffe Architects
1999 Governor Generals Award – Ledbury Park – Shim Sutcliffe Architects and G+G Partnership
1998 International Design Award, Environments, Best of Category – Ledbury Park – Shim Sutcliffe Architects and G+G Partnership
1997 City of North York Urban Design Award of Merit – Glen Long Community Centre – Stephen Teeple Architect
1996 City of North York Urban Design Award of Merit – Stanley Park Community Centre – Natale Scott Browne Architects
1996 Canadian Architect Award of Excellence – Ledbury Park – Shim Sutcliffe Architects and G+G Partnership
1994 Governor Generals Award of Merit – Emery Yard Maintenance Building – Julian Jacobs Architects
1994 City of North York Urban Design Award of Merit – Barbara Frum Library and Community Centre – Phillip Carter Architect
1994 City of North York Urban Design Award Emery Yard Maintenance Building – Julian Jacobs Architects
1994 City of North York Urban Design Award – Hendon Park – NAK Design
1989 Internationaler Argeitskreis Sport Silver Award for Exemplary Sport and Leisure Facility, Republic of Germany – Douglas Snow Aquatic Centre – Moffat Kinoshita Architects
1987 International Facility Management Association Award
Publications
Craven Road Studio: Lam, Elsa. “Editorial: Young Heritage.” Canadian Architect. April 1, 2022.
Howland: Healy, Tory. “Eleven Backyard Ideas from Some of Our Favourite Homes.” Designlines. March 2, 2022.
House in a Grove: Furgala, Gregory. “Seven Landscaping Ideas that have Us Eager for Summer.” Designlines. February 1, 2022.
Craven Road Studio: Canadian Architect. “Craven Road House and Studio receive heritage designation.” Canadian Architect. December 13, 2021.
Craven Road Studio: LeBlanc, Dave. “A Heritage Home from the 1990s.” The Globe and Mail. October 22, 2021.
Lake Kawagama Retreat, Craven Road Studio, Weathering Steel, & Ledbury Park: Lam, Elsa. “Brigitte Shim, A. Howard Sutcliffe.” Canadian Architect RAIC Gold Medal 2021. August 31, 2021.
House in a Grove: Cunningham, Sara. “Seven Terrific Ways to Use Slatted Wood at Home.” Designlines. December 2, 2020.
Lady Marmalade: Leblanc, Dave. “Humble on the surface, complex on the inside.” The Globe and Mail. June 25, 2020.
The Garage Gem: Klein, Kristine. “Office Ou turns Toronto garage into workshop, conservatory, and dining room.” Dezeen. May 22, 2020.
Lake Kawagama Retreat: Canadian Architect. “Governor General’s Medal Winner: Lake Kawagama Retreat.” Canadian Architect. May 1, 2020.
Junction Woods House: Hague, Matthew. “Warm wood enlivens a modern family home in Toronto’s Junction.” The Globe and Mail. April 24, 2020.
The Garage Gem: Leblanc, Dave. “This is no Garage - it’s a ‘Backyard Pavilion’.” The Globe and Mail. February 28, 2020.
Lady Marmalade: Furgala, Gregory. “Best Restaurant: Lady Marmalade.” Designlines Issue 1. 2020: p.79
A Room with a View: Garwood-Jones, Alison. “The Art of Living: Collected Works.” Canadian House & Home. January, 2020: p. 70-77.
Junction Woods House: Cunningham, Sara. “5 Majestic Houses Wrapped in Black Wood.” Designlines. October 16, 2019.
Lady Marmalade: Gibson, Eleanor. “Omar Gandhi brightens Lady Marmalade eatery in Toronto with skylights & baltic wood.” Dezeen. August 4, 2019.
Lady Marmalade: Pagliacolo, Elizabeth. “Meet Toronto’s Most Wanted: the OG Architect.” Designlines. June 11, 2019.
A House in a Grove: Phull, Amrit. “4 Summer-Ready Backyards.” Designlines Issue 2. 2019.
Booth Avenue Residence: Ljubanovic, Kristina. “Favourite Room: Finding the light.” The Globe and Mail. March 9, 2019: p. P12.
Airdrie Road Residence: Ljubanovic, Kristina. “Favourite Room: Going with the flow.” The Globe and Mail. March 2, 2019.
A Room with a View: Architizer. “The World’s Best Architecture.” Phaidon Press. February 20, 2019.
House on Bala Line: Phull, Amrit. “Bala House Mimics the Feeling of Stepping Down into a Ravine.” Designlines Issue 1. 2019.
Port Hope: Caufin, Alexandra. “Meet Lebel & Bouliane, DL’s First Designer of the Year.” Designlines Issue 1. 2019.
Lady Marmalade: Cunningham, Sara. “Inside Five New Toronto Restaurants Where Design Runs Wild.” Designlines. December 4, 2018.
Lady Marmalade: Manzocco, Natalia. “Inside Lady Marmalade’s new home on Broadview.” Now Magazine. November 28, 2018.
Lady Marmalade: Scriver, Amanda. “10 Festive New Venues for 2018 Holiday Parties in Toronto.” BizBash. November 28, 2018.
A House in a Grove: Uniacke Breen, Martha. “Sylvan Retreat in the City.” The National Post. November 24, 2018.
Valley House: Jenkins, Hannah. “Canadian Contemporary: The Northern Home.” Images Publishing. October 05, 2018.
A Room with a View: Ghazarian, Leah. “A Room With a View.” Architect Magazine. October 04, 2018.
House on Walker: Bozikovic, Alex. “In Summerhill, Omas:Works Crafts a Young Family’s Forever Home.” Designlines Issue 4. 2018.
Sherwood House: Uniacke Breen, Martha. “Breezes From Brazil.” The National Post. September 25, 2018.
Lake Kawagama Retreat: Uniacke Breen, Martha. “Shaping Light.” The National Post. September 1, 2018.
A House in a Grove: CSLA, "Birch Grove Residence." Landscapes/Paysages. Summer 2018.
A House in a Grove: Lewsen, Simon. "In a Lush Oakville Grove, Wood is Superkul." Designlines Issue 3. 2018.
A House in a Grove: Cummings-Grady, Mackenzie. "Superkül Designs a Minimalist, Charred Wood–Clad House in the Toronto Suburbs." Metropolis. April 23, 2018.
A Room with a View: Reeves, Lynda. "A Fine Balance." Canadian House & Home. April, 2018: p. 54-55.
A Room with a View & Lake Kawagama Retreat: Hague, Matthew. "Above it all." The Globe and Mail. Saturday, March 17, 2018: p. 6.
Russell Hill: Lewsen, Simon. "Raise the Roof: How a Lofty Ceiling Conquered the Dusty Attic." Designlines. February 6, 2018.
A Room with a View: Sykes, Tanisha. "Ontario Residence by Superkul." Architectural Record. January 5, 2018.
Valley House: Uniacke Breen, Martha. "Modernizing a Timeless Beauty." The National Post. November 18, 2017.
Bala Line: Uniacke Breen, Martha."Taking The Long View." The National Post. October 21, 2017.
Derek Nicholson: Moczulski, J.P. "Home Builder's Dip into the Red a Painful Lesson." Globe and Mail. September 21, 2017.
Oblong Lake: Uniacke Breen, Martha. "Modern-Day Brigadoon." The National Post. September 8, 2017.
Grange Triple Double: Grove, Sophie. "Generation Gaps." Monocle. July/August, 2017.
Augusta Residence: Canadian Architect. "Sixteen Degree Studio." Canadian Architect. July 1, 2017.
Massey College Chapel: Bykova, Alina. "Massey College Chapel designated Canada’s third Chapel Royal." Toronto Star. June 20, 2017.
Abenbare House: Canadian Architect. "D'Arcy Jones Architecture." Canadian Architect. May 1, 2017.
Grange Triple Double: Architectural Record. "Grange Triple Double." Architectural Record. April 24, 2017.
Valley House: Brillon, James. "Superkül Reserves Upstairs Just for Kids at Renovated Modernist Toronto Home." Deezen. April 22, 2017.
Abenbare House, Port Hope, & Valley House: Green Building + Architecture. "On the Cutting Edge." Green Building + Architecture Magazine. June 21, 2016.
Grange Triple Double: Uniacke Breen, Martha. “Family builds its multi-generational forever home.” The National Post. Saturday, April 2, 2016. Print
Grange Triple Double: Bozikovic, Alex. "Architecture For The Ages." Globe and Mail. February 24, 2016.
Derek Nicholson: Bleasby, John & Payne, Steve. "Reno Focus 2015." Canadian Contractor. January/February 2016: p. 20-25. Print
Roxborough: Bayliss, Graeme. "A Well-Rounded Reno Anchored by a Dramatic Staircase." Designlines, October 13, 2015.
Port Hope: LeBlanc, Dave. "It’s a winner!" The Globe and Mail. May 7, 2015.
Bala Line: Bozikovic, Alex. "Inside the New Canada House." International Architecture and Design. Spring, 2015 Canadian Edition. Print
Pilot Coffee Roasters: Stevens, Philip. "Williamson Chong designs tasting bar for pilot coffee roaster in Toronto." Designboom. January 27, 2015.
Pilot Coffee Roasters: Allen, Cindy. "Best of Year." Interior Design Magazine. January 2015: p. 114.
House on Fox Lake: Canadian Architect. "House on Fox Lake." Canadian Architect. December 1, 2014.
Bala Line: Jen, Leslie. "All lined up." Canadian Architect. June 1, 2014.
Pilot Coffee Roasters: Garwood-Jones, Alison. "Office Drama: Three Brilliant Interiors Reinvent the Nine-to-Five." Azure Magazine. June 2014. Print
Grange Triple Double: Metropolis Editors. "Full House: Four Firms Rethink the Multigenerational Home." Metropolis Magazine. May 27, 2014.
Pilot Coffee Roasters: Bozikovic, Alex. "Doors Open Toronto: 10 things you need to see this weekend." The Globe and Mail. May 23, 2014.
Pilot Coffee Roasters: Langille, Erin. "Pilot Coffee Roasters." blogTO, March 13, 2014.
Abenbare House: Payne, Steve. "A Bungalow Renovation Like You’ve Never Seen." Canadian Contractor. November/December, 2013: p. 20-23.
Port Hope: Keshiri, Kourosh. "After Hours." Sharp: The Book for Men. Fall/Winter Edition, 2013: p. 168-181. Print
Hoggs Hollow: Bozikovic, Alex. "Renovation re-connects an older home to a raw landscape." Globe & Mail. April 4, 2013.
Abenbare House: Jen, Leslie. “Keeping up with the Joneses.” Canadian Architect. April 1, 2013.
Port Hope: Argyris, Eileen. "Space & Light, Freedom and Joy." Our Homes Magazine. Spring 2013: p. 38-48.
Duncairn: Bozikovic, Alex. "Modern home takes Don Mills fast forward." The Globe and Mail. February 28, 2013.
Port Hope: Baird, Daniel. "The Long Embrace." Azure Magazine. February 11, 2013.
Blantyre: Bozikovic, Alex. "Counter Intelligence." Dwell. February 2013: 44-45. Print
Blantyre: Raskin, Laura. "Blantyre House Toronto." Architectural Record. September 16, 2012.
Blantyre: Bentley Mays, John. "Infill in Sync." The Globe and Mail. August 10, 2012.
Galley House: Dameron, Amanda. “Slim Fit.” Dwell. Spring Outdoor Special Issue 2012: p. 12-13. Print
Augusta: Sardone, Andrew. "Green From the Ground Up." Now Magazine, April 18, 2011.
Vessel Loft: Bozikovic, Alex. "How one architect creates a condo space within a space." Globe and Mail. March 31, 2011.
Galley House & Weathering Steel: Casciato, Daniel. “Derek Nicholson Inc.” Luxury Home Quarterly. March, 2011: p. 30-31.
Galley House: Lavigne, Lucie. “Construire, Rénover, Transformer." Les Editions: La Presse. February 17, 2011. Print
Galley House: Dwell, "100 Kitchens We Love." Dwell. January Special Issue, 2011. Print
Blantyre & Galley House: Jones, Will. "Toronto Infill." Oris Magazine. Issue #69, 2011.
Galley House: Lavigne, Lucie. “Le Beau Probleme.” La Presse. September 19, 2010.
Galley House: Architectural Record. "Galley House." Architectural Record. August 16, 2010.
Galley House: Dwell. "100 Houses We Love." Dwell. Summer Special Issue, 2010. Print
Craven Road Studio: Canadian Architect. "Craven Road Studio." Canadian Architect. May 1, 2010.
Small Fridges Make Good Cities & Vessel Loft: Nuttall-Smith, Chris. "The Urban Farm." Azure Magazine, May 2010. Print
Galley House: Mur + Betong, "Galley House Toronto. 2009" Mur + Betong. Issue #4, 2010: p. 15-17.
Galley House: Friedman, Avi. "Narrow Houses: New Directions in Efficient Design." Princeton Architectural Press. 2010: p. 98-103. Print
Craven Road Studio: RAIC. "Architecture Canada 2010: The Governor General." Royal Architecture Institute of Canada. 2010. Print
Galley House: Galindo, Michelle. "Collection: Houses." Braun. 2009: p. 332. Print
Galley House: Bozikovic, Alex. "Narrow Modernist Three-Story Home In Toronto." Dwell. December 1, 2009.
Craven Road Studio: Phaidon Press Editors. "10×10/3." Phaidon Press. June 6, 2009. Print
Galley House: Gregory, Rob. "Urban Infill: Working within the Constraints of As-found Urban Sites." Architectural Review. March 2008: p. 60-63. Print
Galley House: renoanddecor.com. "Toronto Urban Design Awards." Reno & Decor. February/March 2008: p. 56-57. Print
Craven Road Studio: Phaidon Press Editors. "The Phaidon Atlas of 21st Century World Architecture." Phaidon Press. 2008: pp. 619. Print
Galley House: Galindo, Michelle. "1000x: Architecture of the Americas." Braun. 2008: p. 100. Print
Galley House & Small Fridges Make Good Cities: Chodikoff, Ian. "Sites & Scenes." Canadian Architect. November 1, 2007.
Galley House: Bentley Mays, John. "The Fine Art of Building on a Tight Site." Globe and Mail. August 3, 2007
Small Fridges Make Good Cities: Donnelly, Erin. "Small Fridges Make Big Impact." Canadian Interiors. July/August 2007: p. 21. Print
Craven Road Studio: Ceferin, Petra. "On The Appearance Of A Simple Urban Complex in Toronto." HISE. Issue #40 April 2007: p. 80-87. Print
Weathering Steel: McCann, Paul. "Weathering Steel House." Wallpaper. January, 2007. Print
Massey College Alterations: Smith, Karen. "Library Design." teNeues. 2007: p. 92-95. Print
Galley House: West East. "From Home to Office." West East. Issue #11, 2007. Print
Galley House & Small Fridges Make Good Cities: Dubbeldam, Heather., & Sheppard, Lola. "Twenty + Change 01: Emerging Toronto Design Practices." Riverside Architectural Press. 2007
Craven Road Studio: Johnson, Bernadette. "The Wood Design Awards 2006." Canadian Wood Council. 2007: p.16-23.
Weathering Steel: Berton, Monica. "Home: New Directions in World Architecture and Design." Millenium House. 2006: p. 164-167. Print
Bracondale: LeBlanc, Dave. "Where Old Man Winter Meets the Boys of Summer." The Globe and Mail. December 1, 2006.
Weathering Steel: Weber, Cheryl. "Embedded Architecture." Residential Architect. September 13, 2006: p.62-68.
Galley House: Bentley Mays, John. "Tall Order." Azure. Jul/Aug, 2006: 64-67. Print
Weathering Steel: Heo, Su Eun. "Weathering Steel House." Archiworld. Issue #146 January 2006: p. 98-107. Print
Galley House: Donnelly, Erin. "Couture Kitchens." Canadian Interiors. July, 2005. Print
Weathering Steel: C3. "House II." C3. 2005: p. 198-207. Print
Weathering Steel: Webb, Michael. "Art / Invention / House." Rizzoli International Publications Inc. 2005: p. 182-189. Print
Weathering Steel: Rochon, Lisa. "Up North: Where Canada’s Architecture Meets the Land." Key Porter Books Limited. Toronto, 2005. Print
Weathering Steel: Barreneche, Raul. "Water Reflects and Illuminates Shim-Sutcliffe Architects’ Weathering Steel House." Architectural Record. July, 2004: p. 178-182.
Weathering Steel: Chodikoff, Ian. "Weathering Steel." Canadian Architect. May 1, 2004: p. 26-29.
Weathering Steel: Phaidon Press Editors. "The Phaidon Atlas of Contemporary World Architecture." Phaidon Press. 2004: p. 647-648. Print
Weathering Steel: RAIC. "Architecture Canada 2004." Royal Architecture Institute of Canada. 2004: p. 102-111. Print
Weathering Steel: Beaver, Robyn. "Another 100 of the World’s Best Houses." The Images Publishing Group. 2003: p. 296-299. Print
Weathering Steel: Browne, Kelvin. "Clandestine Contemporary." Toronto Life. October, 2003: p. 92-101. Print
Weathering Steel: Raymaker, Derek. "Designing homes for a global city." Globe & Mail. February 14, 2003: p. G18. Print
Weathering Steel: Davey, Peter. "AR House: Canadian Weatherman." The Architectural Review. August, 2002: p. 76-79. Print
Weathering Steel: World Architecture. "Steel House." World Architecture. August, 2002: p 68-71. Print
Weathering Steel: Barreneche, Raul. "Metal as Warm as Brandy." The New York Times. May 16, 2002: p. F1 & F10.
Weathering Steel: Carter, Brian. "Steeling Home." Azure. May/June, 2002: p. 92-95. Print
Weathering Steel: Pesce, Gaetano. "Weathering Steel, Steel-Clad House, Toronto, Canada." Praxis. Volume One, 2000: p. 26-43.
Ledbury Park: Frampton, Kenneth. "A Critical Mosaic: Canada and the United States: Ledbury Park, North York, Ontario, Canada 1997." China Architecture & Building Press/Springer – Verlag Wien. 2000: p. 238-239. Print
Weathering Steel: Barreneche, Raul. "Modern House Three." Phaidon Press. 2000: p. 42-49. Print
Ledbury Park: Polo, Marco. "Recreation Centres: Patron of the Parks." Canadian Architect. July 1999: p. 22-27. Print
Ledbury Park: RAIC. "Architecture Canada 1999: The Governor General" Royal Architecture Institute of Canada. 1999. Print
Ledbury Park: I.D. Annual Design Review. "Environments Best of Category." The International Design Magazine. July/August 1998: p. 158-159. Print
Ledbury Park: Ingersoll, Richard. "Tectonic Garden: Shim Sutcliffe Architects Crafts a Sophisticated Urban Park in Toronto." Architecture. July, 1998: p. 86-91. Print
Ledbury Park: Canadian Architect Editors. "Award of Excellence Ledbury Park." Canadian Architect. December, 1996: p. 20-23 & 36-39. Print
Ledbury Park: Filler Martin. "Husbands & Wives: Shim-Sutcliffe." Architecture. June 1996: p. 124-129. Print
Ledbury Park: Kapusta, Beth. "Recreation Centre 3: Stanley Park Community Centre." Canadian Architect. April, 1996: p. 26-27. Print
Ledbury Park: Kapusta, Beth. "The Politics of Recreation." Canadian Architect. April, 1996: p. 18-19.
Emery Yard Maintenance Building: Clarkson, Owen. "The Governor General’s Awards for Architecture." Architecture Canada. 1994. Print