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Claude Cormier 1960-2023

I've been thinking about Claude's passing all day. He was not just a great landscape architect, but by all accounts lovely person who exuded kindness, warmth, and optimism.

I watched a lot of WT Design Review Panel recording on YouTube early on in the pandemic, and I was struck by the quality of Claude's feedback to presenters. He often started started his feedback by complimenting them on their presentation and thanking them for explaining their work. He didn't hold back when offering constructive feedback, but it never felt blunt or mean. It was clear that he always took the time to engage deeply with the work being presented and offered excellent, thoughtful critiques. Definitely go listen to some of the old recordings if you want to see how he shaped the design of the waterfront even on the projects that don't bear his name.
 
Claude’s passing came as a very sad surprise to me. I had the pleasure knowing and working with Claude on a number of projects while working at HPA. He had such playful curiosity and was a pure joy to work with. He was also such great warm kind person and someone you really enjoy being around. I remember the conversations we had while on our way or returning to job sites or meetings and often he would take the time to chat even though he was rushing to get to the airport to get back home.
Claude was a rare talented professional in the industry and he will be dearly missed.
 
In reading the above piece linked by @AlbertC I found a further link on to another piece at The Cultural Landscape Foundation.

Canadian Landscape Architect Claude Cormier, Designer of Innovative and Playful Public Spaces, Dies at 63 | TCLF

Claude Cormier's distinctive approach to designing public spaces leaves a colourful and deeply original imprint on North American cities.
www.tclf.org www.tclf.org

It's written by Cormier's long time friend Beth Kapusta.

There are some insights on his health (he was first diagnosed with 3 types of cancer, 4 years ago); and the relationship of that to a genetic condition in his family, of which he had been unaware.)

That really places many of the choices he made the last few years into context.

Also, a link to a video featuring Claude, recorded only 1 month ago, today.


I gather that this is part of a comprehensive oral history series the Foundation is doing; with any luck there will more content forthcoming.

Also brought up is that a retrospective of his work was published in 2021:

Serious Fun: The Landscapes of Claude Cormier (ORO Editions, 2021), by Marc Treib and Susan Herrington

****

That in turn led me to find this video of Claude's presentation at U of T back on May 31st, 2018.


From the above link, a picture of Sugar Beach, under construction:

1695064124482.png


Just a few Silva Cells!

***

Just after the 1 hr 5 minute mark, Claude discusses value engineering and his thoughts on how to handle it are just perfect.

He doesn't really disparage the need to work within a budget, but instead he speaks to how it should be handled, that he wants (ed) to be involved at the earliest stage possible to work through any budgetary challenges so they can deliver input into how they might be addressed, he then shows as an example how he handled that in Montreal with a real-world example of exactly how such challenges should be addressed.

A bit further on, around the 1h 20 mark he gets into the process that led to Berczy's design. Interestingly he speaks very lovingly of former Councillor Pam McConnell and her role in getting Berczy done, who passed on 3 days after Berczy opening.

We also get to meet 'Dizzy' who inspired 'The Cat Park' on Wellington.

Just a great video.
 
Last edited:
Ed Keenan in The Star with a piece:

www.thestar.com

Edward Keenan: Pink umbrellas, a heart-shaped pond, a dog fountain: Here’s to the man who put some needed whimsy in Toronto’s public parks

Claude Cormier breathed new life into parts of the city, making it a more interesting place to be.
www.thestar.com www.thestar.com

I love just his closing for the click-averse to consider:

"Claude Cormier gave us a series of places that directly contradict those characteristics, and breathed new life into parts of the city, and made Toronto a more interesting place to be.
It isn’t that the people who would rain on our parade disappeared or went silent during that time. It’s just that Cormier gave us umbrellas we could sit under and relax while they thundered on."
 
From Azure:

www.azuremagazine.com

A Love Letter to Claude Cormier (1960-2023)

The Montreal landscape architect Claude Cormier brought joy, wit and a sense of grand occasion to public spaces.
www.azuremagazine.com www.azuremagazine.com

And LAM:

Claude Cormier: Hell of Fun | Landscape Architecture Magazine

As the news of Claude Cormier's death touched us, we look back to a profile we published in 2020. A remembrance of Cormier's legacy and life is available on the Cultural Landscape Foundation website. -September 15, 2023 By Brian Barth When Claude Cormier, ASLA, and I pull up to Dorchester Square...
landscapearchitecturemagazine.org landscapearchitecturemagazine.org

AoD
 
AlbertC said:
Tributes made by other architects to Claude Cormier:

www.canadianarchitect.com

Remembering Canadian Landscape Architect Claude Cormier

A collection of homages in memory of Claude Cormier, who passed away on September 15.
www.canadianarchitect.com www.canadianarchitect.com
Click to expand...

All the tributes are read worthy, though most cover ground we here will be familiar with........

The last one, however, comes from Michael VanValkenberg

Its last 2 paragraphs, I think offer something that many here may be less familiar with, and which speaks so well of Claude, it's worthy of bringing forward.

1697557620336.png
 
Northern Light said:
In reading the above piece linked by @AlbertC I found a further link on to another piece at The Cultural Landscape Foundation.

Canadian Landscape Architect Claude Cormier, Designer of Innovative and Playful Public Spaces, Dies at 63 | TCLF

Claude Cormier's distinctive approach to designing public spaces leaves a colourful and deeply original imprint on North American cities.
www.tclf.org www.tclf.org

It's written by Cormier's long time friend Beth Kapusta.

There are some insights on his health (he was first diagnosed with 3 types of cancer, 4 years ago); and the relationship of that to a genetic condition in his family, of which he had been unaware.)

That really places many of the choices he made the last few years into context.

Also, a link to a video featuring Claude, recorded only 1 month ago, today.


I gather that this is part of a comprehensive oral history series the Foundation is doing; with any luck there will more content forthcoming.

Also brought up is that a retrospective of his work was published in 2021:

Serious Fun: The Landscapes of Claude Cormier (ORO Editions, 2021), by Marc Treib and Susan Herrington

****

That in turn led me to find this video of Claude's presentation at U of T back on May 31st, 2018.


From the above link, a picture of Sugar Beach, under construction:

View attachment 507490

Just a few Silva Cells!

***

Just after the 1 hr 5 minute mark, Claude discusses value engineering and his thoughts on how to handle it are just perfect.

He doesn't really disparage the need to work within a budget, but instead he speaks to how it should be handled, that he wants (ed) to be involved at the earliest stage possible to work through any budgetary challenges so they can deliver input into how they might be addressed, he then shows as an example how he handled that in Montreal with a real-world example of exactly how such challenges should be addressed.

A bit further on, around the 1h 20 mark he gets into the process that led to Berczy's design. Interestingly he speaks very lovingly of former Councillor Pam McConnell and her role in getting Berczy done, who passed on 3 days after Berczy opening.

We also get to meet 'Dizzy' who inspired 'The Cat Park' on Wellington.

Just a great video.
Click to expand...
Thanks VERY much for posting, it is a great video of CC in 2018, he really was a very nice (and very talented) man. He is right that without Pam McConnell we would not have Berczy Park as it is.
 
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