Bing Thom



Bing Wing Thom, (Chinese: 譚秉榮; 8 December 1940 – 4 October 2016) was a Canadian architect and urban designer. Born in Hong Kong, he immigrated to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada with his family in 1950. His paternal grandfather originally immigrated to Vancouver in the 1890s and his father was born in New Westminster before moving to Hong Kong after being unable to practice as a pharmacist in Canada.

Career
Thom received a Bachelor of Architecture in 1966 from the University of British Columbia and a Master of Architecture in 1970 from the University of California, Berkeley.

He moved to Tokyo in 1971 to work for Japanese architect-urbanist Fumihiko Maki. Returning to Canada in 1972, he joined Arthur Erickson Architects as project director and oversaw projects such as Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto (1977), the Robson Square Courthouse Complex in Vancouver (1973–1979) and the Air Defence Ministry Building in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

In 1981, Thom established his own architecture firm, Vancouver-based Bing Thom Architects. In 1995, Thom was made a Member of the Order of Canada and he was a recipient of the Golden Jubilee Medal for outstanding service to his country. He was a Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. Thom received honorary degrees from the University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University.

In 2010, Thom was awarded the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada's Architectural Firm of the Year award. and in 2011 he was awarded the RAIC's highest honour, the RAIC Gold Medal.

Thom died at age 75 of a brain aneurysm while on a trip to Hong Kong in October 2016.

Bing Thom Architects
As of 2015 the firm had a total staff of 47, including principals Venelin Kokalov and Shinobu Homma, directors, registered architects, architectural graduate and students, urban designers and planners, and support staff.

The firm specialized in urban planning and complex building types such as civic buildings, performing arts centres and public spaces. Typically projects are mixed-use, integrating commercial, residential and cultural uses to create a sustainable whole. They had offices in Vancouver, Hong Kong, and Washington, DC. Today only the Vancouver office survives under a new name Revery Architecture.

Awards and prizes

 * Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia Medal for Excellence in Architecture, AIBC (Guildford Aquatic Centre, Surrey British Columbia) 2016
 * Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia Certificate of Merit for Excellence in Architecture, AIBC (Surrey City Centre Public Library, Surrey British Columbia) 2013
 * Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award Winner 2012
 * Royal Architectural Institute of Canada Gold Medal 2011
 * Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia Certificate of Merit, AIBC (SAIT Polytechnic Parkade) 2011
 * Royal Architectural Institute of Canada Architectural Firm Award 2010
 * Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia Certificate of Merit for Excellence in Architecture, AIBC (Aberdeen Centre, Richmond British Columbia) 2007
 * Excellence on the Waterfront Awards – Top Honor, The Waterfront Center, Washington DC (The Trinity Uptown Plan, Fort Worth OK) 2005
 * Merit Awards, Landscape Analysis & Planning, Boston Society of Landscape Architects (The Trinity Uptown Plan, Fort Worth OK) 2005
 * Marche International des Professionels de l'Immobilier (Cannes, France) Special Jury Prize (Surrey Central City, Surrey, British Columbia) 2004
 * Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia Medal in Architecture, AIBC (Surrey Central City, Surrey British Columbia) 2004
 * Architectural Institute of British Columbia Innovation Award (Surrey Central City, Surrey BC) 2004
 * CIP Award for Planning Excellence, Canadian Institute of Planners (Conceptual Development Plan for the City Center of Yuxi, China) 2001
 * Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia Medal, AIBC (Pacific Canada Pavilion, Vancouver Aquarium, Vancouver) 2000
 * Architectural Institute of British Columbia Innovation Award (Pacific Canada Pavilion, Vancouver Aquarium, Vancouver) 2000
 * Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia Medal, AIBC (Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, Vancouver BC) 1998
 * USITT Merit Award, United States Institute for Theater Technology (Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, Vancouver BC) 1998
 * Winner, Canadian National Selection (Canada Pavilion, Seville Expo '92, Spain) 1992
 * Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia Medal, AIBC (False Creek Yacht Club/Anderson's Restaurant, Vancouver) 1992
 * Governor General Medal, Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (Point Grey Road Condominiums, Vancouver) 1990
 * Governor General Medal, Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (False Creek Yacht Club/Anderson's Restaurant, Vancouver ) 1990
 * Excellence on the Waterfront Award, The Waterfront Center, Washington DC (False Creek Yacht Club / Anderson's Restaurant, Vancouver) 1990

Publications

 * Bing Thom Architects, Bing Thom Works, Princeton Architectural Press, 2011
 * Roan, Neill Archer, Scale + Timbre, The Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, Black Dog Publishing, 2002
 * Bing Thom Architects, Canada Pavilion: Expo '92 Seville, Spain, Bing Thom Architects, Inc., 1992