from drawing to built form

ghughes is George Hughes, born in Toronto. He started learning woodworking building a boat with his father. From there, including a short stint of Olympic level competitive sailing, and getting accepted to Law School, he went off to study architecture in Paris and then Vancouver(UBC). He learned the rudiments of drafting (and took his first computer course in 3D modelling). After a year at UBC, he decided to take a gap year to head off to design and build houses on Salt Spring.

He joined up with John Steele, a close friend to form Pot Belly Builders and together over 18 months they built 3 houses, two on spec. Hughes enjoyed the building. After 18 months he headed back to Vancouver to start Integra Design Construction/Millwork focused on architectural new builds as well as historical commercial renovations. Over 4 years he built a very good team inlcuding a very experienced senior Estimator and site Managers and the firm was busy in spite of the roller coaster West Coast economy. However, in 1979, it unravelled, and it was time to go to work for professionals on larger projects. He went to work for Qualico - Canada’s largest syndicator of mid and hi-rise MURBs. Hired as a Project Manager, he shepherded projects through municipal approvals as well as co-ordinated construction and financials reporting to accountant-lead management. He learned a lot about financial packaging and sellling of Real Estate. In November, 1981 the federal government cancelled the MURB program - and within a year the West was in deep recession and Hughes, after a run at redevelopment of a warehouse in Yaletown [`1132 Mainland’], was back to Toronto.

In spite of the recession, and having no contacts there, Hughes got himself hired by Tridel, Canada’s largest mid to hi-rise developer. Tridel was and remains the largest residential hi-rise developer in Canada: combining post war Italian trade and business savvy with smart, modern and effective marketing. Tridel even then, coming out of a recession, was busy. And when they built, they didn’t mess around. Typical floor plates of up to 2500 m2 Starting off building a hi-rise rental tower in Ottawa and finishing a townhome project in Kanata, after 6 months Hughes was working in the Toronto market.

By that time familiar with the processes, he convinced Tridel to put first generation portable computers on the job sites with simple PO Journals. Toe in the water; big ROI. Incremental changes producing Significant improvements. As well he was working with one of their lead Agencies coordinating the design of projects with the development of marketing and campaigns for exciting new product. By 1985 he was Sr Dev Manager in charge of their downtown Toronto projects - a total of 2400 residential units over 5 projects - some rentals, like Bay & Edward, and some new Condos, like the Polo Club 1 & 2.