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Synopsis:
The Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg fonds documents the architectural projects of the firm from 1984-2003. 125 projects are recorded through drawings, photographs, models, textual records, periodicals and paintings. These projects include built work, proposals and competition entries.

Description:
This project series documents the Disney Animation Studios in Toronto in 1996. The office identified the project number as 9611. This project, headed by Shirley Blumberg, appears to have consisted of studios, offices and a theatre located on the 29th and 30th floors of Simcoe Place on Front Street. The project is recorded through drawings dating from on or around 1996. These are mostly originals and consist of sketches, plans, elevations, sections and details.

Description:
This project series documents Phase 2A of work completed for Hasbro Headquarters in Pawtucket, Rhode Island from 1991-1992. The office identified the project number as 9104. This project consisted of interior work for part of the company's headquarters and was the second in a series of projects that the firm would complete for the headquarters. The 300,000 square foot building was predominantly one-storey and located on the block between Saratoga, Grand, London and Newport Avenues. The three projects were known as Main Street, Phase 2A and Phase 2B. Phase 1 was completed in 1986 by Barton Myers Associates with Shirley Blumberg as partner-in-charge. These subsequent projects by KPMB were also headed by Shirley Blumberg and continued the initial style she had established in Phase 1. These projects saw the conversion of a historic brick and masonry mill into the company's new offices. The office structure was inspired by the layout of a Greek town, with a main street running through it. This phase included office areas for the engineering soft toys department, the creative services department, human resources and legal services, as well as a fabric library, fabric storage room, conference rooms, and a presentation theatre with a curved backdrop. Planning for the next phase and an east wing also began during this time. The project is recorded through drawings and a project model dating from 1988-1992. These are mostly original drawings and include sketches, plans, sections, elevations, perspectives, details, and some construction drawings. Many of the drawings focus on the office furniture.

Description:
This project series documents interior design for Main Street of Hasbro Headquarters in Pawtucket, Rhode Island from 1989-1991. The office identified the project number as 8902. This project consisted of the interiors of the company's headquarters for an area of the building known as Main Street. This was the first in a series of projects that the firm would complete for the headquarters. The 300,000 square foot building was predominantly one-storey and located on the block between Saratoga, Grand, London and Newport Avenues. The three projects were known as Main Street, Phase 2A and Phase 2B. Phase 1 was completed in 1986 by Barton Myers Associates with Shirley Blumberg as partner-in-charge. These subsequent projects by KPMB were also headed by Shirley Blumberg and continued the initial style she had established in Phase 1. These projects saw the conversion of a historic brick and masonry mill into the company's new offices. The office structure was inspired by the layout of a Greek town, with a main street running through it. Main Street was a wide corridor which spanned the length of the building, acting as a central artery for activity. The corridor was flooded with natural light from the original saw tooth skylights on the ceiling and lantern-like offices lined the sides. Small rooms were positioned in the corridor, including the main conference room with a large curved wall, a reception area and two smaller conference rooms. Maple screens, translucent glass and steel were the prominent materials used for Main Street. The project is recorded through drawings dating from 1987-1988. These are mostly original drawings and include sketches, plans, sections, elevations, perspectives, details, and furniture drawings. Many of the plans focus on the design of the executive bathroom.

Description:
This project series documents the renovation to an already existing store for the Oasis Parfumerie in Oakville, Ontario. The firm identified the project number as 9223. The store was formerly occupied by Irene Hill Just Petites Ltd. This project, headed by Bruce Kuwabara and Shirley Blumberg, consisted of 3,000 square feet of retail and service space for the sale of cosmetics, fragrances, environmental products, gifts and spa treatment services. Materials used throughout the store included maple flooring, Piasentina granite floor slabs, and display units of European beech and figured maple veneers. The project is recorded mostly through drawings, including sketch plans, showing variations for the layout of the store, as well as sketches for furnishings and the entrance of the store. Also included are three photographs of the interior of the store.

Description:
This project series documents Phase 2B of work completed for Hasbro Headquarters in Pawtucket, Rhode Island from 1991-1994. The office identified the project number as 9105. This project consisted of interior work for part of the company's headquarters and was the third in a series of projects that the firm would complete for the headquarters. The 300,000 square foot building was predominantly one-storey and located on the block between Saratoga, Grand, London and Newport Avenues. The three projects were known as Main Street, Phase 2A and Phase 2B. Phase 1 was completed in 1986 by Barton Myers Associates with Shirley Blumberg as partner-in-charge. These subsequent projects by KPMB were also headed by Shirley Blumberg and continued the initial style she had established in Phase 1. These projects saw the conversion of a historic brick and masonry mill into the company's new offices. The office structure was inspired by the layout of a Greek town, with a main street running through it. This phase continued the work of Phase 2A and focused mainly on the design of the visitor's entrance. The entrance area was V-shaped, with the wide end at the entrance doors and the narrower end leading guests deeper into the building. Once past this area, the hallway opened like a bubble, wrapping around a large elliptical courtyard in the middle. This courtyard, comprised of glass windows with trees and other landscaping in it, was the most prominent feature of this phase. Materials used throughout the offices included polished concrete, maple, aluminum and perforated metal. The project is recorded through drawings and textual records dating from 1989 to around 1994. The drawings are mostly originals and include sketches, plans, sections, elevations, perspectives, details, and some construction drawings. Many of the drawings focus on the entrance and courtyard. The textual records consist of the project program and schedule.

Description:
This project series documents the first scheme and final design of The Design Exchange in Toronto from 1988-1994. The office identified the project numbers as 8801 for the first scheme and 9231 for the final design. Although two project numbers were used, materials for each project cannot be clearly separated. This project consisted of the renovation, restauration and expansion of the old Toronto Stock Exchange building, located at the base of the Ernst Young Tower in the Toronto Dominion Centre. The Design Exchange (D/X) was a new cultural institution, dedicated to the economic and cultural promotion of design in the country through exhibits, lectures, banquets, trade shows and other events. With Shirley Blumberg as the partner-in-charge, the art deco style trading floor was restored as an open event space, with the original Charles Comfort murals retained. In order to create harmony between the art deco building and the neo-modernist renovations, bold, linear architectural elements such as stairs, walls, screens and bridges were reiterated throughout the design. A staircase from the trading floor led to an overlooking bridge and created a connection between the trading floor, trading gallery and resource centre. Other areas of the 40,000 square foot building included an exhibit space, café, member's lounge, retail store, seminar rooms and administrative offices. Coloured planes of cobalt blue, chartreuse and ochre were set against a material palette of red oak, cherry, limestone, glass and stainless steel. The project is recorded through drawings and photographs dating from 1988-1994. The drawings are mostly originals and include a large amount of sketches. Also included are plans, elevations, sections, perspectives, details and drawings for custom furnishings. The photographs show the completed interiors of the building.