Lea Wiljer is the principal architect at RENEW architect in Toronto, to which she brings over 30 years of practice experience including Historic Preservation and adaptive re-use of major institutional buildings, sustainable practices including Passive House methodology and substantial building science training. Before establishing RENEW Lea was an associate at Jurecka + Associates Architects for 12 years, and a Project Architect at Taylor/Hazell Architects for 5 years.  Lea continues to increase her efforts to build a portfolio of responsibly designed projects that significantly reduce our impact on the environment. 

 Education:

Lea earned her Bachelor of Architecture with honours from the University of Waterloo in 1993 and gained her license with the Ontario Association of Architects in 1998. She became a Certified Passive House Designer in 2022, worked towards a Certificate in Historic Preservation from Ryerson’s post graduate program and has been LEED Certified since 2008. Lea has continued to refresh her education in sustainable design methodology, barrier free design, and building science with numerous courses and sessions with universities, in the industry and with independent research.

 Qualifications:

Lea is a Member of the Ontario Association of Architects, the Toronto Society of Architects, an Accredited Passive House Designer with the international Passive House Institute, and is a LEED Accredited Professional (Building Design & Construction) with the Canadian Green Building Council.

Project Experience & Skills:

Lea’s expertise both in energy responsible design and historic preservation informs all her work and is an added benefit to both sustainable building projects and adaptive re-use of historic buildings. After founding RENEWarchitect Lea has completed many institutional projects including University of Toronto renovations in New College, Sidney Smith Hall, Lassonde, Haultian, Mechanical Bldg. and Lash Miller Laboratories. Her work also extends to schools and daycare centres such as Campus Coop Daycare, Mighty Kids Daycare, Cabbagetown Daycare, Toronto Waldorf Academy, Claremont School and others.  Custom residential homes and retrofit projects are also part of her work.

 With Jurecka + Associates she was responsible for the Pickering Kinsmen Field House Retrofit and Addition, the WoodGreen Immigration Services adaptive reuse project on Danforth Ave. in Toronto, and various University of Toronto projects including renovations of historically designated building such as the TANZ Building, the McMurrich Building and the former Medical Arts Building (now the Jackman Humanities Building. Lea also renovated university Labs including spaces in the Earth Sciences Building and Lash Miller Chemical Laboratories.

 For Taylor/Hazell Architects her work included assessment, documentation, restoration detailing, design and adaptive re-use of designated buildings, and construction administration. Projects included: Powerhouse Recreational Centre, Toronto (restoration and adaptive re-use), Casa Loma Restoration, Toronto, St. Paul’s Basilica Addition, Toronto and the Osgoode Hall Retrofit & Restoration. Lea headed a team to relocate an entire campus for Humber College to the historic Lakeshore Psychiatric Hospital, now the Humber College Lakeshore Campus, including the restoration and adaptive re-use of a group of 11 buildings and the addition of new infrastructure and a new library.