Ronald Thom
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Ronald James Thom, OC (May 15, 1923 – October 29, 1986) was a Canadian architect.
He was born in Penticton, British Columbia, the son of James Thom and Elena Myrtle Fennel, he graduated from the Vancouver School of Art in 1947.
In 1957, he became a registered architect and worked at Thompson, Berwick and Pratt in Vancouver, British Columbia. He established Thom Partnership in Toronto in 1963. He had a life-long battle with alcohol and is rumored to have committed suicide in his office after being forced out of the partnership by some younger partners.
He is the most admired Canadian designer of universities for his two masterpieces, Massey College and Trent University's riverside campus.
His oeuvre includes:
- Master plan and buildings of Massey College at the University of Toronto 1963
- Original campus colleges (except for Catherine Parr Traill), Main Library and Campus Master Plan of Trent University 1969-1973
- Pearson College of the Pacific
- Shaw Theatre in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario 1973
- Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts, Oakville, Ontario
- Fleming College, Peterborough
- Master plan and pavilions (including African and Indo-Malayisan Pavilions) of Metropolitan Toronto Zoo 1974
- Prince Hotel in Toronto, Ontario 1975
- Atria North office complex (Phase I) in Toronto 1980
- College Education Centre of Nipissing University 1982
He was a Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada.
In 1980, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.
