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Paul Boken

DTAH •

DTAH

DTAH together with West 8 were awarded the Central Waterfront Innovation Design project through an international competition. The primary mandate was to transform Toronto’s waterfront into a world-class destination celebrating Canada’s lakefront experience. As lead consultants, we carried out multiple phases of the award-winning design through to successful implementation.

There are three key layering elements. The first is the primary waterfront, an 18m wide, tree-lined, continuous, public pro...
DTAH •

DTAH

The Bank of Canada has undergone a dramatic renewal of its office complex in the nation’s capital to modernize the interior and exterior spaces, ensure safety, comfort and maximize user-productivity. Led by Perkins + Will, with DTAH providing all landscape architecture services, a key design objective was the preservation of the architectural integrity and heritage value of the original surrounding buildings, which include the prominent head office at 234 Wellington Street, built in 1938 and Art...
GVA Lighting •

Prince Edward Viaduct, Toronto, Canada - GVA Lighting

The city has to be beautiful. Every building and every piece of landscaping should add to the city, like this one.
— Dereck Revington
The Prince Edward Viaduct, also known as the Bloor Viaduct is the longest bridge in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, connecting Bloor Street with Danforth Avenue over Don Valley. It was built in 1918, and it contributed to more rapid development in the eastern part of the city. The suicide prevention construction called “Luminous Veil” was installed in 2003 and it consis...

Garrison Crossing Pedestrian and Cycle Bridges

Project Description
Conceived with the goal of revitalizing the area near the Toronto Waterfront and bringing communities closer together, these two bridges connect Stanley Park to Fort York across two railway corridors.
Pedelta worked as an exclusive design team leader and was also involved during construction, providing technical assistance until completion of the project in late 2019. Pedelta’s proposal was selected by Build Toronto in a RFP process. It included a unique design for the Garr...

Cadillac Fairview Celebrates 160 Front Street West with Ribbon Cutting | UrbanToronto

On Monday January 29th, Cadillac Fairview celebrated major completion of 160 Front Street West, at 46 storeys, the latest major and unique presence on the Downtown Toronto skyline. The developer, a prominent name in Canadian commercial real estate, marked this significant milestone with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

The ribbon cutting at the grand opening, image courtesy of Cadillac Fairview

Sal Iacono, President and CEO of Cadillac Fairview, alongside Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Bharat Masran...
NORR | Architecture, Engineering, Planning and Int •

Ontario Court of Justice | Award-winning Architectural Design NORR

NORR, in partnership with Renzo Piano Building Workshop as part of the EllisDon Infrastructure Team, were selected to design the new Ontario Court of Justice – Toronto, the largest courthouse in Ontario. Situated in Toronto’s downtown core, the new state-of-the-art LEED® Gold facility amalgamates several existing facilities to become a key element of the downtown civic precinct.

The collaborative design process has produced a strong architectural vision for the site by maximizing exterior publi...
Canadian Architect •

The Well, Toronto, Ontario

PROJECT The Well, Toronto, OntarioARCHITECTS Hariri Pontarini Architects (Masterplan and Office), Adamson Associates Architects (Executive Architect), BDP (Retail, Canopy, Landscape Architect), CCxA Architectes Paysagistes (Landscape Architect—Masterplan and Public Realm), Giannone Petricone Associates (Wellington Market), Wallman Architects (Residential Midrises), architects—Alliance (Residential Highrises), Urban Strategies (Urban Design and Planning)PHOTOS RioCan, unless otherwise notedTEXT J...
Toronto Life •

Inside Shopify's new nine-floor office with plenty of craft beer and a rooftop terrace - Toronto Life

What: Shopify’s Second Toronto Office
Where: The King Portland Centre, 620 King St. W.
Size: 180,000 square feetCanada’s tech darling Shopify—the online platform used to sell everything online, from wallpaper to roasted almonds—has just moved into their new King Portland Centre digs. The quickly growing company (they currently have 700 employees in Toronto and have committed to doubling that number by 2022) has taken over the top nine floors of this 15-storey, Hariri Pontarini–designed tower. Sh...
The Globe and Mail •

Niagara Falls seen in an all new light

With the flick of a switch, Niagara Falls lights up at night three times brighter than at any time in history. Programmable colours can make the tumbling water look like a golden sunset, an ocean wave in multiple shades of blue or an intensely red lava flow.New technology and innovative thinking that solved a century’s worth of technical challenges brought the American and Canadian Falls to brilliant light last December, in time for the holiday season and new year.It’s a dramatic example of how...
Richard Seck • Architectural Photography •

Waterfront Innovation Centre

Waterfront Innovation Center has been awarded a 2023 Green Good Design Award by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.

Divided across two mid-rise buildings and connected by a bridge, the 431,000 square foot facility is one of Canada’s first LEED v4.1 Platinum-certified developments, incorporating district heating and cooling, optimized natural daylighting, on-site energy generation, a high-performing curtain wall envelope, underfloor air distribution systems, and rainwater harvesting.

Canadian Museum of Human Rights

The CMHR is the first museum in the world solely dedicated to the evolution, celebration and future of human rights and the first Canadian national museum to be built outside the National Capital Region. The Museum uses immersive multi-media technology and other innovative approaches to create an inspiring encounter with human rights unlike anything before.

The CMHR is the first museum in the world solely dedicated to the evolution, celebration and future of human rights and the first Canadian...

Deloitte Toronto

The ambition for Deloitte's Toronto HQ was to create a new destination where the organisation's talent from across the wider region could come together to connect and collaborate in a new central campus. The new HQ would offer a wide range of over 20 different worksettings, to suit all of the varying working roles within the firm. AFK assisted in helping Deloitte select an existing building within the firm's portfolio in downtown Toronto to create their new headquarters, as it had all of the rig...

Nightshift – Church Street Fence Project

Nightshift is an example of how public art can reflect a community and its surroundings to cultivate and support their cultural identity. The custom LED art installation is the result of a partnership with the City and the School Board to help strengthen the community values and create an elevated sense of awareness. The site of the project, a downtown Junior Public School, once flanked by a decrepit chain-linked fence, has now been transformed into a public art installation.

Ripley's Aquarium of Canada

Aquarium lighting was re-imagined for Canada’s largest indoor aquarium, showcasing over 16,000 marine animals.
The owner desired an aquarium lighting scheme unlike any other aquarium in operation to date: lighting throughout the aquarium was completely redefined to create depth, sparkle, colour and animation, tackling issues such as flat light, corrosion and maintenance, excessive heat from the lighting, and access to lighting service areas above the tanks. Ambient levels are kept low in the ga...

Assiniboine Park Leaf Conservatory

The Leaf and Canada’s Diversity Gardens is the final major phase of the redevelopment of Assiniboine Park. The Leaf is a unique garden attraction that will tell Canadian cultural stories through the world of plants, offering visitors a multi-seasonal experience over four distinct worlds or “biomes” in a visually stunning display of colour, texture, and fragrance.

The Leaf and Canada’s Diversity Gardens is the final major phase of the redevelopment of Assiniboine Park. The Leaf is a unique gar...
Designlines Magazine •

"Radiant Journey" Spotlights University Avenue’s Medians

The hospital district welcomes a bright new symbol of hope
University Avenue has gained a dynamic new centrepiece designed to enliven the city’s hospital district. “Lightwave,” a sinuous composition of glowing aluminum poles, now anchors the four medians that run between Elm Street and Queen’s Park Circle. In another welcome improvement to the area’s ambiance, the tubular lights also coordinate with fresh landscaping and site lighting as part of a larger installation dubbed “Radiant Journey.”
Th...
Retail Insider •

Bloor-Yorkville BIA Unveils New ‘Urban Campfire Benches’ on the Mink Mile in Toronto [Photos]

By Larry Leung


There is something new on Bloor Street! Three years in the making, the Bloor-Yorkville Business Improvement Association (BIA) unveils innovative public spaces dubbed the Urban Campfire Benches that promote art, business, and community in time for the holiday season. In a two-part series, we will take an in-depth look at these benches and discuss how design and innovation can drive engagement/sales.


We interviewed Briar de Lange, Executive Director of the BIA, on the concept’...

Mulvey & Banani Lighting

As one of the original co-founders, Paul played a pivotal role in shaping and growing MBL into a world-class lighting design firm. His expertise in design and process established MBL as an industry leader, setting the benchmark for Canadian lighting design excellence. Through innovative strategies and a commitment to quality, Paul helped MBL redefine what’s possible in the field, consistently delivering groundbreaking projects that inspire and elevate the built environment.

Now, as an advisor to We Light, Paul brings his refined vision and expertise to support the modern digital construction revolution. By leveraging advanced technology and a forward-thinking approach, he is helping We Light deliver services tailored to the evolving needs of the industry, setting a new standard for innovation and efficiency in lighting design.

Sourcery

Acting as co-founder and CEO, Paul has built Sourcery into the leading product information management system for lighting professionals. Under his leadership, Sourcery has grown to serve 2,400+ users, 60+ specifier firms, and 35+ vendors, revolutionizing product discovery and specification workflows with innovative tools like Revit integration and AI-driven insights. Paul's vision has positioned Sourcery at the forefront of the lighting industry, streamlining collaboration and empowering professionals worldwide.

A Lifelong passion for lighting and design process

Paul Boken is a seasoned lighting design professional with over 20 years of experience in the industry. As an Advisor for We Light, Paul plays a pivotal role in guiding the company’s vision and strategy, offering his extensive knowledge in lighting design, technology integration, and project management to support their innovative initiatives. His expertise ensures We Light remains at the forefront of design and technology in the commercial and cultural lighting sectors.

Paul’s career highlights include co-founding and serving as Vice President of Mulvey and Banani's lighting design division in Toronto, where he spearheaded high-profile projects across architectural, entertainment, and hospitality sectors. Currently, as a co-founder of Sourcery, an advanced procurement technology platform, he continues to revolutionize how lighting professionals collaborate and access resources.

Paul’s deep understanding of dynamic lighting systems, energy efficiency, and user-centric design enables him to create immersive experiences that elevate environments. 

Dedicated to advancing the field, Paul actively integrates emerging technologies such as AI and BIM (Building Information Modeling) into the lighting design process, promoting efficiency and precision. A passionate advocate for education and community, he volunteers with organizations like Theatre by the Bay and The Sandbox Centre, mentoring new talent and fostering innovation in the arts.

Paul’s advisory role at We Light reflects his ongoing commitment to lighting excellence, offering strategic insight and technical expertise to shape transformative projects that redefine the possibilities of light.

In a world where lighting often feels like an afterthought, We Light is redefining the narrative. We believe that exceptional lighting isn't just for grand theaters or luxury hotels—it's for every space, every budget, and every vision. Our mission is to bring innovative, sustainable, and healthy lighting solutions to every environment—from majestic entertainment and attraction venues to the practical everyday spaces we inhabit, regardless of budget and timeline constraints.

We Bring Your Vision to Light

Find me at We Light!