Ralph Giannone

B.Arch., OAA, AAA, FRAIC

Ralph Giannone, since 1995, has led GPA alongside Pina Petricone in fulfilling a vision for a diverse practice whose work, despite type or scale, is infused with exceptional rigor in design details and an extraordinary passion for people-first urbanism.

The range of awards and international recognition for Ralph’s work is testament to the strength in diversity of the practice, and how one type of project can significantly inform another. He leads design dialogue, working closely with teams on projects with an unparalleled talent for scale-agnostic design. Ralph builds the design culture of the firm, elevates the calibre of its work, and promotes GPA’s conviction that design happens in all types of projects and in every phase of work.

As a consummate urbanist, Ralph champions GPA’s expertise across design disciplines. He was responsible for the design of the internationally recognized Port Credit Revitalization Project, the award-winning reimagination of the Don Mills Centre, where he was also responsible for the masterplan and urban design for the second phase of the Don Mills Centre Redevelopment and its ongoing evolution. Current projects include mixed-use residential/commercial developments: 771 Yonge, 176 Front, 321 Davenport, Cumberland Terrace Renewal, and Portage Niagara. Large-scale master planning/urban design projects include the Golden Mile Redevelopment; Agincourt Mall Redevelopment and Cloverdale Mall Redevelopment all in Toronto; and the new 72-acre Brightwater Community in Mississauga. Additionally, Ralph has pioneered the RestoMarket space, combining retail and hospitality design with a myriad of successful projects such as Food District at Square One, STOCK T.C, Eataly, and the upcoming Well Market Hall. Longstanding client relationships with celebrated institutions like Terroni and The Keg have provided extraordinary expertise in creating unique hospitality design of every scale. As author of the first LEED certified Canadian interior, he has seamlessly incorporated best sustainable practices that continue to advance at every scale of production.

Ralph graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Toronto in 1987, is a member of the Ontario Association of Architects, the Alberta Association of Architects, and in 2013 was made a Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. Since its inception in 2007, Ralph has been a member of the City of Toronto Design Review panel. His involvement in the design community, as well as the continued successes of GPA, have highlighted Ralph’s innovative approach to public space and urbanism. He has been invited to present the firm’s work at various conferences, and symposia including those for ULI, Ontario Planning Forum, Strategy Institute, and for several municipalities. He has also participated as a Speaker and panelist at several events such as Designing Transit Cities Conference in Toronto, the City of Toronto’s Chief Planner’s Roundtable “The Next Generation Suburbs,” and at the NAIO’s “The Evolution of the City Building & Design in Toronto.”