Forrec

FORREC Ltd
Private company
Industry Entertainment Design
Headquarters Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Number of employees
 Approx. 120
Website FORREC.COM

Forrec Ltd. (customarily styled FORREC) is a Toronto-based entertainment design firm that designs and plans theme parks, water parks, resorts, retail and mixed use developments and visitor attractions around the world. FORREC’s global client base includes high-profile brands like Universal Studios, LEGOLAND, Nickelodeon, BBC Worldwide and Six Flags, as well as, international companies like China's Wanda Group and Chimelong Group, Dubai Holdings, Dubai Parks & Resorts, Meraas Leisure and Entertainment LLC, Singapore Tourism Board and Khazanah Nasional Berhad.[1] FORREC began as a landscape architecture firm in Canada in 1984 and has since added architecture, creative, interior design and graphics disciplines.[2][3]

Company history

Pre-FORREC

1961-1965: Sasaki, Strong & Associates

Japanese-American landscape architect, Hideo Sasaki partnered with Richard Strong to form the Toronto-based firm Sasaki, Stong and Associates in 1961. Working mainly in Canada, they master planned Toronto’s Queen’s Park Complex[4][5] and designed Nathan Philips Square.[6]

1965-1970: Richard Strong Associates Ltd.

Richard Strong founded Richard Strong Associates in 1965 but continued to partner with Hideo Sasaki on numerous projects.[7] Together they designed La Ronde, the amusement park for Expo 67 in Montreal.[8]

1970-1973: Merged to form Strong Moorhead Sigsby, Ltd.

Merging with Australian landscape architecture professor, Donald Guy Sigsby,[9] and Toronto-based landscape architect Steven Moorhead, Richard Strong became president of Strong Moorhead Sigsby, Ltd. The firm was expanded, with offices in Toronto and Sydney, Australia. As Strong Moorhead Sigsby Limited the group published numerous academic articles and studies, as well as the following books:[10]

1973-1977: Name Change to Richard Strong - Steven Moorhead

Upon Sigsby's departure to start his own firm in Australia,[11] a partnership formed between Strong and Moorhead. Most of the work from these 5 years was based in Ontario. During this time the company focused on urban renewal, recreational land planning, and landscape design for urban parks, like Devonian Square[12] in downtown Toronto. One of their largest projects was The Thunder Bay Waterfront Park Study plan. This 28-page report was well received and was used as the basis of development for years to come.[13] The pair continued to produce industry related books and articles, including:

  • Ryerson Polytechnical Institute: Landscape Development (1975)[14]

1977-1984: Moorhead Fleming Corban Inc. then Moorhead, Fleming, Corban, and McCarthy

Strong moved to Calgary, Alberta in 1977 and established his practice there as Richard Strong Associates.[15] A series of employee promotions and company mergers adjusted the name and management make-up of the company for almost a decade.[16] In 1978, the firm designed Canada’s Wonderland, the country’s first major theme park and later, in 1981, the World Water Park at West Edmonton Mall.[17][18]

As FORREC

The increase of theme park and water park focused work led to the company's final name change in 1985 to FORREC, a shortened version of "For recreation".[17][19] The company's business model also became a private limited with share capital.[20] The choice to incorporate FORREC was unusual for a design firm, where partnerships are more the norm. To keep ownership fluid, a policy was created that required shareholders to begin selling their shares at age 60.[21]

1985-1992: A North-American focus

During this time, FORREC’s projects were mostly in Canada but they attracted a lot of international attention. They were hired by USAA Real Estate Company, a subsidiary of the USAA insurance company, and Gaylord Entertainment Company, a company which owned Opryland USA, to assist in the design of a theme park in San Antonio, at the time known as Fiesta Texas.[22] Soon after, Universal Studios hired FORREC to design their theme park in Florida, which opened in 1990.[23]

1992-2013: Global projects

FORREC was soon consulting with companies all around the world with 90% of their work coming from outside of Canada.[24] Among many other global projects, FORREC was hired to transform the Beijing National Aquatics Center from the 2008 summer Olympics into a family water park called the Happy Magic Watercube.[25] BBC Worldwide asked FORREC to create a series of prototypes for four of their most famous brands – Top Gear, CBeebies, BBC Earth and Walking with Dinosaurs.[26] FORREC has also worked on attractions themed around World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and Nickelodeon.

2013-Present: Continued growth and mergers

In 2013, Tim Scott and Nolan Natale, previously the owners of Natale and Scott Architects (NASA), joined Forrec, along with their entire team. With this addition, Forrec became licensed to practice architecture in Ontario, providing full architectural services to local clients.[27]

FORREC merged with Scott Torrance Landscape Architect Inc (STLA) in 2016 to extend its local expertise in landscape architecture.[28]

Selected Projects

Theme parks

Water parks

Mixed use developments

  • Annapurna Studios, Hyderabad, India[42]
  • Azerbaijan Dream Land Plaza, Baku, Azerbaijan[43]
  • Circus City, Zhengding, China
  • Dubai Wonderland, Dubai, UAE[44]
  • Fortune Bay Tourism City, Hengqin Island, China
  • Garden City, Wa Fang Dian, China
  • Grand Galaxy Mall, Jakarta, Indonesia[45]
  • Marina Walk, Herzila, Israel
  • Qingdao International Tourist City, Qingdao, China
  • Thanh Xuan Park, Hanoi, Vietnam[46]
  • Wasaga Beach, Ontario, Canada [47]
  • Wave City Centre, Noida, India[48]

Other

Awards

2016

2015

  • Architecture in Perspective 30[54]
    • Award of Excellence to Michael Mills for Hungarian House of Music, Budapest
    • Thomas Payne Juror’s Award to Anthony Chieh for Tower Concept, Guiyang
    • Richard Johnson Juror’s Award to Steve Thorington for Ocean Cottage

2014

  • Order of da Vinci Award to FORREC Creative Director, Gordon Grice from the Ontario Association of Architects - Recognizing architects who have demonstrated exceptional leadership in the profession, education and/or in the community[55]

2013

  • Excellence in Planning Award: Research and New Directions for Step Forward Pedestrian Mobility Plan, City of Hamilton from the Ontario Professional Planners Institute
  • Excellence in Planning Award: Healthy Communities for Step Forward Pedestrian Mobility Plan, City of Hamilton from the Ontario Professional Planners Institute[56]
  • Dream Design: Waterpark Renovation Honor for Happy Magic Watercube, Beijing from Aquatics International[57]
  • Architecture in Perspective 28[58]
    • Award of Excellence to Danny Drapiza for Thanh Xuan Park
    • Award of Excellence to Steve Thorington for Powerlong City Plaza
    • Award of Excellence to Jan Jurgensen for Verdant Avenue

2012

  • Architecture in Perspective 27
    • Award of Excellence to Juhn Pena for 1001 Cities

2011

  • Planning Excellence Award: Innovation in Sustaining Places for Confederation Park Master Plan Review and Update from American Planning Association, New York Upstate Chapter - Recognizing plans that demonstrate how sustainability practices are being used in how places are planned, designed, built, used, and maintained at all scales[59]
  • Architecture in Perspective 26
    • Award of Excellence for two Wanda Dalian Illustrations

2010

References

  1. ↑ "Toronto design firm gets Lego up in German park". Retrieved 2016-08-11.
  2. ↑ "FORREC Company Profile". Attractions Management. The Leisure Media Company.
  3. ↑ "The services industry: Canada's secret economic playground? - Macleans.ca". 2015-04-01. Retrieved 2016-08-11.
  4. ↑ "Sasaki Strong Associates | Toronto Modern". robertmoffatt115.wordpress.com. Retrieved 2016-08-05.
  5. ↑ Leblanc, Dave (August 22, 2008). "A magnet for architects". The Globe and Mail.
  6. ↑ "Richard Strong | The Cultural Landscape Foundation". tclf.org. Retrieved 2016-08-05.
  7. ↑ "Richard Strong - University of Calgary". Canadian Architectural Archives. 1980.
  8. ↑ Valois, Nicole (2013). "Expo 67: A Watershed for Canadian Landscape Architecture" (PDF). Landscapes (Fall 2013).
  9. ↑ Architecture: 1985 Faculty Handbook. Kensington, New South Wales, Australia: The University of New South Wales. 1985. ISSN 0811-7594.
  10. ↑ "Most Widely Held Works by Strong Moorhead Sigsby". OCLC WorldCat Identities.
  11. ↑ "State Library New South Wales". Donald Sigsby Associates. Research and Collections. 1973.
  12. ↑ "Devonian Square | The Cultural Landscape Foundation". tclf.org. Retrieved 2016-08-12.
  13. ↑ "Thunder Bay Waterfront Park Study 1975". www.thunderbay.ca. Retrieved 2016-08-12.
  14. ↑ Ryerson Polytechnical Institute: Landscape Development. Richard Strong-Steven Moorhead Limited. 1975-01-01.
  15. ↑ "Biographies | Basic page". asc.ucalgary.ca. Retrieved 2016-08-12.
  16. ↑ "Conference Speaker Bios 2014: Landscape Ontario Congress". locongress.com. Retrieved 2016-08-12.
  17. 1 2 "Building Dreams | Business In Focus". www.businessinfocusmagazine.com. Retrieved 2016-08-05.
  18. ↑ "Design Interview With Ron Holbrook". Retrieved 2016-08-12.
  19. ↑ "It's Realty: Forrec entertaining all". Retrieved 2016-08-05.
  20. ↑ "Moorhead Fleming Corban & Partners Limited | DueDil". www.duedil.com. Retrieved 2016-08-12.
  21. ↑ "I engineered my own ousting. Here's why". Retrieved 2016-08-12.
  22. ↑ "Theme Park Development Case Study - Fiesta Texas / Economics Research Associates / 1999". www.hotel-online.com. Retrieved 2016-08-12.
  23. ↑ "The services industry: Canada's secret economic playground? - Macleans.ca". 2015-04-01. Retrieved 2016-08-05.
  24. ↑ "Thinking local, acting global | Toronto Star". thestar.com. Retrieved 2016-08-05.
  25. ↑ "Happy Magic Watercube". Sports Management Magazine. 16. 2012.
  26. ↑ "Exclusive: Forrec planning Top Gear, CBeebies attractions for BBC Worldwide". Retrieved 2016-08-05.
  27. ↑ Suttles, Claire (2014). "Stories, the Building Blocks of Dreams". Business in Focus.
  28. ↑ "Canada: FORREC Ltd. Merges with Scott Torrance Landscape Architect Inc". EAP Magazine. Euro Amusement Professional.
  29. ↑ "Building Dreams | Business In Focus". www.businessinfocusmagazine.com. Retrieved 2016-08-16.
  30. ↑ "Attractions Management". Retrieved 2016-08-16.
  31. ↑ "Canadian Tourism Marketing | Steve Rhys". www.bigpictureconferences.ca. Retrieved 2016-08-16.
  32. ↑ "MOI Park Entertaintment Center | BRN Mimarlık". 2015-05-01. Retrieved 2016-08-16.
  33. ↑ "$120-million plan to turn Playland into 'world class theme park' heads back to council". 2016-06-09. Retrieved 2016-08-05.
  34. ↑ "FORREC Lead Design Consultant for Six Flags Dubai". www.blooloop.com. Retrieved 2016-08-05.
  35. ↑ "FORREC Design Wanda Nanchang Outdoor Theme Park". www.blooloop.com. Retrieved 2016-08-16.
  36. ↑ Teng, Corinne (January 2016). "Thrills and Chills Keep The Customers Happy". SPLASH (103).
  37. ↑ "New generation Center Parcs planned for France". Retrieved 2016-08-16.
  38. ↑ "Universal Mediterranea near completion". Retrieved 2016-08-16.
  39. ↑ "Product Focus". Spa Business. Retrieved 2016-08-16.
  40. ↑ "Forrec Makes the Story Flow Through NRH2O Water Park". blooloop. April 20, 2016.
  41. ↑ "Wanda Xishuangbanna Water Park - FORREC". Retrieved 2016-08-16.
  42. ↑ "Retail & Mixed-use Building & Shopping Centre Architects - FORREC". Retrieved 2016-08-17.
  43. ↑ "Dreamland & Investors | Dreamland Golf Club". www.dreamlandgolfclub.com. Retrieved 2016-08-17.
  44. ↑ "Multi-billion dollar Dubai theme park taking shape". 2014-09-18. Retrieved 2016-08-17.
  45. ↑ "Full text of "Leisure Line (1996-03)(Leisure & Allied Industries)(AU)"". archive.org. Retrieved 2016-08-17.
  46. ↑ "Projekt Thanh Xuan Park : Hanoi, Vietnam - archimania.pl – architektura, architekci – świat nowoczesnej architektury". Retrieved 2016-08-17.
  47. ↑ Powell, Betsy (2017-01-22). "Can Wasaga Beach find its way out of the shade?". The Toronto Star – via thestar.com.
  48. ↑ "Rs 10,000 crore Wave City Center to pump up realty in Noida". Retrieved 2016-08-17.
  49. ↑ "FORREC Creates 10-Year Masterplan for Longleat Safari and Adventure Park". blooloop. April 15, 2016.
  50. ↑ "Theme park retirement". Retrieved 2016-08-05.
  51. ↑ "31st Annual Architecture in Perspective Competition | Architectural Illustration | Architectural Rendering". www.asai.org. Retrieved 2016-08-17.
  52. ↑ "American Society of Architectural Illustrators recognizes Canadian talent - Canadian Architect". 2016-04-28. Retrieved 2016-08-17.
  53. ↑ "Splash Forest: Wanda Xishuangbanna International Resort Water Park". Aquatics International. 2016-07-22. Retrieved 2017-02-16.
  54. ↑ "Web exclusive: Architectural Illustrators' Conference - Canadian Architect". Retrieved 2016-08-17.
  55. ↑ "Order of da Vinci Members | Ontario Association of Architects". www.oaa.on.ca. Retrieved 2016-08-10.
  56. 1 2 "Press & Events - FORREC". Retrieved 2016-08-10.
  57. ↑ "Happy Magic Watercube Receives 2013 Dream Design Honor". 2013-07-01. Retrieved 2016-08-10.
  58. ↑ "AIP 28 - Selected Entries". www.asai.org. Retrieved 2016-08-17.
  59. ↑ "2011 NY Upstate APA Chapter Award Winners : New York Upstate Chapter APA". nyupstateplanning.org. Retrieved 2016-08-10.
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