At the 2021 Annual General Meeting (AGM) in June, the Association honoured its newest Members of Long Standing—individuals who have reached the milestone of 50 years of membership with the OAA as part of Ontario’s architecture profession. Among the recipients this year was David K. Mesbur.

Mesbur received his Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Manitoba in 1966, followed by a Master of Architecture from the University of Toronto three years later. Through job opportunities with three of Ontario’s pre-eminent urban planning firms, James A. Murray, Proctor & Redfern, Ltd. and as a partner with John Bousfield Associates between 1966 and 1978, he gained valuable expertise in planning and urban design, including the planning of new towns in Ontario such as Erin Mills and Orleans. In 1978, David launched his own practice, specializing in housing and urban planning.

In 1983, through a serendipitous chain of events, Mesbur entered into an exclusive arrangement with Cineplex Odeon Corporation to spearhead the design of its rapidly expanding chain of cinemas in North America and Britain—an association that extended through 1990. Two years later, in partnership with Harold Smith, the firm expanded its expertise in cinema design and has subsequently completed more than 500 cinema projects in 53 countries.

Mesbur is a leading innovator in multiplex cinema design, incorporating creative planning and design strategies and sensitivity to clients’ visions, while responding to diverse cultural and geographic contexts. These include new projects, conversions of single-screen theatres into multiplexes, and the adaptive reuse of cinema buildings into performing arts venues. His historic restorations of old movie palaces were recognized by awards for architectural preservation which included Pantages in Toronto and Showcase in LA, as well as design for Universal City in Los Angeles.

Mesbur retired from practice in 2021, happy to have brought the magic of the cinema experience to the world.