Industry Entertainment Design Number of employees 120 | Website FORREC.COM Founded 1991 Type of business Private company | |
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Forrec rotary shear for metal light scrap
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. FORREC began as a landscape architecture firm in Canada in 1984 and has since added architecture, creative, interior design and graphics disciplines.
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- Forrec rotary shear for metal light scrap
- 1961 1965 Sasaki Strong Associates
- 1965 1970 Richard Strong Associates Ltd
- 1970 1973 Merged to form Strong Moorhead Sigsby Ltd
- 1973 1977 Name Change to Richard Strong Steven Moorhead
- 1977 1984 Moorhead Fleming Corban Inc then Moorhead Fleming Corban and McCarthy
- As FORREC
- 1985 1992 A North American focus
- 1992 2013 Global projects
- 2013 Present Continued growth and mergers
- Theme parks
- Water parks
- Mixed use developments
- Other
- 2016
- 2015
- 2014
- 2013
- 2012
- 2011
- 2010
- References
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 and designed Nathan Philips Square.
1965-1970: Richard Strong Associates Ltd.
Richard Strong founded Richard Strong Associates in 1965 but continued to partner with Hideo Sasaki on numerous projects. Together they designed La Ronde, the amusement park for Expo 67 in Montreal.
1970-1973: Merged to form Strong Moorhead Sigsby, Ltd.
Merging with Australian landscape architecture professor, Donald Guy Sigsby, 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:
1973-1977: Name Change to Richard Strong - Steven Moorhead
Upon Sigsby's departure to start his own firm in Australia, 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 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. The pair continued to produce industry related books and articles, including:
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. A series of employee promotions and company mergers adjusted the name and management make-up of the company for almost a decade. 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.
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". The company's business model also became a private limited with share capital. 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.
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. Soon after, Universal Studios hired FORREC to design their theme park in Florida, which opened in 1990.
1992-2013: Global projects
FORREC was soon consulting with companies all around the world with 90% of their work coming from outside of Canada. 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. 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. 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.
FORREC merged with Scott Torrance Landscape Architect Inc (STLA) in 2016 to extend its local expertise in landscape architecture.