St. John’s architect Jim Case, principal of Sheppard Case Architects, has fused mercantile history with modern design in the new Fortis Place, a landmark 12 storey Class A office building opening in downtown St. John’s during Q1, 2014. “Close attention to site development considerations, the use of wood materials in new ways, the subtle reintroduction of brick masonry, the sweeping curves of the building to break down the box, vertical service cores moved to the inside of the building in an attempt to conjure height elegance, burying the car park, and the study of city viewplanes to preserve existing and create new ones … these are the innovations of which I am most proud,” Case says.