POKORNY, George Karel (1901-1973), a partner in the Toronto architectural firm of Gibson & Pokorny from 1946 until after 1970. Born in Prague, Czechoslovakia on 6 August 1901, he was educated and trained there and began his professional career as an architect in Prague. In 1928 he emigrated to Canada and settled in Toronto where he became a staff architect in the office Chapman & Oxley, and assisted them with designs and drawings for the new wing of the Royal Ontario Museum (built 1931-32), and with plans for Holy Blossom Synagogue (built 1937-38). During this period, he prepared his own design for the Ontario Government Housing Competition in 1936, and received Second Prize for his effort (R.A.I.C. Journal, xiii, Aug. 1936, 154, 157, illus. & descrip.). During WWII he served as a Lieutenant with the army engineering corps, and returned to Toronto where he formed a partnership with George D. Gibson in 1946 (see list of works under Gibson & Pokorny). Pokorny later died in Toronto on 28 December 1973 (obituary Toronto Star, 3 Jan. 1974, A7)
ONTARIO GOVERNMENT HOUSING COMPETITION, 1936. A total of 109 designs were sent in for this provincial competition, and Pokorny received 2nd Prize in the Class A Division for his plans (Owen Sound Daily Sun-Times, 31 July 1936, 6; R.A.I.C. Journal, xiii, Aug. 1936, 154, 157, illus. & descrip.). The overall winner in the Class A Division was Harold C. Greensides .