Why We're Done Apologizing for Sustainable Design Costs
Look, I get it - clients sometimes balk when they see the upfront numbers for sustainable materials. But here's the thing we've learned after years of doing this: those conversations change real fast once you start talking lifecycle costs. Last month, we had a commercial client who was ready to walk over our green roof proposal until we showed them the 15-year projection...
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The Open Concept Isn't Dead, It Just Needed Boundaries
Everyone thought open concept was over when COVID hit and people realized they actually needed doors. But we're seeing something more interesting - it's evolving. Our recent Queen West project used sliding partitions that...
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What Nobody Tells You About Heritage Restorations
There's always that moment in a heritage project where you find something unexpected behind the walls. Sometimes it's good - original brickwork that's gorgeous. Sometimes it's... less good. Let me tell you about this Victorian in Cabbagetown...
Read MoreThe 3D Rendering Trap (And How We Almost Fell Into It)
September 29, 2024 - Project ManagementRenderings are supposed to help clients visualize the project, right? Well, we had this situation where the renderings looked so perfect that the client expected the real building to have that exact golden-hour lighting at all times. It became a whole thing. Now we're way more careful about setting expectations...
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Why We Still Sketch by Hand (Sometimes)
Yeah, we've got all the fancy software - Revit, SketchUp, the whole deal. But there's still something about grabbing a pencil during those initial client meetings. It's faster for brainstorming, less intimidating for clients who aren't design-savvy, and honestly? Sometimes you just need to think through your hand. Our junior architects think we're weird for this...
Full StoryBiophilic Design: More Than Just Throwing Plants Everywhere
Every client wants biophilic design now, which is great. But some people think it just means adding a fiddle-leaf fig in the corner. There's actual science behind it - natural light patterns, material textures, visual connections to nature...
Read Article →Toronto's Missing Middle Housing Problem
We need to talk about the gap between single-family homes and high-rise condos. The missing middle - duplexes, triplexes, low-rise apartments - used to make up Toronto's best neighborhoods. Now? Good luck getting one approved...
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