BEAT is honoured that the forthcoming session of Mentorship Mondays will be hosted by Betsy Williamson, Sonia Ramundi and Dimitra Papantonis from the design studio Williamson Williamson on the evening of Monday November 14, 2016. The objective of the event is to provide a platform for dialogue, networking and mentorship while supporting and advancing equality within the Architecture profession. Invitations are open to those at different points in their careers and to those practicing or pursuing various forms of design. Limited space available.
Betsy Williamson M.Arch, OAA, FRAIC
Betsy Williamson is a partner with Shane Williamson in the architectural design studio of Williamson Williamson, experienced architects and academics committed to using both built and unbuilt work as vehicles to explore diverse agendas associated with research and practice. Their design approach privileges specificities of context, materials research, economies of construction, building performance, and client-based collaboration.
Betsy is a registered architect with the Ontario Association of Architects and a Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC). Through her years of experience in small award winning design firms, Betsy brings to the office her enthusiastic commitment to architectural practice and high quality design. She has developed expertise in detail clarity and creative solutions balanced by focused project management skills.
Betsy received a Master of Architecture from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Arts with Honors in Architecture from Barnard College. Her office's work has been awarded the prestigious 2014 Emerging Architectural Practice Award by the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada and the 2014 Emerging Voices Award by the Architectural League of New York. Betsy was also named a finalist for the Architects' Journal 2015 Emerging Woman Architect of the Year Award. In its early days WWInc. was awarded the Ronald J. Thom Award for Early Design Achievement from the Canada Council for the Arts and won the Canadian Prix de Rome for their research in the field of innovative wood construction.
Betsy continues to foster her commitment to engaging the city in a greater capacity through volunteer work on a number of boards and committees. As a member of the Waterfront Toronto Design Review Panel, she actively contributes to a culture of quality at an urban scale by signaling that high quality design is a critical consideration for the development of Toronto's waterfront and the city.
Her work with the RAIC's Age Friendly Housing Task Force addresses the responsibility of the architectural profession to create design solutions that assist older individuals to live well and safely in their community of choice. WWInc. has engaged this subject directly over the years, having done a number of multi-generational homes on small lots in Toronto that have allowed families to address this important issue.
Sonia Ramundi, M. Arch
Sonia received her Honours Bachelor of Arts Degree with High Distinction from the University of Toronto with a double major in Architecture and Fine Art History, and a minor in Visual Studies. She received her professional architecture degree from the same institution where she won various design awards and the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada Student Medal. Sonia is a registered Intern Architect with the Ontario Association of Architects.
Prior to joining Williamson Williamson Inc. Sonia worked in offices in Los Angeles and Toronto as a project designer on various institutional projects as well as award winning high-end interiors and residential projects. Since joining WW Inc. in 2015, she has worked on master planning, retail and residential projects, and is currently working on a mixed-use new build in one of Toronto's rapidly changing neighbourhoods.
Dimitra Papantonis, M.Arch
Dimitra Papantonis is an Architectural Designer at Williamson Williamson, and a registered intern architect with the Ontario Associated of Architects. She received a Master of Architecture from Daniels School of Architecture, Landscape and Design at the University of Toronto, and a Bachelor of Arts with Honours double majoring in Architectural Design and Economics from the University of Toronto. Dimitra's research and interests are in housing, historical development of spaces, and typologies. She has lead and worked on a variety of projects including residential, commercial, and mixed use
