Join us for a delightful evening of fun, games, and celebration as SOSA X BEAT X BAIDA come together to cap off the year with a bang!

Building Equality in Architecture Toronto (BEAT) invites you to join Game Night at 401 Richmond, Urban Space Gallery.

Games have a powerful way of uniting people from all walks of life, transcending language, culture, and experience. We see games as an opportunity to reinforce the principles of diversity and inclusion, break down barriers and foster connections, all through a playful spirit with laughter and shared experiences.

Event Highlights:

[Team Games]
Fun and competitive games for everyone to enjoy!

[Networking and Nibbles]
Mingle with fellow architects, designers, and enthusiasts. Enjoy light refreshments and connect with like-minded individuals who share a passion for diversity and inclusion in our profession.

[Prizes and Surprises]
Exciting prizes await the champions of the games. Plus, there are a few surprises in store to make this evening even more memorable!

This event is a celebration of our shared commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion in the world of architecture and design. Join us for an evening of laughter, camaraderie, and shared experiences that will warm your heart as the year comes to a close.

Mark your calendars, bring your game face, and let's make this a night to remember. We can't wait to see you there!

Please note this is a ticketed event.

General Admission: $20

Zoom fatigue got you down? Get with the BEAT!

Building Equality in Architecture Toronto (BEAT) helf the Cross-Pollination Party 2.0 at the Herman Miller showroom.

We’ve got snacks!

We’ve got music!

We’ve got drinks!

And best of all - we’ve got plenty of real people in a real room for networking and socializing like it’s 2019.

BEAT is thrilled to be back to in-person events and we hope to see you there!

Please note this is a ticketed event.

General Admission: $15

Students: $5

To purchase tickets, please RSVP below.

BEAT was thrilled to host a virtual roundtable and book launch for Women [RE]Build: Stories, Polemics, Futures. Women [Re]Build was inspired by the organizing activities of a group of women architecture students who sought to answer questions important to them as young professionals entering into a discipline largely still dominated by outdated postwar corporate practices. The edited book features projects and research of both accomplished academics and practitioners in the field. 

Women [RE]Build is exemplary in its mission to combine in one resource reflections on the renewal of feminist thought in architecture (Framing Stories), challenges to practice made possible by activism (Shaping Polemics), and portrayals of inspiring practitioners who pave the way for future women architects (Building Futures). Rarely have so many women’s voices, dedicated to enriching the profession of architecture, been collected in one publication. The book celebrates the work, wisdom, and aspirations of those who have succeeded in surpassing the daily challenges set by this most conservative of professions.

This was evening of inspiring conversation with editors and contributors Ramona Adlakha, Ramune Bartuskaite, Franca Trubiano, Shirley Blumberg, Nicole Dosso, Annelise Pitts, with a special presentation by Sadie Morgan.

In addition to reviewing the book’s original intentions, the evening’s roundtable discussion asked questions in light of the recent challenges the profession has experienced in the worldwide pandemic. As economic and social conditions have further revealed the disparities that exist for those who study architecture, labor in its design and construction, or live in their buildings, the evening’s conversation will ask “how will we know” when and if things have changed in the industry? Is the industry changing for the better? What are some strategies we can implement to keep the industry moving forward?

Limited space available.

While this event is free to attend, a ticket for entry will be required.

PANELISTS:

RAMONA ADLAKHA | Diamond Schmitt Architects

Toronto, Ontario

Ramona works at Diamond Schmitt Architects where she focuses on large scale cultural arts and institutional design projects. Ramona holds a Master of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania where she received the Alpha Ro Chi Medal for professional merit and the William Melhorn Scholarship in architectural history and theory. Ramona holds a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture, Fine Art and Literary Studies from the University of Toronto where she was the recipient of the Government of Canada’s Millennium Provincial Laureate scholarship. Ramona is deeply committed to promoting the visibility and voice of women in design. Ramona’s first book, Women [Re]Build: Stories, Polemics and Futures, co-edited with Franca Trubiano and Ramunė Bartuskaite and published by ORO editions is now available online and in bookstores worldwide.

Ramona is an Executive Committee Member of BEAT and focuses on graphics and communication media, developing marketing collateral to further promote BEAT’s programming and mandate.

RAMUNE BARTUSKAITE | JKRP Architects

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Ramune is a practicing architect at JKRP Architects in Philadelphia.  She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture with a Marketing Minor from Miami University, ‘14, a Masters of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania, ’18, and a Certificate in Healthier Materials and Sustainable Building from Parsons School of Design, ‘21.  She is a co-editor of a book titled Women [Re]Build: Stories, Polemics, Futures, published in 2019 by ORO Applied Research +Design.  Ramune serves as Co-Chair of the Philadelphia Urban Land Institute (ULI) Women’s Leadership Initiative, advocating for healthier, more equitable, and inclusive development within the city. She is a board member of a national nonprofit called Rise First, serving first-generation and low-income students and professionals.  Ramune is also the founder and CEO of Spec Matters: an online resource for architects, designers, and building owners–educating them on how to write healthier specifications and make better material selections. The project aims to bring awareness to the toxicity of the building industry and empower building professionals to build healthier environments and communities.

FRANCA TRUBIANO | University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Franca Trubiano is Associate Professor in Architecture at the Weitzman School of Design of the University of Pennsylvania and a Registered Architect with l'Ordre des Architectes du Québec. She completed her Ph.D. in Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania in 2005. Her work has been funded by the Mellon Humanities Urbanism and Design (H+U+D) Initiative at Penn, the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy, the Perry World House at Penn and the US Department of Energy. Her current manuscripts include Building Theories, Architecture as the Art of Building (2021 Routledge) and the co-edited book Bio/Matter/Techno/Synthetics: Design Realties for the More than Human (2022 Actar Publications). She co-edited Women [Re]Build: Stories, Polemics, Futures (2019 Oro Books) with Ramona Adlakha and Ramune Bartuskaite. Her edited book Design and Construction of High-Performance Homes: Building Envelopes, Renewable Energies and Integrated Practice (Routledge Press 2012), was translated into Korean and awarded the 2015 Sejong Outstanding Scholarly Book Awards, from the Korea Publication Industry Promotion Agency.

SHIRLEY BLUMBERG | KPMB Architects

Toronto, Ontario

Shirley Blumberg is a founding partner of KPMB Architects and a Member of the Order of Canada for her contributions to architecture and community. She has designed many of the firm’s noteworthy and award-winning projects that range in scale, from interiors to architecture and planning.

In addition to her academic and cultural projects, she has also focused on social justice work in affordable housing. She is currently working on such projects as the competition-winning Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, an affordable residential community in Toronto, and prototypical housing for the northern Indigenous community of Fort Severn in Ontario, Canada.

Several years ago, Shirley began a conversation with like-minded colleagues that became BEAT - Building Equality in Architecture Toronto - a grassroots initiative to promote equality for women in the profession that has since grown to include chapters across Canada.

NICOLE DOSSO | Vornado Realty Trust

New York, New York

Nicole Dosso, FAIA, Architect, Educator, Mentor. Nicole has spent her 25-year career working in New York City on complex projects demanding a high level of team coordination and collaboration that characterize her career as an architect and her portfolio of work. Projects include: 7 World Trade Center, One World Trade Center, Manhattan West, 35 Hudson Yards and Moynihan Train Hall.

As Vice President - Design & Construction at Vornado Realty Trust, Nicole is involved in several projects in the Penn Station District, set to be the epicenter of New York City. Her current projects include the adaptive reuse of the civic Farley Post Office, modernization of the 2 Penn building which includes Amtrak’s new entrance to Penn Station.

In 2012, Nicole was honored in the “40 under Forty” issue of Crain’s New York Business, and received an AIA Presidential Citation for contributions at the World Trade Center site. In January 2016, for recognition of her notable contributions to the advancement of the profession of architecture, Nicole was elevated to The College of Fellows of The American Institute of Architects.

Nicole is currently serving on the New York State Board for Architecture, is the Board President of Professional Women in Construction, NY Chapter and is a member of the Advisory Board at Syracuse University School of Architecture.

SADIE MORGAN | dRMM Architects

London, United Kingdom

Sadie Morgan is a founding director of Stirling Prize winning architecture practice dRMM, alongside Alex de Rijke and Philip Marsh.

As a design champion Sadie undertakes advisory roles including chairing the Independent Design Panel for High Speed Two and as a commissioner for the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC). She has been instrumental in setting up the NIC’s Design Group which places design at the heart of major infrastructure projects.

In 2019, Sadie was appointed as a board member of the UK government’s housing accelerator – Homes England. She recently founded the Quality of Life Foundation – an independent body aimed at raising wellbeing through improvement of the built environment.

Sadie lectures internationally on dRMM and the importance of infrastructure. In 2013 she became the youngest president of the Architectural Association. In 2016 she received an honorary doctorate from London South Bank University and was appointed professor at the University of Westminster.

In 2017, Sadie became a Mayor’s design advocate for the Greater London Authority and was named New Londoner of the Year by the NLA for her work championing design at the highest political level. Most recently she won ‘Female Architectural Leader of the Year’ at the BD awards and an AJ100 Contribution to the Profession award. In the New Year’s Honours 2020 she was awarded an OBE for services to design advocacy in the built environment.

ANNELISE PITTS | Cameron MacAllister Group

Brooklyn, New York

Annelise Pitts, AIA, is a passionate designer, researcher and advocate for justice, equity, diversity and inclusion in the architectural profession. As Research Chair for Equity by Design, she has led the group’s nationally-recognized research project, exploring equity in architectural practice through surveys on professionals’ career perceptions, experiences, and aspirations. Annelise is a licensed architect with nearly a decade of experience designing learning, gathering and living spaces. She recently joined Cameron MacAllister Group, where she applies both her research expertise and her experience as a working architect to her consulting practice, working collaboratively with clients to build a more just, equitable, diverse and inclusive profession, one firm at a time.

BEA Canada is pleased to announce that we have joined hands with Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design, University of Toronto to present Shifting Ground, a lecture by Marina Tabassum.

Marina Tabassum shared her research on the Meghna estuary and its impact on climate change coupled with a complex land inheritance system introduced by British Colonial rule that to date governs the dynamic landscape of the Ganges Delta. Marina shared the development of a modular mobile home unit to be distributed to landless families living in coastal areas.

About Marina Tabassum
Marina Tabassum is the principal of MTA (Marina Tabassum Architects), founded in 2005 and based in Dhaka, Bangladesh. MTA seeks to establish a language of architecture that is contemporary yet rooted to place. Their built work includes community centres, public schools, museums and eco resorts. Ms. Tabassum graduated from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology in 1995. In 2016, Ms. Tabassum received the Aga Khan Award for Architecture for the Bait ur Rouf Mosque in Dhaka. Also in 2004, she received the Architect of the Year Award (AYA) from India for the NEK10 project in Dhaka. She is a recipient of 2005 Ananya Shirshwa Dash award, which recognises women in Bangladesh for their exceptional achievements.

Ms. Tabassum is the academic director of the Bengal Institute for Architecture, Landscapes and Settlements. She was the Aga Khan Design Critic in Architecture at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design in Autumn 2017 and serves as a member of the Aga Khan Program Advisory Group. She taught Advanced Design Studio as visiting professor at the University of Texas in 2015 and at BRAC University from 2005 to 2010. Ms. Tabassum serves on the Board of Directors of Prokritee, a fair-trade organisation that empowers Bangladeshi women through the export of handcrafted objects. Working with Platform for Community Actions and Architecture, she has initiated “$2000 Home” projects in several villages surrounding Panigram Resort, currently under construction. In 2011, she worked with Hyder Consulting Middle East to create the Abu Dhabi Mosque Development Regulations and Guidelines.

This Talk is now available online!

There is a notable disproportionate representation of Black, Indigenous and Persons of Colour (BIPOC) within the architecture and design professions. Gensler is committed to developing mentorship and community engagements to further enrich the design professions with a variety of cultural views and practices. Gensler Toronto partnered with BAIDA (Black Architects and Interior Designers Association) and BEAT (Building Equality in Architecture Toronto), to host a virtual BIPOC Portfolio Collaboration.

Students that identify as Black, Indigenous or Persons of Colour were invited to participate in a portfolio review session to align with the Design TO festival on January 29, 2021.   

Guests were invited to join Gensler, along with other leading Canadian architects and designers, for a collaborative review of resumes and portfolios to assist this generation with the next steps of their careers. Students were granted a half hour review session with two professionals within the fields of architecture, interior design, landscape architecture or architectural technology. This was an opportunity for students to engage conversation with members of the design community while refining their interview skills. Strategies and advice was shared by all participants to gear students towards design excellence and enrichment within their future careers.

How can design make communities more equitable?  What power do designers have to address social inequities of a city?  What responsibilities do we have to ensure that communities are not lost in times of growth?  Join the discussion with two architects about how architectural and urban design can impact the health of communities.

We were delighted to present this BEAT Special Event in partnership with the Adelaide Project; Persis Lam, architect at Diamond Schmitt Architects and Tura Cousins Wilson, architect and co-founder of the Studio of Contemporary Architecture.

Plugged-In by The Adelaide Project is a series of conversations focused on bringing inspiration to the creative community.

This conversation took place on ZOOM. Th event comprised of a 30-40 min interview, followed by a 20-30 min Q&A, and further discussion.

About the speakers:

TURA COUSINS WILSON, OAA
Co-founder, SOCA
www.socadesign.ca

Tura Cousins Wilson is an architect from Toronto, Canada and co-founder of the Studio of Contemporary Architecture. SOCA is an architecture and urban design studio dedicated to inclusive city building and the creation of beautiful spaces and places. Founded on the belief that architecture both shapes and is shaped by the contemporary condition, the studio is deeply engaged in research and the broader discourse of architecture's impact on culture, the environment and the future of cities.

Tura holds an undergraduate degree in architecture from Ryerson University in Toronto and a master’s degree from Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. He is a licensed architect in Ontario and the Netherlands and also a founding member of BAIDA (Black Architects and Interior designers Association).

PERSIS LAM, OAA
Architect, DSAI

Persis Lam is a Toronto-based architect, born and raised in Vancouver, BC. Her practice is inspired by collaborative and beautiful design rooted by site and user relationships. She loves architecture for the constant strive for balance between art and science. Her drive for better design solutions to solve real problems stems from a technical design sense.

She graduated with a Diploma of Building Technology at BCIT, Bachelor of Environmental Design and a Master of Architecture from Dalhousie University, where she received the RAIC Ernest Wilby Memorial Scholarship and the Rosetti Scholarship 2005: Havana.

Since joining Diamond Schmitt Architects in 2002, Persis has worked on a range of academic, commercial and residential projects. She also spearheads the Diversity and Inclusion taskforce at Diamond Schmitt Architects. Persis is also an executive committee member of Building Equality in Architecture Toronto (BEAT), an independent organization dedicated to the promotion of equality in the profession of architecture.

BEA Canada joined hands with Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design, University of Toronto and the Peter Guo-hua Fu School of Architecture, McGill University to celebrate and honour the lifetime achievements of Blanche Lemco van Ginkel - Architect, urban planner, educator, and activist.  

Speakers:
Phyllis Lambert (Canadian Centre for Architecture)
Mary McLeod (Columbia University)
Ipek Mehmetoglu (McGill University)

with an excerpt from 'City Dreamers,' a film by Joseph Hillel

Moderated by
Brigitte Shim (Daniels Faculty) and
Laura Miller (Daniels Faculty).

As an architect, urban planner, educator, and activist, Blanche Lemco van Ginkel has inspired generations of architects. With H.P. Daniel (Sandy) van Ginkel, she founded the firm Van Ginkel Associates in 1957. The firm’s work is distinguished for its integration of planning and architecture and bold, Modernist solutions. 

Lemco van Ginkel is also distinguished as an architectural educator. Following her graduation in architecture from McGill University (1945) and in city planning from Harvard University (1950), she taught at the University of Pennsylvania (1951-57), Harvard University, Université de Montréal, and McGill University. In 1977, she joined the University of Toronto, where she served as Dean of the Faculty of Architecture and Landscape Architecture from 1980-82. 

In 2014, McGill University awarded Blanche Lemco van Ginkel an honorary doctorate. This year, 2020, she has been awarded the Lifetime Design Achievement award from the Ontario Association of Architects and the Gold Medal from the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, reflecting her extraordinary contributions.

About the speakers:

Supported by:
Ontario Association of Architects (OAA)
Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC)

Building Equality in Architecture Toronto formed over five years ago to initiate change, and build momentum to create a shift within the architecture profession. 

BEAT was excited to extend an invitation to our past and current sponsors to:

BEAT Executive Webinar: DEI in the Workplace - An Urgent Business Strategy for Sustainability

This was a focused lecture led by Russell Pollard (Principal of Framework Leadership) and Sybil Allen (CEO, Human Factor, Co-creator of Waking the Unconscious(WtC) ), guided with visual support, followed by breakout rooms for participants to network and learn from each other, and a question and answer period.

With the state of the construction industry (and of the world), this was a critical opportunity to put equity and inclusion at the centre of how we make decisions in and lead our practices. There is a new normal emerging and, as leaders, it is time to strengthen our inclusive leadership resolve and impact both in our practices and in the profession.

This focused lecture presented key learnings to help leaders of architectural practices navigate these uncertain times and make inclusive decisions toward more equitable workplaces and profession.

- Context: What is the context of inclusion in profession

- Framework: A reference model for organizational and systemic change, with examples of barriers

- People & Culture: Considerations for establishing inclusion as a core value in and attribute of your practice, including behaviors that promote authenticity, measures and accountability

- Leadership: Advice on how individuals can assert influence in their practices to be inclusive and promote inclusion

- Peer Learning: Connect with industry peers to learn from each other

This event qualifies for 2hrs of OAA Continuing Education Hours.

Participants: This program is limited to two people per practice. Ideally one will be in a senior leadership role (e.g. Partner or Principal) and the other will be an intermediate level employee (e.g. Associate). The purpose of this is to create a shared experience between colleagues who may serve as allies for each other as they implement changes in their respective practices.

Presented by:

Russell Pollard, MBA (he/him), Principal of Framework Leadership

Russell develops bespoke leadership training programmes for architecture practices to support them in their objectives related to people & culture, business development, and change management. He has spoken for Building Equality in Architecture Toronto twice before. Russell has a bachelor of interdisciplinary leadership, a Certificate in Leadership and Inclusion and an MBA. @frameworkleads | www.frameworkleads.com

Sybil Allen, MSW, RSW CEO, The Human Factor Co-creator of Waking the Unconscious(WtC) www.wakingtheunconscious.com

Sybil Allen has over 30 years of experience designing and implementing innovative programs that work to maximize human potential and engagement within the corporate, public service and non-profit arenas. She is a registered Clinical Social Worker (M.S.W) and has a PhD in Organisational Psychology. Her varied work experience includes corporate advising on diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies, human resources management, lecturing as an associate professor of behavioural science, and director of academic advising. She is a Partner and Co-creator of Waking the Unconscious (WtC) a non-profit focused on DEI consulting. For the past 15 years she has been C.E.O of her own consulting company The Human Factor. She has worked in Canada and the Caribbean region, with the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) to provide crisis management support directly to professional caregivers who work with children, as part of their disaster relief services. She brings a global perspective as she supports organizations and the individuals within these establishments to be the best versions of their authentic selves. Sybil has spent a large part of her career in the health and well-being arena, working in Corporate settings, community mental health programs, and providing policy directions to governments. Sybil addresses corporate wellness business needs by helping organizations focus on what works within their current corporate culture, and then facilitating the development of leadership competencies at all levels of the structure, which allows the organization to position itself for growth in the volatile global business environment. “My mission is to support and empower individuals and organizations to embrace healthy workplace cultures practices into their lives, by providing simple, affordable, life changing skills that create seamless shifts in mindset and behaviors. I welcome the privilege of being a guide as you seek to restore your equilibrium.”

Building Equality in Architecture Toronto formed over five years ago to initiate change, and build momentum to create a shift within the architecture profession.  The Retrospective was an opportunity to review and introduce the audience of the Interior Design Show to BEAT. Executive Committee Members Persis Lam and Vineetha Sivathasan provided prospective on programs and initiatives that have served as instigators to promote the achievements and visibility of women and minorities within the profession. 

Russell Pollard   Principal, Framework Leadership

Russell works with architecture and design studios to improve how they present and market themselves to win work and build brand.  He partners with studios to provide advisory  on people & culture and marketing & brand, and develops leadership training workshops for designers. 

Vered Klein   Recruitment Consultant Specializing in Architecture & Interior Design

Vered is a specialized Recruitment Consultant, they will highlight strategies for career progression and finding opportunities to move forward within your current role through structuring attainable goals and self-evaluations during the BEAT Retrospective Learning Lab.

LET’S GET WITH THE BEAT!

One of the reasons women leave the architecture profession at a higher rate than men is due to:

Being sidelined to limited areas of work, often based on protective paternalism, preventing development experience *

The Facades Conference came to Toronto on Friday October 11th, 2019.  It brought together some of the world’s most productive building professionals. This was an opportunity to be inspired and learn how to innovate all steps of facade implementation, from systems and materials to designs and delivery strategies.

* Canadian Architect; “Because It’s 2017: Gender Diversity in Canada’s Architecture Profession”  February 2018

Bringing together some of the world’s most productive building professionals

Be inspired and learn how to innovate all steps of facade implementation, from systems and materials to designs and delivery strategies.

The Symposium -

Attend a full day of stimulating presentations and panels that examines the fast-paced evolution of facade technology, addresses new perspectives on building skins, and explores innovative, sustainable design practices. Includes access to Methods+Materials Sponsor Gallery.

The Expo Floor -

Visit the Methods + Materials gallery to meet with industry-leading manufactures of every possible product from cladding, glazing, framing + facade systems to advanced materials and services. Over sixty companies on hand to field questions and demo products for all of your project needs.

The Workshops -

Engage in in-depth conversations with the industry’s leading design professionals in an intimate, seminar-style setting. Customize your schedule by selecting one morning and one afternoon sessions which match your level of expertise and interest.

This event was a collaboration among BEAT, the Daniels Faculty Committee on Diversity and Equity and the Graduate Architecture Landscape and Design Student Union (GALDSU). It was open to Daniels Faculty students and registration was not required.

The speakers addressed the following questions:

What in your career so far has surprised you?
What do you hope to do that you haven't done yet?
What have been the greatest career challenges you have experienced?

Featuring:

Kyra Clarkson is the Principal of Kyra Clarkson Architect Inc. and co-President of MODERNest Inc.

Kyra has been practicing architecture since 1995.  She founded her eponymous architecture practice in 2007.  Her firm specializes in house projects both renovation and new construction.  The work of the office is characterized by a clean modernism with a commitment to warmth, the importance of daylight and connections to the outdoors. 

In 2011, Kyra and her husband launched MODERNest Inc., a development venture building architect-designed homes in downtown Toronto.  In reaction to the typical neo-traditional homes being built in the city, they saw the need for high-quality, honest, and inspiring homes that express a modern spirit.

MODERNest Inc. has built six houses to date, and has been recognized in several publications, including Canadian Architect, The Globe and Mail, Monocle Magazine and Dwell.

Kyra holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Toronto (B.A., 1991) and a graduate degree (M. Arch., 1995) from Yale University.  She worked for ten years in New York with Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects, and joined Shim-Sutcliffe Architects when she moved back to Toronto in 2005.

Beth Kapusta is a Principal of Brook McIlroy. Throughout thirty years in the design field, Beth has left a mark on Toronto’s urban landscape through her advocacy for design excellence, undertaken in her many roles as a critic, consultant, and strategic advisor. In 2013, she founded Metrolinx’s Design Excellence program as the organization’s first Chief Design Excellence Officer, charting a vision to elevate the quality and customer focus of design across the provincial agency’s transit projects. She also provided design excellence consulting to TTC and Regional Express Rail.

In addition to transit, she has provided strategic consulting for competitions and awards that have shaped the urban realm. As an architecture critic, she has written extensively on architecture, sustainability and design for publications from Huffington Post to the Globe and Mail. She began her writing career as an editor at Canadian Architect, overseeing its award-winning redesign in 1993. She received her Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Waterloo.

Kate Nelischer is the Assistant Dean, Academic and Outreach Programs at the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design. She is also a PhD Candidate in Planning at the University of Toronto, where she studies the governance and public-private partnership structures associated with the Google/Sidewalk Labs plan for Toronto's Quayside neighbourhood. Kate previously worked in urban planning and community consultation for the City of Toronto, the City of Brampton, and local firm The Planning Partnership. Kate regularly writes for a number of urban-focused publications, including Spacing, SITE, and Ground Magazine. Since 2013 she has been a Director of the National Board of YWCA Canada, the country’s oldest multi-service women’s organization.  

In this panel discussion, three prominent Toronto design practitioners — Vanessa Fong, Pat Hanson and Gunta Mackars — spoke to the following questions:

    •    What technical skills do you look for in a candidate?
    •    What personal skills do you look for in a candidate?     
    •    What should a candidate never do in an interview?

Featuring:

Vanessa Fong
Architect
B.Sc. (Arch) (McGill), M.Arch (McGill), OAA, LEED AP
 
Vanessa is an Ontario Architect and Principal Architect at VFA, a Toronto studio bringing together diverse individuals with a shared passion for great architecture at a human scale. A graduate of McGill University with over a decade of architectural experience, Vanessa worked at Quadrangle Architects and RAW Design before establishing her own studio in 2014. Vanessa is also the co-founder and co-owner of FOLD, a workshare space for the architecture, landscape and interior design community.
 
A strong believer in giving back to the community, Vanessa has served for the past four years as a Council member for the Ontario Association of Architects. During the past three years she has also held the position of OAA Vice President Communications, driven by a belief in the architectural community’s obligation to educate the public and decision makers about the value of architecture. Vanessa also sits as board member of the City of Toronto’s Design Industry Advisory Committee.

Pat Hanson
Architect
RAIC OAA AAA BFA MArch
 
Pat Hanson is a founding partner of gh3, a practice which explores the overlap of architecture, landscape and sustainability. Under Pat’s leader, gh3 has grown steadily since its inception and has won awards from its peers. Most recently, the firm received the Governor General’s Medal in Architecture for the design of June Callwood Park in downtown Toronto.
 
Pat has directed a number of architecture, urbanism and planning projects which have involved complex programs and extensive public consultation processes, as well as the realization of competition winning designs. She has designed many institutional education projects which bridge beyond architecture into urban design and landscape.
 
Pat has lectured throughout North America and Europe. She has served as an adjunct studio professor and the University of Toronto and the University of Waterloo. Pat is presently a member of the Waterfront Design Review Panel.

Gunta Mackars
Landscape Architect
 
Gunta Mackars is a landscape architect with 30 years of experience in landscape architecture, urban design, planning, design for sustainability and land entitlement. She has lived and worked in Canada, Duban and Southern California, exposing her to a broad range of views, attitudes and experiences. She has led design teams on a variety of projects in Canada and the USA, and abroad in the Middle East, Europe, China and Southeast Asia. She is interested in finding ways to ensure balanced, healthy and viable cities for the future.
 
Gunta is the Vice President Design Excellence at Metrolinx. She has led the Landscape Architecture group in the GTA for Stantec Consulting Ltd. She is the principal and owner at GMLA Design. Gunta is a member of the Urban Land Institute and serves on the design review board for Toronto Community Housing.

This event was a collaboration between Building Equality in Architecture Toronto (BEAT), the Daniels Faculty Committee on Diversity and Equity and the Graduate Architecture, Landscape, and Design Student Union (GALDSU).

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