Persis Lam
Persis Lam
Forum
M.Arch, OAA
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 community relationships. Her drive for elegant design solutions to solve real problems stems from a technical and common sense. She believes each design has a story that is revealed in the final built form. 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, including: the Hudson Condominiums in Toronto; the School of Medicine at Queen’s University; Lethbridge Leisure Centre in Alberta, the Papadakis Integrated Sciences Building at Drexel University in Philadelphia and 505 Richmond Great Hall.
Persis enjoys mentoring in the architecture community, has been a guest critic at University of Waterloo School of Architecture, a speaker at Engineers Without Borders Conference and continues to support collaboration at all levels of the design field. As well as keeping a strong focus on design and project management at Diamond Schmitt Architects, Persis enjoys spending time with her two young children and participates in the office rock band, Thundertrϋss.
Persis is an Executive Board Member of BEAT and focuses on BEAT Talks which is a small private event at a host architectural firm that showcases their work and the people behind it.
Emira Galeteanu
Emira galeteanu
Workshops
BAS, M.Arch., OAA
Emira is an Associate and an OAA licensed Architect at LGA. Since entering the profession in 2004 she has been striving to create buildings that not only inspire, but that make a direct and positive impact on the communities that they serve. Driven by a commitment to social good, her portfolio includes numerous award-winning cultural, educational, and community projects such as affordable housing. She currently leads a team working on the renovation of a 75,000 sq ft care facility that will include supportive housing, a shelter, as well as rehabilitation spaces. Prior to joining LGA Architectural Partners she worked with G. Bruce Stratton Architects on various community projects including the Ontario Association of Architects (OAA) Design Excellence Award-winning Mount Dennis Public Library.
Beyond her work with LGA, Emira teaches architecture at the University of OCAD as a sessional faculty member where she has been sharing her expertise since 2021. In 2024, Emira became an executive board member of Building Equality in Architecture (BEA) Toronto chapter, an organization that advocates for equity and diversity and is committed to creating systemic change within the architectural industry.
When she is not designing buildings, teaching architecture or advocating for change, Emira enjoys building furniture, ceramics, and art objects. She has also written and illustrated three children’s books.