About us

hcma designs buildings, brands, and shared experiences that connect people.

Because with collective strength, communities can work together to make a difference to the issues that matter.

Collective strength empowers our practice too. Driven by relentless curiosity, we work as one to solve complex problems from every angle. Advocating for inclusive, accessible design that embraces everyone, promotes biodiversity and minimizes environmental impact.

We’re multi-skilled, but driven by a shared purpose: to maximize positive impact. We achieve it by learning from others. By challenging ourselves. And by applying relentless curiosity to create the lasting change we all want to see in the world.

Perspectives

Take a closer look inside hcma through the eyes of the people who work here.

Meet the team

Principals

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Founding Partner

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Senior Associates

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Associates

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Directors

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Design Staff

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Studio Team

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Meet the team

Jubril Idowu

  • Role

    Intern Architect

  • Year Joined

    2017

The opportunity to be a part of a very talented team that is devoted to solving problems.

Michael Rivest

Architect AAA, MRAIC, LEED AP

  • Role

    Associate

  • Year Joined

    2019

As light a touch as possible.

Michael’s career has focused on designing projects with an overarching goal to strengthen communities through a built environment that improves people’s lives and the public realm.

Since 2019, he has been leading our Edmonton office and is thrilled with the positive impact it is having on his home city.

Michael’s project success is a combination of his strong communication skills, passion for people, and a commitment to design excellence.

He is a co-founder of the High Level Line Society, a not-for-profit initiative that aims to re-purpose 4.3 km of under-utilized infrastructure in the heart of Edmonton as a linear park and multimodal network.

Read Michael's perspective on life at HCMA

Key Projects

Jason Burtwistle

MArch, LEED AP BD+C

  • Role

    Sustainable Building Advisor

  • Year Joined

    2018

I'm motivated by having a positive impact in communities through design, while also helping the planet. And good coffee.

Aiden Callison

Architect AIBC, LEED AP

  • Role

    Associate

  • Year Joined

    2009

Architecture is the combination of art and social justice. Every decision we make is an opportunity to remove barriers, foster diversity in our communities, and positively contribute joy to the world.

As an Associate, Aiden enjoys bringing clients and communities together to develop an integrated vision that excites and encourages conversation. His focus has been designing community, recreation, and education facilities, including the award-winning Grandview Heights Aquatic Centre in Surrey, BC and the Clayton Community Hub project with #ConnectingClayton engagement strategy.

Aiden received training under the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification and has recently led numerous inclusivity-focused projects including hcma’s white paper Designing for Inclusivity, the City of Vancouver Universal and Inclusive Design Feasibility Study, and a cost comparison study for the Rick Hansen Foundation.

Aiden brings his lived experience as an Indigenous architect and member of the Hwlitsum Nation, the people of Canoe Pass. The impact of colonialism has meant his family experienced generations of removal from their cultural heritage, which drives him to continue to ask what role architecture can play in decolonization and fostering better relationships with First Peoples.

Key Projects

Rebekah Funk

  • Role

    Marketing Coordinator

  • Year Joined

    2019

Many brands tell great stories to promote products and services, yet they fall short when it comes to meaningful engagement and tangible impact. I love that hcma is full of 'story-doers' — people who genuinely reflect our team’s values of community building, universal access, and sustainability.

Key Projects

Nicolas Dagenais-Lussier

MArch

  • Role

    Project Assistant

  • Year Joined

    2018
The ability to learn about the world and be part of the thoughtful, respectful process that shapes it.

Joanne Tran

BA

  • Role

    Marketing Coordinator

  • Year Joined

    2017

Endless possibilities - every day is different and I'm motivated by team collaboration to see how we can make great things happen from the ground up

Natalia Mulekova

Architect AIBC

  • Role

    Architect

  • Year Joined

    2017

I am motivated by our ability to solve problems through critical thinking and collaboration.

Rebecca Holt

M.Urb, LEED AP BD+C, LEED AP ND, EcoDistricts AP

  • Role

    Director of Sustainability

  • Year Joined

    2019

I like that sustainable design necessitates rethinking systems, breaking rules, and generating knowledge. I love that it requires inviting new voices to the design process where you can test, refine, and elevate new concepts – doing so builds capacity in others and myself.

Rebecca is as a sustainable development professional and city builder. She’s a subject matter expert in performance and assessment, and leads a team of specialists responsible for advancing our commitment to sustainability. Rebecca believes strongly that the design process must prioritize the health of the environment as the first principle of protecting human health.

Rebecca is skilled at communicating the value of sustainable design, and charting paths for projects to meaningfully respond to global imperatives and commitments to climate action. Her approach seeks co-benefits and embraces local, contextual conditions. A strategist, collaborator, and steward of process, she is known for her rigour and willingness to question business as usual. Rebecca has led many successful projects both large and small, pursuing aggressive sustainable design goals.

In service of accelerating the practice of sustainability, Rebecca is also an advocate for research-in-practice. She establishes partnerships between academics and designers to inform practical application with evidence, and offers project-based research opportunities to the academic community. In the past, she has led designed experiments, research fellowships, grant funded research projects, and supervised students within large research cluster projects. She is currently leading hcma's collaboration with Dr. Lindsay McCunn, Environmental Psychologist, to evaluate design conditions in schools, and their impact on occupant experience.

Read Rebecca's perspective on life at HCMA.

Key Projects

Jennifer Kwok

  • Role

    Marketing Coordinator

  • Year Joined

    2017

I'm motivated by a collaborative team and the ability to create impact with my actions

Lidia Pasini

Licensed Architect in Italy

  • Role

    Architect

  • Year Joined

    2018

I love to work on projects where both my brain and my heart are engaged. To do that with committed and positive people is a great added value.

Joshua Potvin

MASc, BASc, EIT

  • Role

    Intern Architect

  • Year Joined

    2018

I am motivated knowing that laughs, friendships and memories are created around the architecture we create.

Derek Harris

  • Role

    Technologist

  • Year Joined

    2018

Being part of a team that continually strives to improve the places around them, and is committed to the idea that “getting it right” is just a starting point… that’s pretty good motivation for me.

Ruth Cheung

  • Role

    Studio Manager

  • Year Joined

    2017

I am fascinated with how a space can facilitate community. I come alive in an environment where authenticity transcends from worker to actual work produced and purposeful collaboration is encouraged.

Fiona Jones

BA&Sc, MArch, RHFAC Professional

  • Role

    Social Impact Advisor

  • Year Joined

    2017

I am motivated by the challenge of better understanding, measuring, and amplifying the links between the tangible and the intangible, the physical and the social.

Laura Potter

  • Role

    Client Lead, Communication Design

  • Year Joined

    2020

“I love to solve problems, connect clients and creatives, and dig into creative strategy."

Laura is a brand strategist and client partner. Native to Vancouver, she joined hcma in 2020 as Client Lead for Communication Design after 13 years in London working across publishing, art, design, and brand.

As former Client Director for the brand writing agency Reed Words, Laura led projects across every sector, including for McKinsey, Formula 1, Disney, Sesame Street, and BBC Studios. She also partnered with renowned design studios, including Mucho, Superunion, and Studio.Build, to develop and deliver large-scale rebrands.

Prior to her move into branding, Laura commissioned and edited art and design books, first at the Victoria and Albert Museum, and then the independent publisher, Thames & Hudson.

At hcma, Laura collaborates with clients and creatives to shape strategy and design, and leads on business development and client service. As an expert in in naming, messaging and tone of voice, she ensures the verbal identity of every brand is as considered as its visual identity.

Laura holds a certificate in Digital Marketing from the London School of Business, an MA in English and Print Culture from the University of Toronto, and a BA Hons in English from the University of British Columbia.

The perfect day for Laura involves a long hike, good food, and a great book. She co-hosts The Book Club Review, a bi-weekly podcast dedicated to the books that get people talking.

Ilya Nepogodin

Architect AIBC, March

  • Role

    Architect

  • Year Joined

    2018

I am motivated by the fact that I can work to contribute positively to our society and have fun doing it with fantastic people alongside me.

Bandana Singh

MS

  • Role

    TILT Community Manager

  • Year Joined

    2021

I am inspired and motivated by unanswered questions.

Bandana is a designer and a musician. Her strategic design practice uses co-design in the social sector to create public-facing services such as grant programs, business planning, and grassroots initiatives. Her arts practice uses expression, identity, and belonging to produce albums, conferences, experiences, workshops, and original design research in the arts and media sectors.

Bandana joined hcma in 2021 as our TILT Community Manager, and looks forward to helping our team continue to question convention, explore, and build connections with people and communities outside the traditional realm of architecture.

Bandana is a graduate of Parsons College of Design in New York, where she received her Masters in Strategic Design & Management with a President’s Scholarship. Her areas of research included how we might build creative and financially-sustainable livelihoods for artists. She also has a Bachelor’s Degree from Ryerson’s Radio & Television Arts program in Toronto.

Bandana adores animals, prefers thunderstorms to bright days, and loves a deep, dark tea. She currently lives in Toronto, ON.

Marni Robinson

MSc Public Health

  • Role

    Director of Social Impact

  • Year Joined

    2018

I love working on difficult problems — so much of what we value in the world comes from people working together to solve tough challenges.

Marni believes in creating spaces for people to have their voices heard about what matters to them — in their communities and in their lives. As co-lead of hcma's Impact Team, she and her team focus on inclusive design, social impact research, and community engagement.

She believes a more equitable future is possible and is committed to continued learning on how to do things in a good way.

Prior to joining hcma, Marni was a Director at Context Research where she developed and led engagement and communications strategies for municipal community infrastructure projects. She has been a champion for the creation of healthy, sustainable communities including projects that increase mobility, create connections between people and places, and provide essential public services.

Marni was previously Chair of the Advisory Planning Commission at the City of North Vancouver and a Director of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society of British Columbia.

Key Projects

Lisa Mu

BSc Finance

  • Role

    Project Accountant

  • Year Joined

    2019

I'm motivated by friendly and diligent people who appreciate each other's contribution and company.

 

Lynn Curtis

CPHR

  • Role

    Director of Human Resources

  • Year Joined

    2019

Forward movement motivates me - from collaborating with senior leaders to bring out the best in their team, to supporting people at all levels in achieving their career goals.

Read Lynn's perspective on life at HCMA.

George McCutcheon

Architect AIBC, LEED AP, CSP

  • Role

    Senior Architect

  • Year Joined

    2019

To learn something new every day, to be challenged on things that I thought were true, and to be able to share my experience with others.

Ted Whitley

Architect AIBC, MArch, BEng

  • Role

    Architect

  • Year Joined

    2019

I am constantly excited by design and the unique opportunities and expressions that present themselves throughout the process.

Michael Dimock

Architect AIBC, MArch

  • Role

    Architect

  • Year Joined

    2017

I strive to uncover elegant solutions to complex problems.

Maeve Counihan

Architectural Graduate in Ireland, BScArch, MArch

  • Role

    Designer

  • Year Joined

    2019
I am motivated by being faced with challenges and working to find the most efficient and innovative solutions.

Judy Bau

BA

  • Role

    Services Lead, Communication Design

  • Year Joined

    2018

There is nothing quite like being surrounded by positive creative energy to inspire you to do better every day.

Kailey O’Farrell

Intern Architect AIBC, MArch

  • Role

    Intern Architect

  • Year Joined

    2018

The challenge of tricky parameters that provide the opportunity to find creative and elegant solutions is what motivates me at work.

Maria Ferré i Viladés

Registered Architect in Spain, MArch

  • Role

    Designer

  • Year Joined

    2019

I believe that spaces affect people’s emotions. I want to share spaces where people feel excited, free and comfortable. It’s amazing how we, as architects, can change sensations through design.

Sara Eslami

  • Role

    Controller

  • Year Joined

    2019

I get excited about learning the current practices and exploring improvement opportunities.

Corey Grobe

Architectural Technologist AIBC

  • Role

    Associate

  • Year Joined

    2017

I am motivated by finding elegant solutions to complex problems.

Continuously fascinated by how a built environment can be the catalyst for positive change and inclusivity, Corey is passionate about exploring the many ways in which public spaces can enrich our communities.

As an Associate in our Victoria office, Corey offers more than 10 years of experience in a wide range of public and private sector projects. His primary design values focus around finding cost-appropriate solutions that maximize the environmental, physical, and social impact of buildings. At the forefront of his project management approach is comprehensive and balanced collaboration.

Outside of the office, Corey loves exploring local mountain bike trails with his wife and their four-legged friend. Given his adage for pushing the limits, do not be surprised if you see him with a plaster-clad appendage.

Key Projects

Mackenzie Sinclair

Intern Architect AIBC

  • Role

    Intern Architect

  • Year Joined

    2017

Architecture has the ability to facilitate change. Change is good.

Alberto Buldon

Registered Architect in Spain, MArch, CPHD

  • Role

    Designer

  • Year Joined

    2019

I'm motivated knowing that I am solving part of people's life problems by designing the best solutions we can provide them with.

Darin Harding

Architect AAA

  • Role

    Associate

  • Year Joined

    2017

I’m excited by architecture’s role in creating environments that facilitate important events in people’s lives. We have the unique opportunity to make meaningful impact with a humble and motivated design process.

By curating expectations, welcoming people to gather, building excitement, sparking curiosity, or inviting reflection, architecture can positively shape our encounters. Darin believes this contributes to the culture of our communities, and has the potential to enrich our lives.

He is passionate about working closely with clients, user groups, and design teams to discover new ways architecture can improve our experiences. As an Associate, Darin leads diverse teams on public space design and recreation projects in Vancouver and Edmonton, combining his love of sports and architecture.

Darin still diligently logs hours at his local skatepark and occasionally 'breaks ankles' on the basketball court. He is happiest with his wife and three young children, and loves to see them experience new adventures.

Key Projects

Maianne Capellan

  • Role

    Construction Administrative Assistant

  • Year Joined

    2016

Helping people is what I do, and I am motivated by the knowledge that I have made someone's day a little bit better.

Rinat De Picciotto

BA (psychology), BDes

  • Role

    Communications + Experiential Designer

  • Year Joined

    2018

I'm driven by creating designs that matter, asking questions that further exploration and being part of a team that truly cares about making a positive impact.

Dominic Yu

Architect AIBC, LEED AP

  • Role

    Architect

  • Year Joined

    2016

I'm motivated by the exploration of architecture and the opportunity to design places that inspire engaging experiences.

Jennifer Sparks

Dip. Arch. Tech.

  • Role

    Technologist

  • Year Joined

    2019

I am inspired by the talented team around me and love contributing to projects that improve our communities.

Callum McClure

Intern Architect AIBC, MRAIC

  • Role

    Intern Architect

  • Year Joined

    2019

Making the built environment a better place to live

Camila Strasdas

BID

  • Role

    Junior Interior Designer

  • Year Joined

    2019

I am motivated by the passionate people I get to work with, my opportunity to improve environmental sustainability, and the anticipation of seeing how the finished project affects the people in my own community.

John Buttery

Intern Architect AIBC, M.Arch

  • Role

    Intern Architect

  • Year Joined

    2019

Creating lasting positive impacts in people's lives through design.

Henry Kitchell

Barch, Architect registered in Denmark

  • Role

    Architect

  • Year Joined

    2017

My motivation comes from seeing great design come to reality.

Kim Winston

ARB UK, MArch

  • Role

    Associate

  • Year Joined

    2016

Why do I do what I do? People. To help create beautiful buildings for people that inspire, engage and adapt to meet the varied needs and desires of communities, both now and in the future.

Kim is interested in creating architecture that helps people imagine and then realize new possibilities for their communities. She enjoys working with clients and communities to understand their various needs and establish a shared vision for a project.

As an Associate, Kim brings over 10 years of experience working on community, educational, residential and commercial and master planning projects. Her work focuses on finding cost-efficient design solutions that inspire and engage the community. Kim was integral to the Granville Island 2040 Land Use Vision & Strategy project as well as a number of feasibility and schematic design studies for community and recreational facilities.

Kim loves being an architect because she can work in a team that continually questions and finds solutions to make better buildings and cities.

Key Projects

Adam Fawkes

Architect AIBC, MRAIC, LEED AP

  • Role

    Senior Associate

  • Year Joined

    2007

Collaborating with thoughtful people to find the right questions and working with them towards the best answer – that’s what motivates me.

Adam’s calm, professional demeanour is key to creating architecturally expressive, cost-effective, and constructible design solutions. His cooperative team approach and past experience in the construction industry have earned him the respect and trust of clients, consultants, and the wider industry.

As the Managing Associate of our Victoria studio, Adam offers our clients 25 years of experience working on recreation, education, mixed-use residential, and affordable housing projects. He's developed expertise in sustainable architecture, having been a leading member of the design team for several LEED® Platinum buildings, and as project architect for multiple Passive House buildings. He is equally interested in projects of all scales, from updating planning documents to align with high performance building requirements, Net Zero Energy housing and firehalls, to complex mixed-use buildings that contain fire, ambulance, and affordable housing.

When not at work, Adam enjoys spending time with family, and any outdoor sport that involve getting from point A to point B and give him time to think. Over the years he’s taken up rowing, alpine and Nordic ski racing, marathon running, triathlon and, most recently, cyclocross. The most challenging event he’s ever completed was the Knee Knacker ultramarathon trail run from Horseshoe Bay to Deep Cove via the North Shore mountains.

Key Projects

Alan Tse

BES (Planning), MArch, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP

  • Role

    Project Manager

  • Year Joined

    2011

 I love the opportunity to continually learn new things.

Alexandra Kenyon

Architect AIBC, MArch, BDes

  • Role

    Associate

  • Year Joined

    2012

I'm curious about the constant change in our cities and communities. I'm motivated to explore their nooks and crannies to understand what drives their transformation and anticipate where they are headed.

Alexandra is interested in the relationship between buildings, their cultural context, and the spaces that surround them. As such, her projects are anchored in engagement with the community, and include significant outdoor spaces, in connection with interior spaces. She is committed to providing design solutions where activities and ideas mix to catalyze community change, now and in the future.

As an Associate, Alexandra brings experience leading teams and developing designs for public spaces, aquatic & recreation centres, schools, outdoor pools, and development master plans. She enjoys working directly with stakeholders, policy makers, builders, and the local community to arrive at new solutions. Her interdisciplinary background, first in industrial design then architecture, influences the success she has had across project scales – Alley Oop and Ackery’s Alley are a couple of her non-traditional projects that reshape the city’s urban landscape, while the New Westminster Aquatic and Community Centre brings a new top-of-class civic amenity to a challenging site.

She also played a key role in the development of hcma’s books, POOLS: Aquatic Architecture and PLACES: Public Architecture, and our collaboration with Aeriosa Dance Company. Alexandra is a Steering Committee member for the Downtown Eastside organization Binners’ Project and a member of Surrey Advisory Design Panel.

A resident of Vancouver’s West End, Alexandra values and is inspired by the diversity of dense urban living. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, her ideal Saturday night would have ended with karaoke; however, she has more recently developed a ravenous appetite for books.

Key Projects

Bonnie Retief

  • Role

    Creative Lead

  • Year Joined

    2015

As humans, everything we design, create, publish or build, is done so for people to engage with on some level. It's this moment of engagement—whether active or passive—that truly fascinates me.

Key Projects

Carl-Jan Rupp

Architect AIBC, SAA, OAA, MRAIC, Dipl-Ing, LEED AP

  • Role

    Principal

  • Year Joined

    2000

I look for innovative and creative solutions to the design challenges we face because I want to leave the world a better place for my children.

Carl-Jan's passion for understanding human behaviour and interaction motivates him to find creative, cost-effective ways to integrate social gathering and casual learning spaces into projects.

Since 2005, he's been managing our growing Victoria office, and has expertise in recreation, community, aquatic, institutional and educational design. His close attention to detail and conscientious approach to project and team management ensures the success of complex projects. His extensive experience includes master plans and renovations to aquatic and sports facilities in excess of $70m.

Carl-Jan is a member of the Esquimalt Design Panel and was previously Vice-Chair of the Saanich Advisory Design Panel. He holds a Masters degree in Architecture and Urban Planning with a specialization in green technology.

Key Projects

Craig Lane

Architect AIBC, MRAIC

  • Role

    Senior Associate

  • Year Joined

    2005

I love making cities better places to live. By helping to build social networks, my architectural work satisfies a big part of this passion.

Craig thrives on teams that share the common goal of creating strong public buildings that are truly civic-minded amenities.

A Senior Associate and Technical Director at hcma, Craig’s mandate is to provide high quality design and the consistent, thorough construction documentation needed to support it. He oversees the quality control and technical review processes across our practice with a detail-oriented and rigorous approach.

Craig is a member of the AIBC Envelope Committee and an intern mentor for the AIBC. He has previously served as a Program Officer for Construction Specifications Canada, and a sessional instructor and studio critic of the Royal Architecture Institute of Canada's Syllabus Program.

With more than 25 years of experience, he is a creative and versatile architect, proficient in all phases of design spanning project types from educational (including post-secondary) to recreational facilities.

Craig’s curiosity has taken him exploring across the globe. He also makes fantastic cakes and Halloween costumes.

Key Projects

Federica Piccone

Architect AIBC, LEED AP

  • Role

    Associate

  • Year Joined

    2012

The creative and investigative nature of the architecture design process is what excites me about work. The constant learning and discovery with every project keeps things fun and interesting!

Daniel Philippot

Architect AIBC, MRAIC, LEED AP

  • Role

    Senior Associate

  • Year Joined

    2005

I'm at my creative best when I'm engaged in helping people solve problems.

Daniel enjoys the delight in people's eyes when they experience things he’s helped create. He thrives when teams pull together to realize a collective vision and is driven by a perpetual desire to find a better way for communities to grow.

As a Senior Associate, Daniel has expertise in recreation, civic and institutional projects, with a focus on post-secondary education and student residences. He loves how the simplicity and tactile expression of a building’s form, material, and interplay of light, helping to bring joy and meaningful experience to our everyday.

With a background in journalism, Daniel has always been curious in the stories of how people live, work and play. He possesses strong communication skills that are invaluable on projects with complex stakeholder groups. His study of architecture has taken him across the globe, including studios in Chile and Korea, and earned him a travel scholarship to research sustainable practices in northern Europe.

Key Projects

Eli Harris

  • Role

    Head of Strategy

  • Year Joined

    2015

I like to think expansively about the future, and believe pretty much anything is possible when you design the right journey to get there.

As Head of Strategy, Eli plans our road ahead. She helps make our big dreams for positive impact a reality, with a keen eye on future trends in design, social behaviour, business, and technology. She ensures hcma is relevant, responsive, and constantly evolving to understand, and solve, the most pressing issues of our time.

Eli brings years of experience in design across multiple disciplines. She studied Fashion Design in the UK, where she honed her skills in forecasting trends for large international retailers, premium brands and start-up studios. In 2015, she joined hcma with a fresh perspective and a mandate to streamline our studio processes.

A proper Londoner at heart, Eli enjoys a pint and a bustling city. Equally at home in Vancouver, she is always on the lookout for whales and can be found skiing down mountains, combing beaches, and exploring remote locations around the globe.

Key Projects

Elise Woestyn

Architect AIBC, CPHD LEED AP BD+C

  • Role

    Architect

  • Year Joined

    2012

I love solving problems, seeing the client happy, and seeing what was designed built.

Eric Tinlup Ng

Architect AIBC, AIA

  • Role

    Associate

  • Year Joined

    2015

I love the opportunity to help people imagine better futures together and helping make those a reality.

For Eric, architecture is an opportunity to help people imagine better futures together and transform their visions into a reality. He is passionate about creating spaces that are sustainable and just through rigorous research, close collaboration and cross-disciplinary creativity.

As an Associate, Eric has led design teams on institutional and educational projects from schematics through to completion, including the Museum of Surrey addition. With over ten years’ experience, he is recognized in the industry for his keen eye to detail and his composure, which puts clients and colleagues at ease in complex situations.

Eric received his Master of Architecture degree at Columbia University where he graduated with the school’s top honours, including the American Institute of Architects Award, William Kinne Memorial Traveling Prize, and the school’s nomination for the SOM Foundation Traveling Fellowship.

Outside of hcma, Eric has taught at Columbia University and maintains his academic interests by serving as a guest critic for design studios.

Key Projects

Ian McLean

Architect AIBC, LEED AP

  • Role

    Architect

  • Year Joined

    2007

I appreciate how HCMA values each of our contributions to a greater goal and gives us freedom to contribute in our own way.

Jay Lin

Architect AIBC, MRAIC

  • Role

    Associate

  • Year Joined

    2005

I love that the work we do engages people in so many different and profound ways — physically, spatially, socially and spiritually.

Detail-oriented and precise, Jay is a conscientious project manager, who has delivered facilities with some of the most strict technical and operational requirements. A creative and versatile architect, his designs strike the balance for public spaces that perform and delight.

Jay is experienced in all phases of design and construction for institutional, residential and commercial projects. He was Project Architect for the Steveston Fire Hall, recognized with a Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia Award of Excellence in 2015, as well as the UniverCity Childcare Centre, which is seeking Living Building Challenge status and referred to as ‘possibly the greenest childcare centre on the planet’.

Other notable projects includes Hillcrest Centre and Vancouver Fire Hall No. 17, currently under construction, which is targeting Passive House, LEED Gold, Net Zero Carbon (CaGBC) and Net Zero Energy (as defined by FCM).

He was awarded a RAIC Design Medal for his design thesis at Carleton University and worked in New York, Ottawa and Toronto before returning to Vancouver.

Jay has an enviable Hot Wheels collection and credits his three boys for keeping him at his mental and physical best.

 

 

Key Projects

Jessika MacDonald

Architect AIBC, MArch

  • Role

    Associate

  • Year Joined

    2014

Living in Vancouver provides incredible opportunities for my two greatest passions: running and drawing. In my spare time I can be found on the seawall, either in my runners or with a set of paints, experiencing the city, its people, and the outdoors.

Jessika has been interested in architecture for most of her life, and was drawn to hcma's focus on creating spaces that enhance community and provide a sense of place. Her projects focus on community-based facilities, where social spaces and opportunities for connection provide comfort and ownership for guests.

As an Associate, Jessika loves projects that engage with end users to understand their needs and find ways to exceed our clients’ social and design goals.

When not designing architecture, Jessika is typically travelling the globe or running around her local neighbourhood.

Key Projects

Juenessa Collins

Architectural Technologist AIBC, LEED AP BD+C, CPHD

  • Role

    Architectural Technologist

  • Year Joined

    2015

I love the "aha” moment after finding the impossible answer to a difficult problem. My motivation is at its best when I'm heading to a new challenge and working with a team and client who are passionate about the design of the project.

Melissa Higgs

Architect AIBC, FRAIC

  • Role

    Principal

  • Year Joined

    2005

Spaces that foster social interactions can improve the world in small but profound ways.

Melissa is passionate about creating innovative public buildings where communities come together and is a believer in the power of architecture and design as a catalyst for positive change in the world.

Her focus has been designing recreation facilities and arts and culture projects, including the award-winning West Vancouver Community Centre, Grandview Heights Aquatic Centre in Surrey, BC, and the Clayton Community Centre — the first Passive House community centre in North America. She is also experienced with long-range vision plans that help shape our cities, including Granville Island 2040, OnWater, Vancouver’s non-motorized boating strategy, and VanSplash, the City’s aquatic strategy.

Melissa also plays a key role developing our Communication Design and Interior Design services. She believes true cross-disciplinary design has the power to improve creative outcomes — the influence of this can be seen in her Clayton Community Centre project, which includes the #ConnectingClayton engagement strategy and a customized wayfinding and signage system.

In 2014, Melissa co-taught the Social Sustainability in Practice course, as well as three architectural design studios, at the University of British Columbia School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA). She is a past member of AIBC’s Diverse Membership Group and the City of Surrey’s Advisory Design Panel, and currently sits as the Chair of the University of British Columbia Advisory Urban Design Panel and Vice-Chair of Board of Directors for the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association (DVBIA).

Melissa loves being an architect because of the opportunities it provides to innovate, be curious, and give back to her community.

Read Melissa's perspective on life at hcma.

Key Projects

Michael Henderson

Architect AIBC, MRAIC

  • Role

    Principal

  • Year Joined

    2000

I smile at work because I get to create engaging and relevant buildings with inspired colleagues and clients. I get to learn from others and share what I’ve learned — it’s the best combo going.

For Michael, it’s all about creating an engaged and empowered team where personal strengths can grow and flourish. Driven by connections with ambitious and engaged people, Michael promotes community building in both the facilities we design as well as in our office environment. He has acted as Project Architect for some of our largest aquatic and recreation projects, both in BC and across Canada.

A skilled leader, Michael oversaw the design and construction of the award-winning Hillcrest Centre, which was voted Best Community Centre by locals in the Georgia Straight’s Best of Vancouver for three consecutive years (2012-2015). He also led the Complexe Aquatique de Laval, a design competition won by hcma and NFOE in joint venture. Most recently, Michael has led the team for the City of Richmond’s Minoru Centre for Active living – a new wellness-focused community and aquatic centre that represents our most current thinking on aquatic accessibility.

Beyond sports and recreation, he is leading our effort on the development of a high rise office and entertainment complex in downtown Vancouver. Michael has also served on the City of Vancouver's City Planning Commission and is currently the Chair of the Vancouver Urban Design Panel. Both are advisory bodies to the City of Vancouver Mayor and Council.

Outside our studio, Michael finds inspiration trading time between the city and wilderness. He can often be found on the soccer sidelines, browsing vintage furniture stores, or planning his next trip.

Read Mike's perspective on life at HCMA.

Key Projects

Paul Fast

Architect AIBC, MRAIC

  • Role

    Principal

  • Year Joined

    2009

Architecture is inherently philosophical and yet relentlessly pragmatic. Somewhere in the middle, it defines how we work, play, and find delight in this world. That’s the good stuff.

Paul is interested in creating architecture that helps to define a strong regional identity. His work is focused on reconnecting people to their environments through the considered use of material, form, space, and light.

As a Principal, Paul enjoys the initial stages of concept design when site, user, and program are defined. His careful consideration of these critical decisions helps shape the outcome of the design and building process. Paul believes transformative change can happen at any scale, and has led projects ranging from a children’s playhouse to a complex, $160 M community recreation centre. Paul finds particular delight in discovering and working in new communities throughout the province (big and small).

He has led several of our TILT Curiosity Labs initiatives including the 2015 IDSwest stage design, Coal Harbour Deck concept and the #MoreAwesomeNow Laneway Activation.

Paul holds a Bachelor of Arts in Geography and a Masters of Architecture from the University of British Columbia and gained experience abroad in Switzerland and Russia, where he designed an orphanage for a non-profit group. When not architecting, he can be found exploring the remotest regions of British Columbia, or hanging out at the cabin with his wife and three boys.

Read Paul's perspective on life at hcma.

Key Projects

Rachel Wilson

BTech (Arch Sci)

  • Role

    Technologist

  • Year Joined

    2010

I love the great projects at HCMA, my teammates and the extracurricular activities like our softball team.

Rance Mok

Architect AIBC

  • Role

    Associate

  • Year Joined

    2011

In a time of complex social and ecological problems requiring urgent action, every person must reflect on the role they play, and the impact they have in their communities.

As an Associate with 10 years of experience at hcma, Rance enjoys collaborating with people who are looking to improve their built environments and bring their visions to life. She values long-term relationships, and ensuring that her work is respectful and reciprocal. She also frames her practice through a lens of barrier reduction, both physically and socially, moving towards more inclusive and accessible spaces.

Rance’s key skill is her rigorous project management, which favours open communication and trust between clients, design teams, and construction teams. She has experience in a range of sectors in public buildings (including recreational and municipal projects), but is currently focused on the K-12 education sector. She has worked on Oak Bay High School, Royal Bay Secondary Expansion, Royal Roads University’s Sherman Jen Building, and the PEXSISEN Elementary and CENTRE MOUNTAIN LELLUM Middle Schools.

In her spare time, Rance likes to cook, but more importantly, she likes to eat. She believes the humble pickle is the cornerstone of every great cuisine.

Read Rance's perspective on life at HCMA.

Key Projects

Rob Wilson

Dip Arch Tech, BSc

  • Role

    Associate

  • Year Joined

    2014

The veil of architecture that is perceived by the end user is built on a complex, integrated technical framework. I enjoy resolving that framework so the building becomes a distilled essence of the intended concept.

Rob spent six years working on low rise and high-rise residential architecture before joining hcma in 2014. Since then, he's taken the technical lead on large institutional projects including secondary schools, ice arenas, and aquatic facilities.

Working closely with all team members including architects, clients, contractors, and consultants, Rob looks to find integrated solutions and deliver documents that meet all functional requirements, as well as the architectural aspirations of the project.

Having grown up in the greater Vancouver area, Rob has enjoyed the opportunity to make a positive contribution to the city’s built environment; he loves seeing projects come to life and change communities.

Rob loves nothing more than spending time with his three daughters and wife Rachel, who also works at hcma. In his limited spare time, Rob enjoys golf, cooking, making music, swimming, and running.

Key Projects

Karen Marler

Architect AIBC, SAA, OAA, FRAIC, LEED® AP

  • Role

    Principal

  • Year Joined

    1984

To quote one of my former professors of architectural theory, ‘Design is a wicked problem – there is no right or wrong answer, but there is a best solution.'

Karen’s work strives to enhance quality of life, strengthen community, and minimize environmental impact. She predominantly leads the design of learning environments, and for the past 30 years’ has been motivated by the artful and appropriate integration of context, form, and function.

The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada appointed Karen as a Fellow in 2010 and the Cascadia Green Building Council honoured her with a Fellowship in 2014. She is a frequent guest critic and thesis advisor for the UBC School of Architecture and has presented hcma’s work to numerous educational institutions and associations.

Adept at understanding each project’s unique issues, her attention to detail and rigorous management of the design and construction process creates true value within schedule and budget constraints.

Key Projects

Darryl Condon

Architect AIBC, AAA, SAA, OAA, FRAIC, LEED® AP

  • Role

    Managing Principal

  • Year Joined

    1994

Our team at hcma has a tremendously powerful alignment of intention and purpose — this creates magic.

Darryl is interested in design that acts as a catalyst for positive social change. As Managing Principal, his leadership has led to highly-innovative community centres, pools, recreation facilities, fire halls and libraries across Canada.

After 30 years of creating engaging and effective public spaces, Darryl biggest design project is now transforming hcma to help solve the complex and interdependent challenges facing our communities.

Darryl is a registered Architect and a Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. He is a Past-President of the Architectural Institute of British Columbia, a frequent speaker internationally and has been an adjunct professor at the UBC School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture.

Read Darryl's perspective on life at HCMA.

Key Projects

Roger Hughes

Architect AIBC, AAA, SAA, OAA, FRAIC, LEED® AP

  • Role

    Founding Partner

  • Year Joined

    1975

I love the excitement of solving problems with design. Creating architecture that resonates beyond its boundaries gives greater meaning to our lives.

As a leader practicing in the field of public and institutional work, Roger has focused his 45-year career on leveraging the power of design to contribute to a strong, healthy and socially diverse society.

In 1976, he formed Roger Hughes Architects, a firm that has evolved over four decades to become hcma. As founding partner of our predecessor firms and former Principal, he has continued involvement in projects and contributes to design leadership and staff mentorship.

Roger was a past member and chair of the Vancouver Urban Design Panel on three separate tenures, and a past member of the Shaughnessy Design Panel. He has also served as a Guest Critic at the UBC School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture. In 1995, Roger was made a fellow of the RAIC for his contribution to design excellence; he was recognized with an AIBC Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015.

During his career, Roger has led post-secondary, residential, civic, public, recreation, commercial and urban design projects. His work has adapted to changing contexts and needs while consistently being recognized for its design excellence receiving several CHDC and RAIC Governor General’s Medals in Architecture.

Key Projects

Steve DiPasquale

Architect AIBC

  • Role

    Associate

  • Year Joined

    2010

I love the field of design because it offers both an immense latitude of application and a focused sense of purpose—it allows me to leverage my social, intellectual, and aesthetic interests to shape cultural change. It gives me the opportunity to not only theorize the anatomy of better public institutions, but to help realize them as built realities.

Read Steve's perspective on life at HCMA.

Steve’s route to the design profession was an indirect one: he first attained a Master’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and then went to art school for two years, before realizing architecture might be the perfect union of visual imagination and an agenda for social change.

He thus brings to the discipline of design a broad scope of concern—he has found as much inspiration in his work on large-scale architecture projects (Jasper Place Library, Grandview Heights Aquatic Centre), and small-scale urban interventions (More Awesome Now Laneway Activations, JAX in the AIR program), as he has working with artists, scholars, and activists to help hcma convene dialogue and host community events.

As Design Lead on architectural projects, Steve exhibits a keen vision for a complementary, integrated relationship between landscape and architecture, and has most recently brought this sensitivity to the design of the Interdisciplinary Collaboration and Innovation building at UBC’s Okanagan campus.

A creative omnivore by nature, Steve enjoys spending his off-hours on the fringes of design culture—writing critical accounts of the built environment, making public art, and playing and performing music. He will also talk about food for as many hours as you like.

Stuart Rothnie

Architect AIBC, SAA, OAA, MRAIC, LEED AP

  • Role

    Principal

  • Year Joined

    2000

As the complexity of issues facing us feels overwhelming, it’s time to break the silos and blur the borders. It’s time for openness and inclusivity. This broader horizon drives how we should work and engage with those around us.

One of Stuart’s most striking skills is his approachable and receptive nature, which puts clients and user groups at ease even in the most complex circumstances. A tremendous listener and respected facilitator, he can quickly summarize and present a vision that encourages dialogue and ignites potential.

Practicing for more than 30 years, Stuart has gained a diverse range of experience in the community recreation, institutional, healthcare, and commercial sectors. He has been a Chair of the West Vancouver Advisory Design Panel, North Vancouver Public Art Advisory Committee, and is currently serving as Vice-President of the Architectural Institute of BC.

His leadership skills have contributed to large-scale design-build, P3 projects and master plans, complex institutional projects, and numerous renovations within operational facilities. In addition to his vast design experience, Stuart offers significant expertise in the management of large consultant teams and facilitating high value outcomes for his clients.

Key Projects

Susan Ockwell

Architect AIBC, LEED AP

  • Role

    Senior Associate

  • Year Joined

    2015

Working collaboratively with the goal of creating dynamic places that connect and inspire people is what I enjoy most about our profession. It’s hugely motivating to explore and push the boundaries of what socially sustainable learning institutions can be and can give to the broader community.

Practicing for more than 20 years, Susan has extensive experience designing educational facilities at all levels from elementary to post-secondary, and has recently served on the City of Vancouver Urban Design Panel.

As a Senior Associate, she enjoys working collaboratively with clients to realize their vision. She takes inspiration from the details and diversities in our landscape, cities, systems, and people to contribute to innovative sustainable solutions.

Proudly British Columbian, Susan is curious by nature and will never quite finish exploring our region and beyond – preferably on two wheels.

Key Projects

Vanessa Konn

Architect AIBC, MArch, BFA

  • Role

    Associate

  • Year Joined

    2015

There is maybe nothing more satisfying than starting to see the bones of a design solution to a difficult ask. The moment when architecture begins to provide an interpretation of how an abstract index of needs fits into the world as physical space is pure delight.

For Vanessa, it's all about the joy of discovery. From quickly iterating ideas while unearthing a solution to visiting a completed project, she seeks the moments of delight along the way.

Her welcoming and curious nature creates fast and trusted connections with both her clients and team members, allowing for a unified path of exploration. Vanessa's care for personal connections rings true in her work and she considers the impact in architecture to live in the spaces where people come together. Her work is focused on welcoming people into a spectrum of introverted to extroverted spaces, reflecting on the widely varying needs of our communities.

Vanessa played a key role in the establishment of HCMA's Edmonton office, both in its interior design and working between provinces acting as a cultural bridge across our three locations. As an Associate, Vanessa thrives in the sweet spot of driving an initial concept into a thoughtful and functional design.

With a history deeply embedded in the arts along with her rigor for detail and a full understanding of the task at hand, Vanessa brings a unique skillset of creativity and logic to her work. Her experience ranges in scale from wine bar to community recreation centre, and brings with it a lens of inclusivity and interior design.

Vanessa enjoys a range of outdoor activities, a solid workout, and a good book. She can be found as often as possible in her happy place, her family cabin on Vancouver Island.

Key Projects

Zubin Shroff

Architect AIBC, LEED AP BD+C

  • Role

    Architect

  • Year Joined

    2015

I love producing simple design solutions that address multiple issues.

Life at hcma

Life at hcma

What's it like to be part of the team?

Every day, we come together to solve complex problems for our clients, our communities and our world. Some of us create buildings, others design brands. But we all use our individual passions and perspective to create meaningful change.

Curious about life inside our offices? This virtual tour of our Vancouver studio is a great introduction. And check out what happens on hcma day, when our offices come together for an intensive day of work and play.

Feed your curiosity

Curiosity is a big part of our approach, because it helps us create the lasting impact we want to see in the world. TILT by hcma and AIR are just two of the many ways we are encourage each other to challenge conventions and explore new thinking.

Are you an intern architect?

Our intern support program removes barriers to registration. Since 2006, approximately 10% of all architects registered through internship in British Columbia have benefitted from our program.

Active in your community?

We support pro bono work and volunteerism. We have a matching donation program, and through our corporate donations and sponsorships we support arts and culture, community service, human rights and civic action groups.

Careers

Careers

Careers at HCMA
Internships at HCMA

Help create better outcomes for our world

If you want to be part of a team that brings their passion and perspective to work every day, take a look at our opportunities below.

We love meeting curious, interesting people who value a collaborative environment and want to help deliver better outcomes for our world.

You'll get the opportunity to work on interesting design projects; join social events outside of the office; and if you're an intern, join an accelerated architectural registration process.

Current opportunities at hcma

Junior BIM Coordinator

Junior BIM Coordinator

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  • Location
    Vancouver, Victoria or Edmonton

Are you passionate about Revit and all things BIM-related? Do you want to be part of an invaluable initiative that will make a significant impact on how our entire firm works? hcma is serious about improving our world through architecture, promoting social sustainability, and being engaged in a broad spectrum of civic issues. To do this, we bring together passionate, intelligent, and engaged individuals who want to make a significant impact.                           hcma is looking to add a junior member to our awesome BIM team in Vancouver, to aid in taking our company BIM standards and initiatives to the next level. We are interested in individuals who are both excited by the future of architectural thinking and are skilled in creating tools for our team to pursue higher standards of excellence. This position offers the potential for junior technicians and technologists to receive the training and experience necessary to grow into invaluable BIM team leaders on project teams in the future.

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If you’re well-suited for this position, you possess the following:
  • Minimum of two years post-secondary education in a relevant program (BCIT ABET or equivalent)
  • A high level of proficiency in Revit is a must (AutoCAD is also beneficial)
  • Revit experience in an architectural office is an asset
  • Passion for getting things done and for focused, detail-oriented problem solving
  • Excellent organizational skills to work effectively in collaboration with others or independently
  • Motivation to constantly improve the quality of all aspects of your work
  • Good communication/interpersonal skills
  • A commitment to professionalism
If you have what it takes to be a part of hcma, show us! Email careers@hcma.ca with a statement on why you are right for our team. Get creative and convince us you are the kind of person who would complement our BIM team, and that we would be foolish not to hire you. Only qualified candidates will be contacted, no phone calls or drop-ins, please.  
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Intermediate Interior Designer

Intermediate Interior Designer

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  • Location
    Vancouver, Victoria, Edmonton

We are hcma, an interdisciplinary design firm driven by the desire to create happier and healthier communities. To do this, we bring together passionate, intelligent, and engaged individuals who want to make a significant impact. We’re a team who put people, and the planet first, designing spaces that build capacity, resilience, and lasting connections within communities. Our Interior Design team is growing – and we need a designer with the enthusiasm and talent to help us. Is that you?

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What you’ll do:
  • Bring creative flair, technical ability, and strong communication skills to every project
  • Collaborate with architects, graphic designers, and other specialists on designs from conception to completion without the traditional silos
  • Confidently coordinate with multiple teams and deadlines alongside two other Interior Designers
  Ideally, you bring:
  • 5+ years design and technical experience, including FF&E
  • A degree in Interior Design (or equivalent)
  • Registered Interior Designer with IDIBC or equivalent is desirable
  • Experience working collaboratively with architects and external consultants across multiple sectors
  • Excellent presentation, graphic design, conceptual and digital visualization skills
  • Proficiency in Revit, Creative Suite, and Sketch-up or equivalent
  • Comprehensive space planning and spatial analysis skills
  • Good knowledge and understanding of colour, materials and products
  • Demonstrated ability to be organized, proactive, and adaptable
  • Creative vision with the confidence and tenacity to bring a fresh perspective to our team
  What we offer:
  • Flexibility in remote work locations and work hours
  • Colleagues working across architecture, social impact, communications design, and sustainability
  • A diverse range of projects with purpose-driven clients who share hcma's values
  • The chance to help a small, friendly, and ambitious interior design team grow
  • Exploratory firm initiatives including an artist-in-residence program, hcma Day, and various community events
  • The stability and resources of an established but forward-thinking firm committed to pushing the social impact of design
Curious? Get in touch. Email careers@hcma.ca with your resume, portfolio, and a statement on why you’re excited by the opportunity and feel you’d be the right for our team.
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Wayfinding and Signage Technologist

Wayfinding and Signage Technologist

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  • Location
    Vancouver or Victoria or Edmonton

Are you passionate about Revit and all things BIM-related? Want to join a dynamic wayfinding and signage team and help it thrive? We are hcma, an architecture and design firm driven by the desire to create happier, healthier, more connected communities. Wayfinding and signage exemplify our interdisciplinary approach – and we need a talented, organized technologist to help us deliver this aspect of the business.

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We’re looking for a technologist (intermediate) to:
  • support a range of wayfinding and signage projects, including for recreation centres, libraries, fire halls, schools and museums
  • collaborate with architects and graphic designers to deliver wayfinding and signage systems, from construction documents through to tender and construction
  • draft and develop signage schedules, key plans and messaging; create and tag key plans, floor plans and interior elevations in Revit; create detailed template dimensioned drawings; finalize signage package ready for tender
  • able to balance design vision and technical execution to provide drawings that deliver a successful user experience in community projects
Ideally, you bring:
  • minimum two-years post-secondary education in a relevant program (BCIT ABET or equivalent)
  • 2-5 years’ experience working in an architectural office, environmental design firm, or signage company
  • a high level of proficiency in Revit is a must, and AutoCAD is beneficial
  • experience with associated software such as Illustrator, InDesign and Enscape plug-ins for Revit is desirable
  • excellent project management and organizational skills, with a passion for getting things done and focused, detail-oriented problem-solving while ensuring the creative vision is upheld
  • strong communication skills and a flexible, professional approach to interdisciplinary collaboration
  • the motivation to constantly improve the quality of all aspects of your work
  • a desire to gain experience at an industry-leading firm, to push the boundaries of our quality of work, and benefit from the accumulated knowledge and expertise of our specialty projects
What we offer
  • an opportunity to help the architectural and graphic design teams grow wayfinding and signage at hcma
  • the stability and resources of an established but forward-thinking firm committed to pushing the social impact of design
  • collaboration with architects, environmental designers, interior designers and other specialists, without the traditional silos
Curious? Get in touch. Email careers@hcma.ca with your portfolio and a statement on why you’re excited by the opportunity and feel you’d be the right for our team.
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Public Engagement Specialist

Public Engagement Specialist

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  • Location
    Vancouver

We’re looking for an experienced public engagement specialist to lead engagement for our portfolio of community-building projects, including community centres, pools, and schools. As part of our Impact Team, you’ll join others that are passionate about increasing positive social impact by bringing your engagement process, facilitation, and analysis skills to our project work.

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What will you do day to day:
  • Design and lead specialized engagement activities including online and/or in-person public events, workshops, and advisory groups
  • Prepare meeting summaries and engagement reports
  • Develop and implement strategies to encourage participation in engagement events
  • Identify current and emerging best practices including different types of engagement tools and techniques
  • Work collaboratively with project teams to increase engagement capacity across the firm
  • Provide support to the Director of Social Impact as required
  Ideally, you bring:
  • 5-7 years of experience in public engagement, preferably in the municipal context
  • The ability to analyze and synthesize large amounts of qualitative data and translate it into actions and recommendations
  • Training and experience using qualitative and/or quantitative social science research methods
  • Experience with group facilitation (both small and large)
  • Self-initiative and the ability to work both on your own and as part of a team
  • An interest in justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion as it relates to engagement
  • Excellent written, verbal communication, listening, and observation skills
  • Extensive knowledge and experience using engagement tools and processes
  • Understanding of methodologies and processes for engagement planning, delivery, and evaluation
  • Relevant education and/or experience
  • Willingness to travel (subject to public health guidance)
  • Class 5 Drivers License
We will consider full-time or part-time hours (minimum 3 days per week).   If this opportunity sounds exciting, we want to hear from you. We need all the standard application items like your resume and cover letter and feel free to tell us a story about why you’re the right person for this job using any medium that speaks to you.   Please send your submission to careers@hcma.ca.  We thank all interested individuals, however only those selected for an interview will be contacted.  No phone calls, please.    
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Social Impact Researcher

Social Impact Researcher

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  • Location
    Vancouver, Victoria or Edmonton

Are you driven to translate research into action? We are hcma, an interdisciplinary design firm driven by the desire to create happier, healthier, more connected communities. The work we do in the Impact Team reflects this commitment. We work with clients and our internal teams to embed social impact goals and strategies into the core of our projects. We are working on a Guide to our Social Impact Framework (SIF) to translate our understanding of the positive potential of design into clear concepts and processes for project teams – and we need a graduate student with the talent and enthusiasm to help us. Is that you?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 We are looking for a Social Impact Researcher to join our Social Impact team, for a 4 Months Full-Time (May-August) placement, with the possibility of an extension to 8 months.

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                                                                                                                                                                                                              Working closely with our Social Impact Advisor to:
  • conduct multi-disciplinary social science background research
  • translate research concepts into actionable recommendations
  • write and edit components of the Social Impact Guide and/or supporting documents
  • develop tools and materials that can be used to make the guide useful in practice
Qualifications
  • An interest in urban studies, environmental psychology, public health, service design, or another relevant discipline.
  • An interest in social justice and equity issues
  • An understanding of qualitative and quantitative data and the pros/challenges of each
  • Excellent research and critical analysis skills
  • A desire to translate knowledge into action and use research to strengthen practice
  • The ability to write engagingly, concisely, and clearly
  • An ability to understand and be motivated by the big picture and the details
  • Great teamwork and collaboration skills, from debating ideas to sharing work with ease
  • A comfort working with complexity and live, evolving content
Assets
  • Abilities related to communications or web design or project management
If this opportunity excites you and you want to learn more, please reach out to us at careers@hcma.ca Be prepared and send us your resume, along with 2 writing samples (ideally one academic and one non-academic), and most importantly include a cover letter to let us know what you are passionate about and why hcma is right for you.  
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Sr. Sustainable Building Advisor

Sr. Sustainable Building Advisor

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  • Location
    Vancouver, Victoria or Edmonton

The Impact Team is a multi-disciplinary team of specialists that support sustainable design at hcma. As the team grows, we’re looking for a senior member to help guide the team, someone project management-focused, directing and informing design decisions, verifying building performance, and communicating results. For us, the practice of sustainable design must be holistic, and we do it with an emphasis on human experience and social impact.

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If you’re interested in becoming a vital member of this new team, with an opportunity to grow and shape your role, please read on.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   What will you do day to day:
  • Support the Impact team Directors to actively run and manage multiple scopes of work for the team, tracking milestones, deadlines, deliverables for a range of projects and initiatives.
  • Develop, direct and apply building performance strategies in support of sustainable design, specifically low energy and low carbon buildings.
  • Develop policy, guidelines, and industry resources for low carbon and high-performance buildings as part of our Advisory Services.
  • Liaise and engage with design teams, consultants, and client groups to set performance goals and direct design decision-making.
  • Direct and collaborate with Impact team members to guide design decision-making.
  • Direct and review early-stage design analysis, including daylight modeling, energy and emissions benchmarking, life cycle assessment.
  • Direct the application of green building rating systems, for example, LEED, Passive House, the Living Building Challenge, Zero Carbon Building Program, and Rick Hanson Foundation Accessibility Certification.
  • Support the Director of Sustainability in developing firmwide standards for advanced sustainable design and innovation.
Ideally, you have:
  • An advanced degree in architecture, environmental science, building science, landscape architecture, engineering, planning, or another related discipline.
  • Ten + years of professional experience.
  • Deep experience in green building rating systems and assessment, specifically LEED, ZCB, LBC, and Passive House.
  • LEED Accredited Professional with specialty.
  • Advanced understanding of principles of sustainable design, design process, and workflow.
  • Exceptional project management skills and the ability to direct multiple projects simultaneously.
  • Exceptional written and oral communication skills.
  • Some proficiency in Revit, SketchUp, and Rhino.
  • Proficiency with MS Office, InDesign, Illustrator, and other graphic software.
If this opportunity excites you, we would like to hear from you.  Please send along your resume and a cover letter that explains what you bring to this position and why hcma is the right place for you. Please send your submission to careers@hcma.ca. Thank you for your interest, we will contact those selected for an interview.  No phone calls, please.
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General Applications

Interested in connecting with us, but don’t see an opening that suits your career goals? Send your submission for a future opportunity and include your area or position of interest, and which of our offices (Vancouver, Victoria or Edmonton) you're interested in to careers@hcma.ca. Get creative and show us why you are right for our team; why we'd be foolish not to hire you.

Publications

  • PROCESS: How to Create Community Buildings with Impact

    Book

  • PLACES: Public Architecture

    Book

  • POOLS: Aquatic Architecture

    Book

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Previous Next

Book

PROCESS: How to Create Community Buildings with Impact

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For over 40 years, hcma has helped local governments across Canada deliver extraordinary public buildings. Buildings that put people and the planet first.

In our latest book, we guide you through the whole process, from your initial vision, to measuring success when your project is complete.

Underpinning each step are the principles we believe will maximize your project's impact, and dotted throughout are lessons we’ve learned along the way—things we wish we’d known then, but definitely know now. Most of all, we hope to encourage you to ask 'what's possible?' when creating a place for people to come together to socialize, relax, play, learn, and share.

  • Publication Date

    Jan 2021

  • Page Count

    208
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Book

PLACES: Public Architecture

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  • Edited By

    Alexandra Kenyon

  • Foreword By

    Christopher Macdonald
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PLACES: Public Architecture explores our approach to community building through public architecture. Featured key projects typologies, many of which have been challenged by contemporary advancements in technology, include schools, libraries, fire halls, childcare centres, and more. Through the practice of architecture, hcma asks “what is the future of the library, of education, and of public space in an increasingly online age?"

PLACES showcases six of hcma designed civic facilities which seek to strengthen and enrich the communities, businesses and people they serve. The book features critical text by accomplished writer, Jim Taggart, professional photography, lucid architectural drawings and details, as well as a look at the firm’s design process of iterative modelling/diagramming and research on contemporary topics. It also features a window into our office culture and community building initiatives including hcma Days, the Canfor Playhouse Challenge and a course taught by the firm on Social Sustainability at the UBC School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA).

  • Publication Date

    Fall 2015

  • Page Count

    144

  • ISBN

    978-1-941806-44-9
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POOLS: Aquatic Architecture

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POOLS: Aquatic Architecture is the definitive book on the design of public swimming pools. Ranging from small neighbourhood facilities to destination multi-sports complexes for the Olympic Games, the nine aquatic buildings shown within document the evolution of contemporary design thinking for this building type.

Illustrated with 268 photographs, drawings, diagrams and construction details, the 180-page book is an unrivaled source for information on pool design, from their social ambitions to their construction features. Each example of aquatic architecture is explained in non-technical language, and with its inspiring photography and lucid drawings. The book will be of interest to casual swimmers, as well as recreation officials, parks managers, architects, engineers and fans of leading edge design. Read our POOLS Manifesto, just one of the essays in this publication.

  • Publication Date

    Fall 2013

  • Page Count

    180

  • ISBN

    978-1-935935-95-7