Working as project manager for a Site and Office Redevelopment (1629.5 m² / 17540 sq ft) for the City of Airdrie, I enjoyed the experience of developing the first Interior Design template for the department, coordinating workflows from schematic design to the finished product. This was also my first attempt at full-on project management—coming under budget by over 20%.

Not only did we finish with a template which was used in many future projects (to expedite the broad necessities for a drawing package), but we also achieved the desired result with satisfied clients, builders, and end-users.

In this project, I captured as-builts; assisted in design and drawing execution; completed a code review; coordination and research for with mechanical, electrical and furniture; and coordinated early on-site CA from first phase demolition and construction.

   Perhaps the most rigorous office experience in my career, working at Kasian has shaped my design thinking as well as help develop habits for well-coordinated project delivery. From the periphery of Schematic Design to the specificity of Contract Administration—Kasian has been the most enriching and in-depth experience in my career.

   SEEF Lusail Mixed-Use Residential projects are located within an integrated Mixed-Use Hub of Lusail City. There are seven buildings spread over three sites with a combined area of roughly 49,000 square meters. The project intends to be a business user destination hub, replete with high end residences, retail and amenities. With stunning views over the nearby waterfront and an active commercial façade, SEEF Lusail Residential will boast beautiful vistas and a bustling lifestyle.

   Being a supplementary member of the SEEF team, I took the opportunity to contribute to many separate parts of the project's success. Deadlines created pressure points, demanding efficacy. Often times I would finish ahead of schedule and begin to add value—enacting my own suggestions, and enhancing the state of the drawing at hand. SEEF was especially useful in applying and developing my skills in BIM software.

   There were speed-oriented tasks, such as annotating wall dimension strings, material tagging and general changes. Rendering tasks often fell into my hands, coordinating with a technologist to update and clean the BIM model as required. Using Adobe Photoshop, I would often post-render the technologist's work or outsourced visualizations. At certain points, instead of re-rendering at high costs, our team would save time and funding using strategic post-rendering methods. I also contributed to document formatting and updating, specifically Direct Control reports (similar to design development in North America).

   Science World in Vancouver, BC is a family-oriented organization that aims to engage and inspire future science and technology leadership. The science centre is home to many interactive exhibits in multiple galleries, indoor and outdoor; a roof terrace; and hosts the world's largest OMNIMAX® dome screen.

   Science World BC is considering tiered options for renovation and expansion and has hired Kasian to develop these options. The least expensive first option will upgrade the auditorium with new seating and lighting, and will update the space to recently revised building code requirements.

   The second option adds a pop-up stage, a catering kitchen and an elevator to the first option. The third option adds a glass elevator which brings guests from the ground floor to the auditorium level.

   There were a number of technical problems we had to resolve which would have otherwise precluded the second option from inclusion in the final submission. Careful section cuts along the arc cross-referenced to the plan provided critical information about clearances and possible space arrangements.

   The most exciting aspect of the process was exploring and executing design possibilities within the complex geometric parameters of the amphitheatre.
 

   The development company Springwood is the best known in Cochrane, and has created successful projects throughout the town. A thorough vision and consistent language was to be maintained for a new office/commercial retail project in a pre-existing mall complex. The prescriptive nature of the project drove an efficient process.

  The project was made in collaboration with a principal for overall guidance and communication, an associate for design guidance and direct supervision, a project manager, and an interior designer to work out the function of the space itself. Smooth communication between parties made sure the project was delivered on time.
 

My contribution to the project was in the design process (hand sketching concepts, using SketchUp and Revit); emulating the existing building language in the surrounding complex—from the materials and accessories to the assembly; and coordinating the interior space changes with the exterior—window, door and pilaster placement.

  The project was especially valuable for the extensive involvement from predesign to contract documents in a Design-Build setup. I enjoyed being part of the speed and direction of the design, mostly as a product of its methodology.

   Working closely with Anne-Marie Fleming, the principal at Boxwood Architects, I had the opportunity to be involved at all stages of the architecture process. Along with fellow summer interns, we collaborated on a few retrofit projects and a few new construction endeavours.

   Due to my strength in representation from my artistic and spatial background, I was generally delegated to the task of producing CAD models and renderings. However, I would normally work through design drawings from concept to design development, and later into contract documents and construction details.

   Some projects required interior design, choosing material combinations and creating finish schedules keyed to respective plans. The feature of Toronto Residence is a floating stair and supplementary wooden screen.

   From orthographic drafting to AutoCAD, the following elevation-renders illustrate one iteration of a house designed in Fernie, BC. During this experience I became very familiar with traditional hand draftsmanship in design. I have been involved in designing a new Golf Clubhouse; another with flat roofing (with supplementary window+door schedule, and elevation-renderings); another house in Fernie, BC (above); and a 10-unit ski-out motel with 10 smaller rooms suspended over a common parking lot.

   Understanding the traditional method of using pen and paper on a drafting board engages a thought process to better grasp the realities of scale—and especially the importance of translating real building materials into the abstraction of orthography.