Cathy Garrido is the co-founder of Altius Architecture, recently (since recording) re-named as Sustain Design Architects Inc., alongside fellow Waterloo grad Graham Smith. While there were four partners initially, Cathy and Graham are the two remaining.

Cathy took to architecture as a profession, in some ways, as a part of a destined path.

With building in her blood, both her father and grandfather being builders, she had always been around construction. That formalized into a pathway leading her to study Architecture at University of Waterloo, in Waterloo, Canada - also, her hometown.

With a keen interest in forward thinking when it comes to architecture, she has acquired LEED accreditation and Passive House Canada.

Find out how the practice has right-sized over the years and how they’ve established themselves as one of the long-standing and highly reputable practices in the city both in residential, commercial, prefab and more…

Born on the outskirts of Edinburgh in Scotland, Gillian Gillies found her love for design. As she began her career, she was invited onto a trip where she met her lifelong partner and husband, Dean.

When she eventually moved to Toronto, she ultimately started Gillian Gillies Interiors. Now, 20 years into the international award-winning practice, she has not only an incredibly successful interior design practice, that not only works in single-family residential construction, and multi-residential projects, but also an entire collection of products that she has created and designed.

Her business has flourished as a result of satisfying clients and having them bring her back into design for their next project, be it the next new home or reno, or a vacation home. She has a motto in her design for "frictionless living."

Gillian's team is fully committed to each other, too. Find out what makes her small team so special by listening to this week's edition of Behind the Build.

Kelly Buffey and Robert Kastelic founded Atelier Kastelic Buffey (AKB) in 2004. 

Celebrating their 20 year mark, at what has become one of the more celebrated studios in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, AKB has lamented themselves as a highly sought after modern architecture and interior design practice.

Having received international awards for their work, Kelly and Robert both have overcome intense challenges in life, and continue to push forward with a charisma that is so indelible and infectious, you simply want to learn more and more about them and their practice.

Kelly has a Bachelor of Applied Arts in Interior Design from Ryerson (Toronto Metropolitan University), a Bachelor of Arts degree from Queen's University and a Master in Architecture from University of Toronto. She runs the creative vision for the studio.

Robert has a degree in the Bachelor of Environmental Studies and Bachelor of Architecture from Waterloo. He is the technical lead within the studio.

What makes AKB incredibly special is that it's a family run business. Robert and Kelly have been madly in love with each other since working together at KPMB in their youth. 

Kelly always wanted to pursue a career in architecture, from her time in high school to university. Her tactile and practical degree at Ryerson really set her on her path, connecting her to sculpting of space.

Robert filled out a form in high school when asked what he wanted to be, so he inserted: actor, engineer and architect. Since inserting that answer, he has gone on to become an architect, the technical director at AKB, and most recently, an actor. Robert is the face for Parkinson’s Canada in an ad with the slogan, “It’s not Parkinson’s. It’s Swagger.”

With a high value on social equity, they have always put their effort into ensuring the staff are looked after, with a health plan in place once they brought on their first staff member decades ago, to buying, designing and working out of their new office. Human connectivity matters to Rob and Kelly. They don't call what they design residences or houses, they call it "home."

Find out more about this softly-spoken, powerhouse couple running AKB on this week’s installment of Behind the Build.

Parkinson’s Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhDgQLw_RBc

Michael Amantea started his practice in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 2012. His family was instrumental leading him on his path into architecture. His father was a talented artist, and his mother taught him to value himself, while his grandfather was an iron-worker, working on the installation of the CN Tower, including its very challenging top assembly.

A graduate of University of Toronto’s John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design five year program. Throughout his tenure at U of T, he acquired summer jobs working at Montgomery & Sisam, Architects Alliance (formerly Wallman Clewes Bergman Architects & van Nostrand DiCastri Architects), as an electrical apprentice and then ultimately, in his fifth year, working as a Teaching Assistant (TA) to David Pontarini. 

It was during his time as a TA that he was offered a position to work for David at Hariri Pontarini. He then made his way to Ian McDonald’s practice, Ian McDonald Architect. During his time there, he worked on all that he loved, including architecture, interiors and landscape design.

Since being on his own, he has had incredible success. His early projects, including a pool pavilion went on to win awards in multiple publications and be internationally recognized. With a small team of four, including himself, Michael is now working on truly remarkable projects. From sprawling rural properties to dense infill, single family homes, his keen interest in modern architecture knows no bounds.

Find out more about his mighty practice, including his loyal staff that are so connected to the work that Michael actually calls Amantea Architects, ours and not mine, by listening to this week’s insightful installment of Behind the Build.

Jeffrey Douglas is the founder and sole principal of Douglas Design Studio, an interior design studio based out of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Don't think that just because Jeffrey's practice is based out of Toronto, that he isn't internationally renowned for his work, because he has won many international design awards, as well as nationally, in Canada.

Jeffrey began sketching space when he was 6-7 years old and followed his path of design through teenage-hood and into university, where he landed his first summer job in design.

He began his professional career working for Brian Gluckstein, where he gained a great deal of experience before starting his own practice in 1995. The first studio Jeffrey worked out of was in a "loft" immersed with artists on different levels of the building, including some highly reputable artists, including the late Lynn Donoghue.

The practice moved from the loft space in Roncesvalles to Cabbagetown, where it's been for the last 20 years. With a staff that started at two to three people and as many as 12, he's found that his sweet spot is 10 staff. He leans in heavy on his team and they are committed to delivering.

He utilizes his ability to extract complex problems that clientele are looking to solve by having them use adjectives to describe what they’re looking for, without using words like “functional” - because who doesn’t want to have functional space?! 

And, that sketching that started at 6-7 year old, continues today as an integral part of his design practice.

Find out more about his overcoming being bullied as a child and teen to becoming one of the more highly reputable and prestigious interior designers in Canada, and his unique interest in writing, by listening to this week’s installment of Behind the Build.

Lucas Maino Fernandez founded his practice, Lucas Maino Fernandez Arquitectos, with a focus on modern architecture to be designed and built south of his home town of Santiago, Chile. The majority of his work can be found more or less at the end of the inhabitable world, a few thousand kilometres north of Patagonia.

His designs are purposeful in that the material utilized is largely found locally, given the remote locations of the built structures. By working with wood products, Lucas has had to become very creative in his design efforts to promote unique experiences with the same material. The results are integrated screens, that in some scenarios, open with a hinge, while in others, roll on a track, providing shade and cooling in extreme sun conditions.

His demeanor and enthusiasm for architecture is prevalent throughout the discussion we had and his career path is only just getting started. He is most certainly one of the upcoming architects to rise out of Chile. Find out more about his 10-year-old budding practice on this week' installment of Behind the Build.

On this engaging episode, Jennifer Kudlats, one of the principals and founders of Studio for Architecture and Collaboration, or StudioAC, opens up about her path to creating the practice with business partner, Andrew Hill.

After graduating from Dalhousie University, in Nova Scotia, Canada, and completing her Masters in NYC, she worked at KPMB in Toronto, where she honed in on her craft and first met Andrew.

Having partnered on projects at work, the opportunity presented itself to work on some small projects outside of the practice, for family and friends. As the opportunities required more time and focus, Jen and Andrew made the leap. Since the inception of the practice, they have worked on residential, mid-rise, and commercial projects, and they were awarded the 2023 Architecture Practice of the Year with DesignLines.

With a focus on making an impact on the lived-in experience for their clientele by utilizing materials that are economical from a form and function standpoint, but also a financial standpoint, the practice mainly focuses on modern architecture.

Find out about stepping in concrete, working on their first project with an incredibly tight budget, and establishing themselves as one of the most respected architecture practices in Toronto by listening to this week's episode of Behind the Build with Jennifer Kudlats of StudioAC.

Enjoy!

Michael Taylor founded Taylor Smyth Architects with business partner Robert Smyth, based out of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, in 2000.

Since the creation of the practice, Taylor Smyth has designed in residential, commercial, educational and community based architecture. The majority of the practice's work is focused on contemporary architecture, blending into modern architecture. Having grown up in Chicago and then moving to England, he had the privilege of traveling all across Europe in high school.

Originally thinking he would become an archeologist, he determined that instead of digging up the old, he wanted to uncover the new, and that led him to study architecture back in Chicago.

Listen to this week's episode, hearing about Michael's interesting path in architecture, starting with a discovery course in Cambridge, at Harvard University.

Nathan Buhler is the founder and principal of BLDG Workshop, a modern architectural design practice operating out of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. With a highly modest disposition, Nathan has been creating some truly beautiful homes throughout Toronto and beyond.

All this came after Bible School and acting as a missionary overseas. He went back to school and found a way to give his creativity an outlet. After completing his course at Sheridan, he began his career, which ultimately led him to create BLDG Workshop in 2011.

Nathan is the kind of architectural designer you feel like you've known your whole life after you have your first talk with him. Through his modern designs, he puts a lens on the experience of creating a blend between the indoors and outdoors, noticeable as you look at his portfolio of work and how the windows and doors align with the design.

His work incorporates methodically placed screening, utilizing metals and wood products. He has experienced growth, a decline and a failed acquisition, yet through it all, he has never missed out on opportunities to see his gain more momentum in landing incredible projects in really special landscapes.

Find out more about his practice on this week's episode of Behind the Build.

Brenda Izen is the founder and principal of Izen Architecture, a powerful all-female practice focused on modern architecture, based out of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

The practice started in 2015 and has since evolved into a well-established luxury architecture and interior design practice with projects from Prince Edward County, to Toronto and beyond, including a rather special project in Costa Rica.

Brenda is meticulously focused on the operation of her business, with thought and diligence put into every hire, every client, design and spec, down to her well-crafted emails.

Her team focuses heavily on collaboration. The practice's attention to detail lends itself to some incredible projects.

Find out more about Brenda, her team, the operation and what her life is like outside of her business on this great episode with my friend, Brenda Izen.