Looking Forward, Building on the Past - INTERN

Looking Forward, Building on the Past

This webinar is part of the RAIC 2022 Virtual Conference on Architecture, now available to stream!

Topics: Practice / Business

Length: 1 hour | What's Included: Video, Quiz, and Certificate of Completion 

As Urban Arts Architecture celebrates 15 years as a firm, they are engaging in a strategic planning process to map out the way forward for the firm. In 2006, the founding partners Shelley Craig and Jennifer Marshall formed Urban Arts Architecture. Since then, the firm has grown from 2 to 25 and welcomed new principals and associates to the management team. Urban Arts is a Vancouver-based firm specializing in cultural, community and education projects that reflect their context and community. Their design philosophy is rooted in the belief that architecture reflects the vision of its users. By working closely with clients to realize their vision, the outcome is environmentally and socially sustainable spaces that support positive community growth. This session will explore a process experienced by many firms but rarely discussed or shared – transition planning, a firm's identity, and growth. It will identify strategies that can be utilized by practitioners or firms of any size to navigate change or transition. The firm reflected on the values and expertise that the practice has been built on, what makes them unique, and how to carry these elements forward into the next chapter of the firm’s story. This reflection was particularly pertinent this year after remote work challenged the way we work and forced us to consider what are the constants and what are the dynamic components of the way we work together and the work we do.

Learning Objectives:

By the completion of this session, participants will be able to:

• Develop a strategy for reflection on key values of the practice.
• Identify the considerations of a successful transition strategy.
• Create strategies in planning for and managing growth.
• Evaluate strategies for incorporating Indigenous values and ways of knowing into their practice.

Subject Matter Expert:

Shelley Craig is an exemplary member of the Canadian architectural community and her service to the profession has been multi-faceted. Shelley has been working with community clients for the past 25 years. She has extensive experience in health, community, institutional, and recreation projects, including many award-winning buildings. The Radium Hot Springs Community Centre and Library was one of the first DLT buildings in Canada and received a SAB Green Building Award.  Other award-winning recent work includes the Summerland Branch Library and the Engineering Student Centre at UBC.  Shelley graduated from the University of Waterloo with a Bachelor of Environmental Studies (Architecture) in 1980 and from the Architectural Association with a Masters in Architecture in 1984. Prior to forming Urban Arts Architecture Inc. in 2006, she was the principal of Urban Forum Architecture for 14 years. In addition to leading a design-centred practice, Shelley has contributed to the profession through mentoring young professionals and teaching as an adjunct professor at the UBC School of Architecture, University of Waterloo, and the Emily Carr University of Art + Design. A strong advocate for design excellence, Shelley served as the Chair of the West Vancouver Design Panel and as the national architectural representative to the Canadian Wood Council. She currently sits as chair of the UBC Advisory Urban Design Panel, WoodWorks! Steering Committee and is a Canadian Wood Council board member. Shelley is well known for her commitment to "built in BC" design and research. She has received a BC Woodworks 2019 WoodChampion Award, Wood First Premier's Award, AIBC Innovation Award and the 2009 WoodWorks Architect Award for her work featuring wood design and research. Shelley has presented lectures across the country on UAA's progressive wood designs and research. Shelley’s research work led to the change in the BC building code to include up to six stories in wood construction.

Jordan Edmonds
AIBC, B.ARCH SCI, LEED AP BD+C
Principal, Architectural Technologist

Jordan is one of four principals at Urban Arts Architecture Inc. Over the past 20 years Jordan has worked closely with many communities across Canada on issues of resilience, homelessness, food security, and environmental stewardship. His passion, energy and commitment to the realization of our built work enables UAA to achieve design excellence. Specializing in mass timber construction technologies, building systems performance engineering and regional approaches to net-zero carbon development, Jordan is focused on making buildings more sustainable, just, and equitable for our clients. Jordan has worked closely with many municipalities, institutions, and communities on both new building and renovation projects. He has recently completed work with the Village of Radium Hot Springs on their new award-winning Dowel Laminated Mass Timber Community Hall and Library. Jordan is currently working with the Tla’amin Nation on their new Accessible Housing Project, and with the Aboriginal Land Trust on their new Healing Centre and Housing project in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. Jordan graduated from Ryerson University with a Bachelor of Architectural Science in 2007, was the recipient of the Page and Steele Architects Award, and is a LEED Accredited Professional for Building Design + Construction.

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