CALGARY - Key Persons
Adrian is an interdisciplinary artist with national and international exhibitions. He has completed and continues to work on several public art projects that look at identity construction, cultural fragility, and resilience.
Job Titles:
- Student Recruitment Specialist
Ali is a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) and holds a Ph.D. from SAPL. Ali is a prolific author and consultant with expertise in energy and carbon management for industrial, residential, educational, healthcare, administration, and institutional facilities to ensure energy safety, comfort, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability.
Alicia Nahmad Vazquez is an associate professor of robotics and digital fabrication.
Alison is a spatial justice researcher, designer, and educator. Her passion for redressing the connection between social justice and space has led her to research, evaluate, and design spaces that address the specific needs of those whose needs are traditionally overlooked in our environment.
Job Titles:
- Faculty & Research Administrative Assistant
Andrea is a principal and registered landscape architect at ground cubed, practicing with a collaborative, diverse, and inspiring team. She has over fifteen years of experience across a broad range of landscape architecture and urban design project settings, typologies, and scales, ranging from sidewalk patios to municipal plazas through to campus master plans and rural community planning. She has experience in all design phases with a passion for collaborating on the big thinking that drives thoughtful and innovative design.
Job Titles:
- Event Specialist / Events and Special Projects
Anna Batebe is a professional architect who has worked with firms such as Zeidler and Stantec. An alumni of our faculty, Anna has also served as a member of the committee of the Alberta Association of Architects, as well as of the syllabus National Advisory Council of the Royal Architecture Institute of Canada.
Job Titles:
- Marketing and Communications Specialist
Job Titles:
- Director, EVDS PhD & MEDes Graduate Prg
Barry is an alumnus and the Graduate Program Director and is responsible for our research-based degrees. He is the founder of Q Industrial Design, a consulting firm for new product design and development.
In his essay "Wicked Problems in Design Thinking" Richard Buchanan notes that design has no distinct subject of its own*. Industrial designers will tackle the design of all types of artifacts and in doing so apply knowledge from a wide spectrum of inquiry. This includes insights from art, science, engineering, material science, manufacturing technologies, emerging technologies, ergonomics, psychology, anthropology, business development, kinesiology, culture, history, and so on. Indeed the list continually expands with emerging areas of sustainability and bio-mimicry as recent additions.
Yet, for design thinking, it is not so much ‘what' designers think about, but rather ‘how' they think about things that is important. In effect, design, when considered as a subject, represents an area that addresses the application of knowledge in resolving a specific problem. The ‘how' of such design thinking is evident in Buchanan's notion of "placement,* Krippendorf's view of "context"* and even ideas of 3D composition as espoused by Kostellow*. And all of these insights can further be seen to echo Lehar's discussion of Gestalt perception*. The intent of my research then, is to build on and tie together these ideas of perception and sense-making into a theoretical framework that addresses the elements and mechanisms inherent to design thinking.
As a multi-media Designer with 3+ years of experience, and Intern Architect with the AAA, Hashim's practice seeks to listen, learn, and integrate diverse mediums of creation into the status quo to enable more enriching, immersive, and sensory spatial experiences. As a Master of Environmental Design candidate (2024) with SAPL, her research addresses critical questions around neuro-accessibility in architecture through the lenses of neurodiversity and critical disability studies, environmental psychology, and neuroarchitecture.
Cameron Gillies is an Architect and an alumnus of Dalhousie University and the University of Calgary. During his 20+ year career, Cameron has worked with some of Canada's best-recognized Architects, contributing to over $3B worth of design and construction projects. He's currently works with The City of Calgary and mentors, teaches, lectures, and volunteers at institutions across the country.
Carol-Ann is an experienced Project Manager skilled in Land Development, Sustainable Development, Mixed Use, Urban Planning, Feasibility Studies, and Community Engagement.
Catherine Hamel's interests lie in the potential role of architecture as an instrument for social reconstruction. Of specific interest are intrusions that allow themselves to be diluted in their endeavor to reposition considerations in the public realm; in subtle disturbances that carry the potential to instigate change, not by altering existing systems, but the attitudes towards them. Specific themes investigated to date include identity and estrangement in the context of post-war reconstruction and exile; architecture and justice; memory in the scarred body and the voicing of political experiences in public space. These topics are explored through her teaching, drawing, and writing. What agitates her is not the sides people take, but the lines they draw in order to be able to take them.
Chad has more than eight years of experience in architecture and environmental design teaching, he is an innovative force in interdisciplinary design education.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Royal Architecture Institute of Canada
Chris Hardwicke is a registered professional planner, a member of the Royal Architecture Institute of Canada, and an urban designer with over 20 years of experience. He has achieved international recognition as a Fellow of the Forum for Urban Design in New York; a Recognized Practitioner in Urban Design in the UK; and, a member of the Project for Public Spaces Leadership Committee and the Council for Canadian Urbanism.
Connor is a project coordinator with a versatile background including product, architectural and urban design. He is experienced in building permit development, land use bylaw compliance, stakeholder engagement, and on-site construction operations. His past project work has spanned the public and private sectors as well as independent design commissions.
Job Titles:
- Graduate Program Administrator
Daniel was a sessional instructor here at SAPL and now has returned as an Assistant Professor. He founded the Calgary-based boutique design studio, AITCH Design, specializing in the creative revitalization of buildings.
Darby has over a decade of experience working as an accessibility strategist. She has successfully contributed to the removal of barriers at municipal, provincial and national levels, ultimately establishing inclusive environments all across Canada.
Assists students with matters relating to fabrication, model making, shop health and safety, CNC technology, laser cutting and 3D printing
David Burch is directly involved in the research and implimentation of new technology related to the Architectural Practice, and developing deep collaboration methods which enhance the end to end lifecycle of Facilities.
David is an architectural historian whose research focus is 19th and 20th century North American architecture.
My training is in architectural history and cultural studies, and I use interdisciplinary approaches to study buildings, urban sites, monuments, public spaces, and landscapes in relation to a broadly-defined social context.
In 1995, I completed a Master's degree in the School of Architecture at the University of British Columbia, then worked five years as a lecturer, heritage researcher, and architecture librarian. In 2005, I completed my PhD in American Studies at the University of Minnesota, and my dissertation came out as a book in 2011 with the University of Minnesota Press.
Through an engagement with cultural and political history, I seek to specify the different techniques and processes by which space is produced through social relations. Critical architectural history seeks to research the built environment as a creative cultural phenomenon not limited to singular structures or famous architects. In contrast, understanding the role of the everyday spatial practice of subjects in producing the built environment is one of the most under-studied questions facing architectural and urban design history. A new research project on Canadian cultural landscapes seeks to address this question through research on spaces of immigration. This scholarship incorporates analytic categories such as race and gender, thereby adding relations of identity and power to its examination of the meanings and uses of spaces and places.
In my work, a specific focus has been the relationship between built environments, bureaucracies, and national identity. I have studied this in different ways, through the architectural programs of the Hudson's Bay Company in the 1910s-20s, the United States civil defence establishment during the Cold War, and the Canadian government departments responsible for immigration in the century after Confederation.
Douglas is an interdisciplinary scholar trained in landscape architecture and geography. His research centres on the production of just and inclusive climate futures, and spans topics of energy landscapes, critical resource studies, and evolving concepts of degrowth.
Beverly teaches landscape architecture and urban design. She is a co-director of the Urban Lab with research on urban morphology, cultural landscapes and the relationships between urban form and public health.
I have been a professor in the Faculty of Environmental Design since 1999, prior to which I taught at two universities in Halifax and at Olds College, and practiced landscape architecture and planning with private sector firms in Calgary and Winnipeg. I am a registered landscape architect and planner specialized in urban design and I continue to practice, where our work emphasizes a landscape approach to urbanism.
I have been Associate Dean (Academic) since 2012. I am delighted that our new Master of Landscape Architecture program now joins our Master of Planning and Master of Architecture, forming an integrated suite of professional programs that help to make EVDS unique. I teach studios and theory courses, and work at combining my research, teaching, theoretical work, and professional practice in ways that challenge the status quo while remaining strongly practical.
My research is centred in the SAPL Urban Lab, an innovative research group that I have directed since 2000. It is an ongoing experiment in education, research, and outreach and provides internships for students and opportunities for university/community collaborations. Research falls under several topic areas, including urban design at various scales, urban morphology, neighbourhood planning and design, small town planning, parks and open space planning, and health and the built environment, with a particular focus on walkability. I am always interested in supervising new research students whose interests and background coincide with these topics in ways that can help to advance knowledge and practice.
Some outside involvements include chairing the Jury of the International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA) Student Design Competition (since 2003) http://iflaonline.org/awards/student-competition/, and serving as a member of IFLA's Education Committee, and I have contributed to design review as member and Co-Chair of the Design Review Panel for the Rural Municipality of Wood Buffalo (City of Fort McMurray) (2012-2014), and Member and Chair/Co-Chair of Calgary's Urban Design Review Panel from 2004-2012.
Dr. Beverly A Sandalack, PhD, is the recipient of the 2020 International Federation of Landscape (IFLA) Architects President's Award.
Brian is a former dean of the School and teaches in the architecture program. He is a passionate educator with research interests that include agile architecture and sustainability.
Dr. Brian R. Sinclair PhD FRAIC AIA (Intl) is an award-winning Professor of Architecture + Environmental Design, and former Dean, in Faculty of Environmental Design (EVDS) at the University of Calgary, Canada. For many years he served this institution in the unique position of Presidential Advisor on Design + Sustainability. In this capacity he advised, inspired and influenced the institution regarding all aspects of landscape, urban, architectural, interior design and sustainability. Prior to assuming the deanship at Calgary, he was Chair of the nationally-ranked Architecture school at Ball State University in the USA. Brian holds postgraduate degrees in the fields of both architecture and psychology. His expertise, experience and engagement span the breadth from science and technologies to art and humanities. With a strong commitment to interdisciplinarity, integration and holism, Sinclair performs across a wide spectrum of roles, including educator, practitioner, scholar and administrator.
Professional memberships include the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and Fellowships in the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) and the International Institute for Advanced Studies in Systems Research & Cybernetics (IIAS). Involved extensively in development activities worldwide, with a particular emphasis on the Asian region, he is the only foreign member of the Society of Nepalese Architects (SONA) and the Union of Mongolian Architects (UMA). International board memberships include the Architectural Research Centers Consortium (ARCC) and the Toda Institute for Global Peace + Policy Research. Professor Sinclair has actively contributed to many organizations including the Van Horne Institute of International Transportation + Regulatory Affairs, the Evergreen Foundation, the Calgary Foundation and the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation. He is a past Senator at the University of Calgary, a presiding Governor of the Architectural Foundation of Alberta, and member of prominent societies such as the International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction (CIB) and the Council on Tall Buildings + Urban Habitat (CTBUH). In 2003 he was inducted into the Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK) Leadership Society and in 2010 was elected into the prestigious Phi Kappa Phi (PKP) honor society.
Professor Sinclair has garnered numerous honors & accolades, including awards for Outstanding Achievements, Best Papers and Scholarly Contributions. He is recipient of a Distinguished Scholar Award from UNESCO|IIAS, a U-Make-A-Difference Award from the University of Calgary, the 2012 UC Graduate Students' Association "Teaching Excellence Award", associated Nomination for the 2012 "Supervisory Excellence Award", and the 2013 Rev. Dr. John Snow Sr. Award for Excellence in Teaching & Research.. Sinclair was bestowed in 2010 with a "President's Medal of Distinguished Achievement" and in 2012 conferred a Doctor Honoris Causa (DrHC) from the International Institute for Advanced Studies in Systems Research & Cybernetics in Germany. In 2014 he was presented with the ARCC Kihl Award for Distinguished Service in Architectural Research. His doctoral degree, from the University of Missouri, focused on leading-edge research involving innovative design + planning approaches to improve quality of life for some of world's poorest people. His most recent book, published by the Canada Green Building Council, is entitled "Culture, Context and the Pursuit of Sustainability". Scholarship areas include professional practice, design methods, systems, open building & agile architecture, environmental psychology, international development, informal settlements, urban studies, sustainability, and the collision of science + spirit.
Job Titles:
- Associate Dean
- Associate Professor
Fabian is the Associate Dean (Research + Innovation) and associate professor. He is an urbanist who trained and worked in Europe before joining our School. His research interests include co-creation and participatory design, urban planning and urban design.
Dr. Fabian Neuhaus, PhD, received his doctorate in urban planning from University College London, the Bartlett. His research interest are temporal aspects of the urban environment. His research focuses on the topics of Habitus, Type and Ornament in the sense of Activity, Technology and Memory. He has been a guest critic at the Bartlett School of Architecture, Architecture Association AA, University of Arts London, London Metropolitan University at the Faculty of Architecture and Spatial Design, the University of Plymouth at the School of Architecture. For his Masters of Science in Urban Design at the Bartlett School of Architecture, he was awarded a distinction. He has worked with architecture and urban design practices in the UK and Switzerland as well as on research projects at universities in Switzerland, Germany and the UK. He is the principal author of www.urbantick.org and co-curator of nextcalgary.ca.
Dr. Mary-Ellen Tyler was Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Design at the University of Calgary from September 01, 1998 until June 30, 2003. She holds interdisciplinary graduate degrees at the Masters and Ph.D. level in environmental science and natural resource management. Dr. Tyler has worked in both the private and public sector as an environmental planner and ecologist and spent ten years with the Federal Government in British Columbia working with Indian and Northern Affairs in resource development impacts assessment, local government development and intergovernmental resource management issues related to comprehensive land claims negotiations. During her academic career, she has held tenured academic appointments at both the University of Waterloo and the University of Manitoba and has taught in the areas of Urban and Regional Planning, Landscape Architecture and Environmental Design. Prior to moving to Calgary in 1998, Dr. Tyler was Associate Dean of Architecture at the University of Manitoba and acted as Head of the Departments of Environmental Design and Interior Design. Her current areas of research, scholarship and professional practice are in urban ecology, sustainable urban design, urban watershed management, ecological restoration and urban environmental management.
Mary-Ellen is an alumna, former dean of the School, and professor. Her research engages ecological design, environmental planning, and regional landscape ecology.
Graduated from SAPL in 2004 and recipient of the AAA Award for Best Thesis, Dustin is a principal and founding partner of award-winning Design and architecture firm, MODA. He is also a member of the Alberta Association of Architects and the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada.
An accomplished architect with over 15 years of experience, Erica has successfully led projects of all scales ranging from single-family houses to high-profile recreation facilities. She approaches every project in an integrated way, acting as a facilitator, communicator, coordinator, collaborator, and marketer.
A registered architect with over 18 years of experience in architectural design and project management, Farhad is also exploring how architects can contribute to sustainable international development through knowledge sharing and empowering their fellow practitioners at SAPL.
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor
- SAPL As an Assistant Professor
Francisco Alaniz Uribe joined SAPL as an assistant professor in the summer of 2014. This position was a natural fit for Alaniz, who was a research associate at the Urban Lab for 10 years, and was awarded the University of Calgary's inaugural Teaching Award for Sessional Instructors, before joining the faculty ranks as a full-time educator in 2015.
Francisco received his BSc in architechture from the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (Mexico), and a Master in Urban Development Projects and a Master of Environmental Design (urban design) from Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico City and University of Calgary, respectively. Prior to his Masters, his professional experience included being an architect, developer, and urban designer in Mexico. He is a Registered Professional Planner and has practiced as a planner and urban designer in Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia, in projects ranging from small-town planning to regional open space and recreation master plans.
For the past several years as a Co-Director of The Urban Lab, Alaniz's research has focused on the aspects of urban design and land-use planning associated with neighbourhood form - specifically on built form and how the quality of the public realm impacts people.
An alumnus of our faculty, Francisco practiced in Mexico before returning to teach in 2014. He is co-director of the Urban Lab, and his research is focused on urban planning and neighbourhood form.
George has extensive experience in the development and preparation of conceptual design and construction documents for public and private work. Over the past 20 years as a professional landscape architect he has been preparing designs, construction drawings and overseeing construction of landscape and urban development projects.
Job Titles:
- Director of Equity
- Professor
My doctoral research at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm focusing on Sustainability Assessment of Technical Systems drew on my sustainability philosophy that connects back to what I believe is the historical back yard of the sustainability concept and approach. The origins of the ideas of utilising resources at a sustainable rate can be traced back to different ancient literatures including the Scripture where a two dimensional command says: 'and the LORD God took the man, and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it,' Genesis 2:15. For me, the 'dress' dimension represents designing and using technologies for human economic and social development. The 'keep' dimension accounts for the environmental sustainability of the activity of development and utilization of technologies.
By having a holistic approach my research strives to avoid problem shifting and sub-optimization in the design and development of technical systems including buildings, energy systems, etc. Sustainability can't be realized without making the whole world sustainable through environmentally benign, economically viable and socially equitable utilization of resources. During my many travels around the world I have seen the importance of addressing developmental needs on one hand, and environmental sustainability on the other. It is not an either-or, it is both that we, as human beings, need to deal with. I am confident our common will and effort has the power to make a positive difference.
Out of work, I enjoy participating in different activities of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. My other interests include swimming as well as reading and writing on sustainability and a spectrum of other issues.
Research Interest
Assefa, G., Glaumann, M., Malmqvist, T., and Eriksson, O. (2010) Quality versus impact: comparing the environmental efficiency of building properties using the EcoEffect tool. Accepted to Building and Environment. 45( 5),1095-1103.
Assefa, G., Glaumann, M., Malmqvist, T., Kindembe, B., Hult, M., Myhr, U. and Eriksson, O. (2007) Environmental assessment of building properties - where natural and social sciences meet: The case of EcoEffect. Building and Environment 42, 1458-1464
Ekvall, T., Assefa, G., Björklund, A., Eriksson, O. and Finnveden, G. (2007) What life-cycle assessment does and doesn't do in assessments of waste management. Waste Management. 27( 8), 989-996
Assefa, G., Frostell, B. (2006) Social sustainability and social acceptance in technology assessment: a case study on energy technologies. Technology in Society 29 (1), 63-78.
Zhenhong, G., Wennersten, R. and Assefa, G. (2006) Analysis of the most widely used Building Environmental Assessment methods. Environmental Science. 3(3),175-192
Assefa, G., Björklund, A., Eriksson, O., Frostell, B. (2005) ORWARE: an aid to Environmental Technology Chain Assessment. Journal of Cleaner Production 13(3), 265-274.
Assefa, G., Eriksson, O., Frostell, B. (2005) Technology assessment of thermal treatment technologies using ORWARE. Energy Conversion and Management 46, 797-819.
Eriksson, O., Carlsson Reich, M., Frostell, B., Björklund, A., Assefa, G., Sundqvist, J. -O., Granath, J., Baky, A., Thyselius, L. (2005) Municipal Solid Waste Management from a Systems Perspective. Journal of Cleaner Production 13(3), 241-252.
Assefa, G., Frostell, B. (2005) A systematic approach for addressing input data uncertainties in technology assessment of new technologies: the case of ORWARE. Manuscript submitted to The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment.
Eriksson, O., Frostell, B., Björklund, A., Assefa, G., Sundqvist, J-O., Granath, J., Carlsson, M., Baky, A., Thyselius, L. (2002) ORWARE - A simulation tool for waste management. Resources, Conservation and Recycling 36(4), 287-307
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Getachew is the director of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility. He is one of the world's leading experts in life cycle assessment. His research focus is on energy innovation.
Job Titles:
- Professor in the Master of Architecture Program
Graham Livesey is a Professor in the Master of Architecture Program (School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape) where he teaches design, architectural history, and urban design theory. He holds a professional Bachelor of Architecture degree, a post-professional Master of Architecture in history and theory, both from McGill University (Montreal, Canada). He completed a doctorate from the Faculty of Architecture at the Technical University of Delft in the Netherlands. In 2019 he was elected to the College of Fellows of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. Previously he was the Associate Dean (Academic - Architecture), Director of the Architecture Program, and was a principal of Down + Livesey Architects. With Down + Livesey Architects he worked on a variety of projects including: the Vulcan County Administration Building Expansion, the renovation of the Art Gallery of Calgary, the expansion of the Alberta College of Art & Design, and the design of Discovery House (a second stage women's shelter). He has served with a wide range of organizations, including: Treasurer and Canadian Director of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture, member of the council of the Alberta Association of Architects, and chair of the Council of Canadian University Schools of Architecture. He was an expert advisor on architecture to The Canadian Encyclopedia, editorial advisor to the journal Architecture and Ideas, and Interim Executive Editor of the Journal of Architectural Education. He has undertaken research in the areas of modern architecture and contemporary urbanism. The following is a selection of published work:
Graham teaches design, architectural history, and urban design. After an active career as a licensed architect, he has authored several books on architectural history and theory.
Job Titles:
- CEO and Founding Partner at Future Fit Cities
CEO and Founding Partner at Future Fit Cities, and Founding Partner at InceptionU, Greg specializes in ergonomics, process design and assessment, interface design, urban design, CPTED, critical thinking development/leadership, pre-employment physical and aptitude assessment, continuous improvement, and incident investigation.
Job Titles:
- Manager of Community Growth for the City of Airdrie
With over 25 years of experience, Jamal is currently the Manager of Community Growth for the City of Airdrie, one of Canada's fastest-growing cities. His current practice gives him oversight of the development pipeline from Idea to Occupancy, by leading Economic Development, Planning & Development, and Building Inspections. His specialty areas include regional planning, policy, governance, and land use planning.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate Professor
Jason Johnson has practiced and taught architecture in North and South America and Europe. He is a founding partner of the Laboratory for Integrative Design at the University of Calgary and has published and exhibited design work related to research in the areas of responsive architecture, generative design, digital fabrication and integrated techniques. He is the co-author of Digital Design Exercises for Architecture Students a primer on generative design strategies for the beginning design student.
Jason, the Associate Dean of Architecture, is an associate professor and is the co-founder of the Laboratory of Integrative Design. His research focuses on digital fabrication and robotics.
Jeff believes in the importance of context, comprised of the transference of the social, economic, environmental, and cultural context of a project into a built form. He brings experience in a variety of project typologies including, Hospitality, Office-Commercial, Retail, and Mid-rise Multi-Family Residential projects.
Job Titles:
- Academic Programs Coordinator
Jessie has led design teams on three competition wins. Her range of projects includes private houses, multi-family and mixed-use housing, civic centres, university buildings, and masterplans. Jessie co-founded SPECTACLE Bureau for Architecture and Urbanism in 2013.
Jinmo is a computational designer, architect, and design scholar, delving into the transformative realm of artificial intelligence technologies within architectural design and built environment research.
Job Titles:
- Architect and Associate With DIALOG
Jodi is an intern architect and Associate with DIALOG. She is experienced in public realm and cultural projects that bridge art, urban design, graphic design, and architecture. Her diverse portfolio of work with major municipalities and community groups demonstrates her approach to city-building grounded in a sense of place.
Assists students with matters relating to fabrication, model making, shop health and safety, CNC technology, laser cutting and 3D printing
Job Titles:
- Principal
- Dean, Professor
- Registered Architect
- SAPL Dean, Becomes President of Royal Architectural Institute of Canada
John Brown is a registered architect and a founding principal of both Housebrand Construction and FABhome. He is a recognized authority on residential practice, new models of architectural practice, and age-in-community design. In 2003, he received the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada Award of Excellence for Innovation for his development of Housebrand, a vertically integrated practice that combines residential architecture, construction, interior design and real estate services into a one-stop shop for homebuyers. In 2009, he received a Leadership Award from Residential Architect Magazine in recognition of his work to increase public awareness about the value of design.
In 2012, Professor Brown began a collaboration with researchers in the Cumming School of Medicine to look at age-in-community design strategies. He completed a PhD entitled Going Home: Future Adaptive Building for Aging-in-Place in 2016 through the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Australia. This research explored new forms of age-in-place housing that combines mass customization and design democratization with digital monitoring/sensing and next generation home-based medical support to create a new approach to housing our older adult population and keep them out of structured care facilities for as long as possible. The PhD led to the Age-in-Place Laneway House Research Project which received a Mayor's Urban Design Award in Housing Innovation. In 2018, Professor Brown began commercialization of this research through the Social Enterprise Incubator Program run by Innovate Calgary and micro-voucher funding from Alberta Innovates. FABhome launched in 2020 to deliver this innovative age-in-community architectural initiative to seniors across Canada.
Learn more about FABhome.
Practice
Principal, FABhome Ltd.
Principal, Housebrand Construction Ltd.
Registered Architect, Alberta Association of Architects
Fellow, Royal Architectural Institute of Canada
Service
President, Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC)
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John is the dean of the School. He is a registered architect and founding principal of the architectural firm Housebrand.
John is the President and Founder of Intelligent Futures, a firm of versatile community problem solvers that have worked on challenges as diverse as urban agriculture, community sustainability, social well-being, urban renewal, arts and culture, community livability, and affordable housing. John is also the host of 360 Degree City - a podcast that explores city building from a variety of angles.
Job Titles:
- Research Facilitator / Administration of Research Projects Coordinates Research - Related Opportunities and Projects
Joseli Macedo is a teacher, scholar and administrator with a wide range of experience and accomplishment leading interdisciplinary programs in the United States, Brazil, India and Australia. She joined SAPL in May 2021.
Job Titles:
- Associate Dean ( Research & Innovation )
- Associate Professor of Architecture at the University of Calgary 's School of Architecture
- Co - Founder of the Laboratory for Integrative Design
- Principal of Synthetiques
Joshua M. Taron is an Associate Professor of architecture at the University of Calgary's School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape where he runs the Laboratory for Integrative Design (LID). His current research focuses on structurally intelligent swarms as an alternative to conventional wholesale building demolition by grafting complex morphological assemblies into existing buildings. This work is done in partnership with a variety of disciplines such as computer science, structural engineering and city planning. The work has been published internationally and orients itself toward finding new ways of revitalizing and sustaining the already-built environment.
Taron is also Principal of Synthetiques, an award-winning research+design+build outfit focusing on the hybrid ecologies afforded through the interface of computational and physical economies across multiple scales. He earned his undergraduate degree in architecture from the University of California, Berkeley and holds a Master of Architecture degree from the Southern California Institute of Architecture.
Josh is a co-founder of the Laboratory for Integrative Design with research interests ranging from computation to circular economy.
Justin is a creative and resourceful designer who has supported senior designers on a variety of public and private project typologies. These include large-scale transportation infrastructure, inclusive playgrounds, community park planning, multi-family residential, urban design, and urban agriculture projects.
Job Titles:
- Founder of GXN
- Senior Partner of 3XN
Kate's resume includes projects at every scale, from sculptural installations to mixed-use buildings and single-family residences to master plans. Kate founded XYC in 2013 to tackle prominent but challenging sites with a multi-disciplinary approach.
A graduate of our faculty, Khalid is a maker, entrepreneur, artist, and educator. His classes focus on concept-driven architectural design with an emphasis on narrative and the physical construction of architectural wonders.
An associate professor and program director for architecture at The University of Texas at Austin, Bieg received his Master of Architecture from Columbia University, is NCARB certified, and is a registered architect in Texas. Since 2013, he has served as Chair of the TxA Emerging Design + Technology conference, and co-Director of TEX-FAB Digital Fabrication Alliance.
Kris Fox is an educator and practitioner of landscape architecture (RLA: CA). In SAPL, Prof. Fox teaches design studios and construction courses. He created the Landscape Architecture Materials Library and online database, which opened in August 2018.
He has taught at the University of British Columbia, Cornell University and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Prior to that, he practiced in the San Francisco Bay Area for eight years as a landscape architect with Land Studio and MFLA, and for 2+ years as a planner with the City of Oakland and South of Market Foundation (not for profit).
His research explores the relationships between craft / materials / construction, the design process, and the value systems of best practices in the ‘sustainable era'. He is currently exploring strategies for enhancing the design of school grounds through innovative use and deployment of "cheap" and/or sustainable landscape construction materials using an interdisciplinary approach. His project, The Outdoor PLAYbook (http://outdoorplaybook.ca/). was developed by a team of design, health, and education researchers at UBC in close collaboration and consultation with parents, teachers, administrators, children, the Vancouver School Board and community partners.
Kris teaches landscape architecture and urban design. His research is focused on mass customization and designing outdoor play spaces for children.
Larry Pearson obtained his BA from Queen's University where he studied Art and Architectural History. He holds a Master of Environmental Design Degree in Architecture from SAPL, and has been employed by Alberta Culture since 1979, where he has been involved in the preservation and development of Alberta's historic resources.
An experienced land use planner with a broad understanding of all facets of the planning process, Liisa was the first employee and only land use planner of the Calgary Metropolitan Region Board (CMRB) and established the operational processes and procedures of the CMRB. In 2019, she oversaw the planning aspects of developing the Calgary Metropolitan Region's (CMR) first Growth and Servicing Plans.
Lili is the founder of LYT Studio, as well as a multidisciplinary artist, architectural designer, researcher, and academic. She designs 3D-printed, handmade, and wheel-thrown ceramic objects that are made with high artisanal craft. Her philosophy focuses on presence and intention permeating the spaces her works occupy for slow and mindful living.
Luca is a photographer, researcher, and teacher based in Lugo, Italy. He holds a PhD in Photography from Plymouth University, and his work explores notions of landscapes, place, memory, and belonging with an interdisciplinary approach that revisits the tradition of documentary photography.
A passionate designer and experienced project leader, Maria's strength resides in her ability to balance pragmatic project constraints, such as schedule and budget, all the while delivering a product that prioritizes exceptional design. With a background in mathematics, including a Master of Science degree, her diverse skillset has allowed her to be a strong problem solver and an accomplished project architect.
Marie (Cecile) Kotyk is an urban planner and housing practitioner with over 15 years of progressive experience across the public and non-profit sectors. She specializes in designing and managing community development projects, resolving issues related to affordable housing and homelessness, and conducting community research to address spatial justice concerns and racial inequities in the built environment. Her passion for social justice and racial equity led her to pursue her doctoral studies in the Doctor of Design program at SAPL.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture
Mathis is an Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture. A consistent theme in Mathis' academic and practice expertise is the integration of design and ecology.
Matthew Parker stands as a distinguished three-time alumnus of the University of Calgary, having earned his BSc in 2003, followed by a MArch in 2012, and culminating with an MEDes Thesis in 2016 that explored the role of machine vision in the production of architecture and the city.
Mauricio Soto-Rubio's area of research lies at the intersection of structural engineering and architectural design. He research includes the design, fabrication and installation of lightweight structures including tensile membrane structures, inflatables, and deployable structures.
Mauricio practiced architecture in Europe and taught in Stuttgart and San Francisco before joining our faculty. He is the founding partner of the Studio for Lightweight Design.
Pryce has over 30 years of planning experience spread across New Zealand, Canada, and the United Kingdom. He currently is the Planning Lead for V3. His work experience has been in both the private and public sectors with experiences in downtown revitalization, sustainable development, transportation, governance, mixed land use development, climate change, and commercial and residential development.
Job Titles:
- Registered Architect in Canada
Nooshin is a Registered Architect in Canada, a researcher, a yoga teacher & a nature lover, and currently is a Ph.D. candidate. After graduating from SAPL, she worked with many well-known architectural firms. She has always been intrigued by the quality of space and its impact on our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
Job Titles:
- Manager - Marketing, Communications and Community Outreach
Philip is an architect and urbanist, a Founding Partner of SPECTACLE, and an Adjunct Professor at SAPL. He has worked for notable offices in Rotterdam, Barcelona, Montreal, and Calgary.
An architect based in Barcelona, Rafael also teaches and writes. He is a partner at ArqEstructura, Adjunct Associate Professor at SAPL, and a member of CICA (Comité International des Critiques d'Architecture). His research investigates mass-cultural aspects of architecture such as cities, housing, tourism, and media.
Rob Birch's M.E.Des. thesis research focused on the intersection of spirituality and place through the lens of both traditional and contemporary Japanese architecture. His geoscience career has taken him from the Mayan pyramids of the Belize jungle to the frigid landscape of the Canadian Arctic, to the rocky cliffs of Northern Ireland, and to the central highlands of Madagascar.
Job Titles:
- Undergraduate Program Specialist
Job Titles:
- Member of the Planning Program
- Professor
A strong commitment to interdisciplinary research and scholarship has guided my career. I specialise in sustainable cities, urban planning and growth management, housing policy and comparative urban development. My research and professional activities in these areas for the World Bank, Council of Europe and the United Nations include a range of housing and urban projects in more than 30 countries in Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America and Central Asia. I have published 25 books and research monographs and over 70 articles on urban policy, regeneration, urban sustainability and housing policy. My scholarship is internationally recognised by a number of other prestigious awards for international scholars, such as Killam Fellowship, Urban Studies Fellowship, Sasakawa Scholarship, International Peace Scholarship, and British Council Award.
Over the last 25 years I have lectured worldwide on urban sustainability and have been a visiting scholar/professor in the United State, Sweden, Scotland, Latvia, the Netherlands, Austria and Bulgaria. I enjoy the collaboration with my students on a variety of research projects through the Cities, Policy and Planning lab and have supervised more than 45 master's degree projects.
My research, scholarship and professional activities include a wide range of topics and interests, which can be categorized in two broad thematic areas: comparative housing and urban research and sustainable cities and planning. Since my appointment at the University of Calgary in 1999, I have been the principal investigator in more than 20 research projects with a total value of $1.
I have published extensively on issues related to the planning of sustainable cities, management of urban change, affordable housing and post-socialist transformation of housing and urban systems. I have over 130 publications. My research findings have been disseminated through active engagement in the scholarly community and include 94 invited lectures and presentations at international conferences in more than 40 countries, often as a keynote speaker. This illustrates the impact and the significant intellectual challenges of my research.
Tsenkova, S. (2003) "Post-socialist Cities in a Globalizing World". PLANUM. pp 1-20, http://www.planum.net/topics/east-tsenkova.html
Sasha is a member of the planning program. Her research interests can be broadly categorized as comparative housing and urban research, and sustainable cities and planning.
An alumnus of SAPL, Seyi has years of experience in digital design and fabrication through his research and his work with the Laboratory for Integrative Design (LID) at the School. He currently works as an Architectural Intern at Sturgess Architecture and his current research interest lies in the development of digital design tools and processes that address circular design concerns in Architecture.
Shyniaya Duffy holds a Master of Architecture and Bachelor of Environmental Design Studies from Dalhousie University, as well as a Diploma in Engineering Design and Drafting Technology from Lethbridge College. Shyniaya has worked within the architectural profession throughout school and since graduating, most recently joining GGA Architecture as an Intern Architect, and SAPL as a sessional instructor and IPP Program Coordinator.
Sumer is a designer, engineer, graduate of the Master of Architecture program at SAPL, researcher, and educator in AEC, operating at the intersection of post-digital design, computation, digital fabrication, and digitalization of contemporary AEC practices.
Tawab practiced landscape architecture at two top Canadian firms before joining our faculty. His research focuses on integrated landscape infrastructure.
Job Titles:
- Registered Professional Planner and Member of the Canadian Institute of Planners / Alberta Association Canadian Institute of Planners
Teresa is a Registered Professional Planner and Member of the Canadian Institute of Planners/ Alberta Association Canadian Institute of Planners with 18+ years of professional planning experience, specializing in the areas of affordable housing, housing policy, community and land use planning, policy development, and planning analysis.
As a member of the Government of Canada's Blue Ribbon Panel on Smart Communities, I was exposed to how the "best and brightest" thinkers were shaping the use of technology to improve our individual and collective lives. That program granted $60M to twelve projects across Canada, some of which have become icons for the intelligent application of technological tools. I continue as an active participant in the activities of the New York City-based Intelligent Community Forum, helping to adjudicate the Smart Community of the Year competition, and also write and consult in this area.
A lifelong interest in information security has resulted in my teaching Canada's first course in Computer Security (in 1974!) as well as the creation of a CBC Ideas series called Crimes of the Future which predicted future problems such as identity theft and biocrimes such as "organlegging." This program won the Canadian Science Writers Award in 1984. I do regular technical and non-technical analysis in this field and have collaborated with law enforcement, law firms, individuals and corporations on urgent issues such as identity theft, cyberstalking, information warfare and privacy issues. I was qualified as an expert witness in 2004 in "computer forensics and the workings of the Internet" by the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta. I also spent some fascinating time with Canadian Forces Bravo Company in Afghanistan.
In addition to scholarly publications and conferences, I am a regular columnist for the Calgary Herald and other Canwest newspapers, as well as the Business Edge News Magazine, where I serve as National Technology Correspondent. I appear regularly on radio and television discussing high tech issues, and serve on boards including the Information Technology Council of Canada, the Rotary Club of Calgary, and the Canadian Voice Care Foundation.
My current research focuses on the positive and negative effects of technology adoption both in the developed and developing worlds, and how technology can be a driver for economic and social development. I have developed the concepts of "Internet Persistence" and "Silent Information" in recent book chapters, and continue to work to help us define the ever-changing line between the useful sharing of information and the (sometimes unforeseen and self-inflicted) invasion of our privacy.
Selected Work
Security Implications of Using Blockchain Technology for More than Money, RSA Asia Pacific/Japan Conference, Singapore, July 22, 2016, https://www.rsaconference.com/events/ap16/speakers/thomas-keenan
Fighting the Creep Factor in Technolgy; Research Presentation at
Gossip Goes Global: How Mis- and Dis-Information Goes Viral and Why We Should Care, presented at Hawaii International Conference on the Humanities, Honolulu, HI, Jan. 15, 2010
On The Internet, Everyone Knows You're A Dog: How the Wrong People Get their Hands on Your Info," ICE: The Technology Conference, Edmonton, AB, Nov. 4, 2009
From "Billion Dollar Bubble" to "Striking at the Heartland": The Woeful Failure of Computer Professional Ethics and What to Do About It, presented at Innovation in Management: The Cutting Edge of Business Education and Practice in an Epoch of Global Collaboration, Poznan University, Poznan, Poland, May 22, 2009
How to Use E-Commerce/Technology Tools, Keenan, T.P., Canadian Federation of Agriculture: Profitability in a Changing Economy, Ottawa, ON, Feb. 26, 2009
The Worst Is Yet to Come (If We Let It): How "Silent Information" and "Internet Persistence" Will Be Driving Us Crazy in 2015, Keenan, T.P., ID2008: Privacy and Identity Theft Conference, Vancouver, BC, Nov. 25, 2008
Cloud Computing and Other Trends to Watch, panel discussion at Cybera Summit 08: Driving Business Innovation, Banff, Sep. 29, 2008
When Spiders Bite: The Use, Misuse, and Unintended Consequences of "Silent Information," presented in Brno, Czech Republic, Sep. 1, 2008 and published in book form in The Future of Identity in the Information Society, Fourth IFIP WG9.2, Springer, New York.
Should the Boss be on Facebook?, Canada Revenue Agency regional staff conference, Edmonton, Apr. 9, 2008
What's Next for Canadian Studies?, Invited presentation at Myths, Culture and Society: A First Nations Perspective, conference sponsored by Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute, at Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India, Mar. 26, 2008
The Future is WOW: Turn in Your Fax Machine for a Pheromone Detector, Industry Canada Strategic Advisory Forum, Winnipeg, MB, Mar. 6, 2008
Genetic Privacy: The Next Frontier, One Origin: Genetics, Human Rights, and the Next Phase of Human Evolution, Calgary, AB, Nov. 16, 2007
Where Were You on Saturday Night? -- How "Reality Mining" and Other Emerging Technologies Will Change Your Life and Your Job, Government Technology Exhibition and Conference, Ottawa, ON, October 17, 2007
On the Internet, Things Never Go Away Completely - The Growing Problem of Internet Data Persistence, presented in Karlstad, Sweden, August 7, 2007, and published in book form in Proceedings of the Third IFIP WG 9.2, 9.6/11.6, 11.7/FIDIS International Summer School, Springer, New York.
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Tom is an expert on cyber security and crime prevention in the built environment. He is a sought after speaker and consultant.
Job Titles:
- Manager, Faculty Operations, Admin & Facilities
Trevor Boddy is a critic and curator of contemporary architecture and a Vancouver-based consulting urban designer. His books, articles, exhibitions, and consulting are dedicated to exploring the relationship between design and contemporary city-building. The clarity, insights, and public-mindedness of his writing on buildings and cities have been awarded the Alberta Book of the Year and Jack Webster Journalism prizes.
Job Titles:
- Fellow at the American Academy
Valerio Morabito, is a Fellow at the American Academy in Rome in Landscape Architecture. For almost 20 years, he was an Adjunct Professor at The Department of Landscape Architecture, School of De-sign at the University of Pennsylvania in the United States, and a Professor at the Mediterranean University in Italy.
An internationally recognized architectural designer, Vedran is known for his leadership, team support, innovation, and execution of projects with regional impact. After completing his architectural training in Zagreb, Vedran worked as an architect in a globally acclaimed studio - njiric+ arhitekti - where he gained experience in designing projects in China and Croatia.
Veronica is a sessional instructor at the architectural design studio and a Ph.D. candidate in Environmental Design. As an architect, she has extensive experience in architectural and interior design, landscape architecture, and project management in both private and public sectors in Mexico.
Vlad Amiot is the designer behind PICOSTUDIO. He has a passion for the conceptual and theoretical side of architecture and has been a Guest Critic for student reviews. He also enjoys building and getting his hands dirty, and you can often find him experimenting with craft and obsessing over details in his expanding workshop.
Job Titles:
- Administrative Assistant Development and Associate Deans ( Academic )
Wil uses innovative design principles to probe new ideas in architecture, public space, equity, and design. His 20-year tenure goes hand-in-hand with his enthusiasm for new ways professionals contribute to meaningful yet stimulating environments for a just city.
Dr. Youjung Kim has taught representation methods, urban ecology and urban planning in the developing world. His research interests include land use change prediction modeling, environmental planning, flood vulnerability, community/urban scaled design and scenario planning for climate change.
Youness is a PhD candidate at SAPL focusing on bioinspired kinetic adaptation through materials. His research explores the potential and capabilities of smart materials in the creation of dynamic systems which allow buildings to respond to their surrounding environment as well as the occupants.