Behind the Build – Details, episodes & analysis

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.

With a history of working for some of the most notable Canadian architects, Winda Lau started her practice Studio Lau, focused on Contemporary and Modern Architecture, based out of Toronto, Ontario, Canada with an intent to hone in on her craft of design for residential clients.

While working to define the balance between her practice and personal life, the juggling act began. Working with a small team, she maximizes her time in the studio or working from home by strategically taking on the right number of projects to keep her engaged and also ready to be a mom on a moment's notice. The relationship between being an entrepreneur and involved parent blends its lines on an on-going basis. This is just one of the topics we cover in our discussion.

Find out how Winda successfully navigates the challenges brought on by designing residential architecture and meticulously driving home deliverables for her clientele, while being a present mother.

Beth Lowenfeld is the charismatic principal and founder of Four Blocks South, an interior design practice based out of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

In her small, yet mighty practice, she has a powerful team outputting award winning interiors featured in magazines across Canada. Her prose and ability to articulate thoughts are not solely what make her so likeable among her clientele and industry partners, they are adjectives in helping to personify her unwavering dedication to perfection of her deliverables.

You will find out about how and why she is insistent on giving her all to the craft of design in this enlightening episode.

Gabriel Fain is the principal and founder of Gabriel Fain Architects Inc. located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

His practice started in single family residential and quickly shifted to focus more in multi-residential mid and high-rise architecture. In addition, he also created installations for the cityscape, some still standing even though they were initially designed to be temporary fixtures.

Gabriel is a historian of architecture, whose interest in understanding the past and how it connects to the architecture of today is blended with his distinct interest in how globally influential architecture can be, when it positions itself in a neighbourhood within a city, tying together all the elements that a community might not even know it needs until it's there.

Enjoy...

Barbora Vokac Taylor, founded her practice in 2012, based out of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In what was an incredible drop of knowledge, you'll find out about her ties to a number of architects in the city, as well as her familial history, all of which led to her to have a strong connection to the architecture community through organizations that provide architects with information and discussions for the built environment, like the Toronto Society of Architects.

Her story of graduating from McGill, to getting her first job at Kohn Shnier, to building her own practice, is told.. oh so well.

Enjoy!

Vanessa Fong is the founder and principal of Vanessa Fong Architect, a studio based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada that focuses primarily on contemporary and modern architecture and interior design.

Since her practice began, Vanessa has been actively changing the impact of street views across Toronto, PEC and Muskoka. With ties to the Ontario Architect Association (OAA), she brings knowledge, depth of artistic ability and a staff of likened interests to developing exceptional architecture, often seen in media publications.

Travel on a marathon of information, with Vanessa and Jonathan and she runs you through her practice, from early career growth, starting in the chair of her dentist's office to her recent induction of Fellow with the Royal Architect Institute of Canada (RAIC).

Shane Laptiste runs his practice, Studio of Contemporary Architecture, known as SOCA, with his partner Tura Cousins Wilson. SOCA is based out of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Their unique lens on architecture is derived from extensive travel, education and keen interest in diverse cultural learning as it relates to the community. They are very interested in creating shared, artistic spaces, for the black community both in Toronto and abroad.

Their connectivity to their architecture is their connectivity the community, providing an empowered and unified space for artists to feel emersed in their surroundings.

Les Klein is the founder of what is now called BDP Quadrangle, formerly known as Quadrangle. His achievements in architecture are extensive, as are the people who have been groomed and/or mentored by him.

The practice has its name tied to some of the most iconic and upcoming projects in the city of Toronto and beyond, from multi-residential, to commercial, to institutional and more, Les and the talented team are shaping the landscape of the cities they reach, one piece of architecture at a time.

Delve into the beginning of Les' career, as an immigrant to North America, to his schooling and start-up of the practice, to the expansion of his family and everything in between.

Enjoy the journey...

Jordan Heckman runs his practice, Jordan Station Design Studio, out of an area of Ontario, called Jordan Station. Located between Beamsville and St. Catherines, Jordan is driving the architectural changes throughout the region, with a team of design professionals, his projects range from renovations to large-scale custom builds.

With an avid thirst for professional and personal growth, Jordan stays focused on what he likes, and that's empowering his staff and managing architectural design alone.

Find out more about Jordan, his practice and his love for running on the this episode of Behind the Build.