Behind the Build

Toronto based interior designer Laura Stein grew up in the city and is the founder of Laura Stein Interiors and LSI Workshop, a business she created to mentor and support interior decorators and designers. A lifelong creative, she discovered her love of spaces at twelve when she was allowed to redesign her childhood bedroom, sparking a lasting fascination with textiles, colour, and the way rooms feel.Laura studied film and communications at McGill University and went on to earn a masters degree in marketing communications from Boston University. She began her career in Boston as an art director and graphic designer in advertising and publishing, where she art directed photo shoots and designed three dimensional sets. A move back to Toronto led to styling work on HGTV productions, night classes in interior design at George Brown College, and eventually the launch of her own firm from a spare bedroom in her parents home.For about twenty years Laura has grown her practice from small renovations to large scale projects, including whole home gut renovations, new construction and a twenty thousand square foot residence, supported at its peak by a studio team of seven. Known as the queen of systems, she built her business on thoughtful processes, client experience and strong industry relationships, even helping adapt the Studio Designer platform for Canadian designers.Today Laura continues to take on select Toronto based design projects while focusing much of her energy on LSI Workshop, where she combines creative mentoring, process templates and branding support to help designers align their work, client journey and brand. Listeners can find links to her website in the episode liner notes and follow her ongoing work and resources for designers on Instagram and through her newsletter.Laura Stein Interiors WorkshopCurated Podcast Sponsors:Caplan's AppliancesThe DoorsAquanta Pools To connect with our sponsors, email me: jonathan@waldenhomes.caBehind the Build Instagram

Jason Fung is the founder and principal of Jason Fung Architect, a boutique architecture practice based in Toronto, Canada. He grew up in Markham, Ontario, in a middle income household where his parents encouraged both academic rigor and creative exploration. Alongside strong grounding in math and science at school, he spent weekends in visual art classes and piano lessons, developing early skills in drawing, observation, and proportion that carried through to university.Fung completed both his undergraduate degree and master’s degree in architecture at Toronto Metropolitan University, then known as Ryerson University. He entered the profession with limited exposure to architectural practice but gained early insight through a high school co op placement at the firm Robbie Young & Wright, later absorbed into IBI Group. His professional experience spans a range of scales and typologies, including retail and shopping centre work with pellow plus associates, residential design with AGATHOM, condominium projects in Vaughan with architect Alan Tregebov, and mid rise and residential work with Studio JCI.In 2016, he founded Jason Fung Architect, initially operating from his parents’ home in Markham. His first built work included a renovation of his family kitchen and bathroom, followed by a modest rear residential addition that became his first featured project. The practice has since grown into a small team delivering residential, commercial, and institutional projects, including renovation work for public education clients. Fung’s approach emphasizes accountability, staff autonomy, sustainable working hours, and long term professional balance.Outside of practice, he is an avid traveler and film enthusiast. His travels have included extended time throughout Europe, as well as Peru and India, with experiences at Machu Picchu, the Taj Mahal, and along the Ganges River shaping his understanding of architecture, culture, and place. He frequently revisits films such as Back to the Future, Star Wars, and The Lord of the Rings, and he and his wife are raising their young son in Toronto.Curated Podcast Sponsors:⁠Caplan's Appliances⁠⁠The Doors⁠⁠Aquanta Pools⁠ To connect with our sponsors, email me: jonathan@waldenhomes.ca⁠Behind the Build Instagram

Marti Gallucci is a Partner and Design Director at Mason Studio, where she has been a key part of the firm’s evolution for over 13 years. She joined the studio as an intern during her fourth year of university, became its first employee, and has grown alongside the practice as it expanded into a multidisciplinary team of approximately 25 people. Her work spans hospitality, restaurants, hotels, private residences, retail, multi unit residential, and self initiated exhibitions and installations, with a strong emphasis on sensory driven, immersive environments.She lives in Stouffville, Ontario, and was raised primarily in Goodwood, with time spent in both Stouffville and Uxbridge. Growing up on a 100 acre rural property, she was exposed early to renovation and hands on building through projects completed with her family and her grandfather, experiences that shaped her interest in space, materiality, and how environments are lived in. She also competed extensively in sports, including figure skating and rep hockey, and played in a tournament that included Team China during their Olympic preparations.Gallucci initially pursued architecture, completing a year at Carleton University in Ottawa in the History and Theory of Architecture program before earning a four year degree in Interior Design from Ryerson University. At Mason Studio, she contributed to early landmark projects including the Duke condominium sales office in the Junction and the Andaz Hotel in Ottawa, where the studio designed the common areas, restaurants, rooftop outdoor space, and guest suites. Her work on that project included collaboration with Canadian artists and makers such as Art Bank, MSDS Studio, Derek McLeod, and Creative Matters, reinforcing the studio’s commitment to craft, storytelling, and place.Outside of practice, she prioritizes time with her family and continues to renovate and build with her husband, including plans for a new home in the countryside.Curated Podcast Sponsors:⁠Caplan's Appliances⁠⁠The Doors⁠⁠Aquanta Pools⁠ To connect with our sponsors, email me: jonathan@waldenhomes.ca⁠Behind the Build Instagram

Nicolas Koff, Uros Novakovic, and Sebastian Bartnicki are the founding partners of Office Ou, a practice shaped as much by lived experience and cultural memory as by formal architectural training. Each arrived at architecture indirectly, carrying with them deep impressions of place, history, and making that would later converge into a shared way of working.Nico grew up in Paris, fascinated by archaeology, ancient civilizations, and the way history embeds itself in landscapes. Childhood trips to Normandy, where WWII bunkers sat quietly along the coast, taught him to read terrain as a record of human action. After moving to Canada as a teenager to escape antisemitism, he found confidence through language, teaching French and rediscovering his footing. His academic path began in East Asian studies before expanding into architecture, landscape architecture, and regional planning at the University of Pennsylvania, reflecting an enduring interest in scale, geography, and cultural systems.Uros was born in Belgrade and raised in Prague, where early memories of late-socialist streets gave way to the optimism of the Velvet Revolution. As a teenager, the city became his playground, shaped by daily walks through the historic center and school trips into the countryside. Moving to Toronto at fourteen was a shock that sharpened his awareness of urban form and what cities offer their inhabitants. His education at the University of Waterloo and formative work experience in Shanghai reinforced a belief in architecture as both cultural and exploratory.Sebastian grew up in Ontario immersed in drawing, painting, and meticulously constructed Lego worlds. Encouraged by a high school art teacher, he discovered architecture as a bridge between creativity and rigor. At Waterloo’s Cambridge campus and later in Rome, studying history in situ revealed architecture as part of a long, interconnected lineage shaped by politics, economics, and culture. Work experiences in New York, London, and Montreal further expanded his understanding of cities as living systems.Their partnership formed organically through late-night competitions, shared apartments, and an intuitive creative rhythm. Office Ou emerged not from a business plan, but from curiosity, trust, and a shared commitment to thoughtful, context-driven design.Impossible Toronto: https://impossibletoronto.ca/Curated Podcast Sponsors:Caplan's Appliances: https://caplans.ca/The Doors: https://thedoors4u.com/Aquanta Pools: https://aquanta.caTo connect with our sponsors, email me: jonathan@waldenhomes.caBehind the Build on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behind_the_build_podcast

Lara Nancy Cupido is a Toronto born interior designer and the founder and principal of LN Studio, a full service firm based in Caledon, Ontario. Raised just north of Toronto in an Italian family with an artistic mother and entrepreneurial father, she grew up with a natural blend of creativity and business sense that now underpins her practice.Lara discovered design at the University of Toronto, where an introductory architecture course shifted her perspective on how intentionally designed spaces guide how people live and move. She completed an undergraduate degree in architectural theory and fine art history, with Italian studies, before pursuing a master’s degree in interior design in Milan. There, she studied at an international English speaking school, completed an internship with color theorist Francesca Valan, and immersed herself in European design culture through events such as Salone del Mobile and the Venice Biennale.Returning to Canada, Lara worked in interior design and then as a project manager and later senior construction project manager for boutique real estate developer Compass Property Group in Toronto. Managing complex building upgrades taught her how to bridge design intent with construction realities and refined her skills in systems, organization and leadership. Throughout this time she continued to take on residential projects on evenings and weekends, gradually building the foundations of LN Studio.In 2024, after the company’s shift away from development and following maternity leave, Lara transitioned LN Studio into her full time focus. Today she leads a growing team on new builds, additions, multi residential projects and detailed interior renovations. Living in Caledon with her husband and two young children, she is committed to creating calm, intentional homes that quietly improve daily life, drawing on both her yoga background and her belief that well designed spaces support well being.Curated Podcast Sponsors:Caplan's Appliances: https://caplans.ca/The Doors: https://thedoors4u.com/Aquanta Pools: https://aquanta.caTo connect with our sponsors, email me: jonathan@waldenhomes.caBehind the Build on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behind_the_build_podcast

Born in Medicine Hat and raised across the Prairies, Kevin Weiss grew up moving from city to city, an experience that shaped his appreciation for stability and place. A competitive 1500-metre runner in his youth, he also spent countless hours drawing, experimenting with printmaking, and silkscreening at home. Those creative roots eventually steered him toward architecture, where mentors like Barry Sampson and Ian MacDonald helped sharpen his eye and discipline.Kevin’s curiosity for how things are made has followed him since childhood—whether knocking on the door of his first house decades later, building fences during a recession, or uncovering forgotten architectural details hidden above old ceiling tiles. He carries a genuine love for craft, from Victorian brickwork to the precise hands of masons and builders he collaborates with.When he’s not working, Kevin has played masters lacrosse for years and still treasures playful design challenges, like the colourful Winnipeg warming hut inspired by a classic cartoon. Now with his kids grown and living on the East Coast, he finds new rhythms in a quieter home while continuing to chase the spark of discovery that first pulled him toward making things.Full Bio:Kevin Weiss is an architect based in Toronto and the founder of Weiss Architecture and Urbanism, established in 2012. Born in Medicine Hat, Alberta, and raised across the Prairies—including Redcliff, Calgary, Vancouver Island, Richmond, and Winnipeg—his early experiences of constant relocation shaped his appreciation for grounded and enduring architecture. Alongside competitive running in the 1500 metres, Weiss nurtured a long-standing interest in drawing, printmaking, and silkscreen work, which helped steer him toward studying architecture.He began his architectural education at the University of Manitoba before moving to Toronto, where he attended the Ontario College of Art—now OCAD University—before transferring to the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Architecture. Influential mentors such as Barry Sampson and Ian MacDonald shaped his development as a designer, and Weiss later worked with both. He also spent multiple periods at Diamond and Schmitt Architects, contributing to institutional work including the Detroit Symphony Hall addition under Don Schmidt.Before launching his own practice, Weiss was a partner at Larkin Architect, contributing to projects such as St. Gabriel’s Parish, Kingsway College School, and Regis College. Since founding Weiss Architecture and Urbanism, he has completed a diverse range of public-sector and residential work, including long-term collaborations with the Toronto District School Board. His projects span technically complex school additions, science lab restorations, and custom homes that emphasize contextual sensitivity, craft, and thoughtful detailing.Weiss values a collaborative and hands-on design process, embracing opportunities for playfulness and innovation. His studio’s conceptual explorations include an award-recognized Winnipeg warming hut installation inspired by the classic “portable hole” cartoon and an OAA landscape competition proposal developed through analog model-making. Curated Podcast Sponsors:Caplan's Appliances: https://caplans.ca/The Doors: https://thedoors4u.com/Aquanta Pools: https://aquanta.caTo connect with our sponsors, email me: jonathan@waldenhomes.caBehind the Build on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behind_the_build_podcast

Jane Lockhart is a Toronto-based interior designer, television personality, author, and colour expert whose career spans nearly three decades. She founded Jane Lockhart Design in 1997, building on technical training, hands-on work, and a formative early career with Benjamin Moore, where she developed deep expertise in colour, materials, and store planning.Raised in Etobicoke, Toronto, Jane’s passion for design began in childhood as she drew houses, modified dollhouses, and built cardboard homes, influenced by a creative family that included a hat-maker grandmother and a commercial-artist grandfather.Jane first studied economics and political science at the University of Toronto before pursuing interior design at what is now Toronto Metropolitan University, formerly Ryerson University. She later became a familiar face on Canadian television, appearing on Cityline and then hosting HGTV’s One House, Two Looks and the series Colour Confidential, which aired in Canada on W Network and in the United States on HGTV.Known for her ability to translate complex design and colour concepts into accessible language, Jane has consulted for major brands and continues to work across residential and select commercial projects. She focuses on how people truly live in their homes, often exploring how layout, function, and colour influence mood, behaviour, and daily routines. A lifelong learner and researcher, she draws inspiration from travel, nature, running, and close observation of how people interact with their environments.Curated Podcast Sponsors:Caplan's Appliances: https://caplans.ca/To connect with our sponsors, email me: jonathan@waldenhomes.caBehind the Build on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behind_the_build_podcast

The first roundtable series: The Missing Middle, is a candid conversation on how cities can deliver more housing at a scale between single family homes and towers. The talented panel brings together Naama Blonder of Smart Density, Sue-Jean Chung of Studio JCI, Evan Saskin of Blue Lion Building, and Gabriel Fain of Gabriel Fain Architects. Together they unpack what the missing middle means, why it has been so hard to build, and how planning policy, approvals, construction methods, and community attitudes all shape what gets built. The discussion looks at generational affordability, neighbourhood character, transit investment, and the kinds of homes and streets that create real community.This conversation is meant to be watched, shared, and talked about across every platform, in your community groups and social networks. Comment on it, pass it on, and keep the discussion going, because the way our city will look twenty years from now and beyond depends on how we choose to confront the missing middle today.The recording was filmed at the flagship Lutron Experience Studio in Toronto, with production sponsored by Sound Solutions and videography, audio and post-production by Craft Photography & Video.Smart Density: https://smartdensity.com/Studio JCI: https://www.studiojci.com/Blue Lion Building: https://www.bluelionbuilding.com/Gabriel Fain Architects: https://gabrielfain.com/A special thanks goes out to Alison Brooks Architects for providing important and relevant precedent images of courtyard projects.Alison Brooks Architects: https://alisonbrooksarchitects.com/Sponsors:Sounds Solutions: https://www.soundsolutions.ca/Lutron: https://www.lutron.com/us/enProduction:Craft Video: https://craftphoto.ca/

Arancha González Bernardo and Michael Fohring are the co-founders of Odami, a Toronto-based architecture and design studio shaped by their international backgrounds and complementary creative perspectives. Arancha, originally from Avilés in Asturias, Spain, grew up surrounded by her family’s fabric and clothing shops, where her early interest in making and material exploration first took form. She studied architecture through Spain’s six-year professional program, graduating in 2012 during the post-crisis recession, a period that pushed her to pursue work abroad. Her move to Graz, Austria exposed her to multi-residential projects, cultural work, and design-driven graphic production, marking her first major cultural shift and shaping her adaptability as a designer.Michael, raised in the small town of Ayr, Ontario, spent his youth balancing competitive sports with an intuitive love of drawing and painting. His interest in architecture emerged in early adolescence as a natural extension of his artistic and mathematical strengths. After early setbacks applying to architecture school, he rebuilt his portfolio while working locally and was accepted to McGill University, later completing an influential term in Venice. Michael’s post-graduate year in Austria—where he and Arancha met while working at the same studio—solidified his commitment to design grounded in craft and physicality.After time spent between Spain, Toronto, and Montreal, they settled in Toronto and co-founded Odami. Their first commission—a two-level downtown restaurant—became the catalyst for establishing the practice. Rooted in collaboration rather than personal namesake, Odami reflects their shared values of clarity, material sensitivity, and thoughtful spatial experience. Their work now spans residential, commercial, hospitality, and conceptual design, including their contribution to Impossible Toronto, referenced in the episode’s liner notes. Together, Arancha and Michael bring a layered international perspective and a commitment to human-centered design to every project they lead.Impossible Toronto: https://impossibletoronto.ca/Curated Podcast Sponsors:Caplan's Appliances: https://caplans.ca/The Doors: https://thedoors4u.com/Aquanta Pools: https://aquanta.caTo connect with our sponsors, email me: jonathan@waldenhomes.caBehind the Build on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behind_the_build_podcast

Murray Legge is an award-winning architect based in Austin, Texas, originally from Whitevale, Ontario, a rural community outside Toronto. Growing up surrounded by farmland while his father worked as an aeronautical engineer and his mother as a nurse, Murray developed an appreciation for craft, structure, and precision early in life.Initially drawn to art and photography with ambitions of becoming a filmmaker, he studied architecture at the University of Toronto before transferring to The Cooper Union in New York City. There, the experimental and design-driven environment profoundly influenced his approach to space and material. During his studies, he gained hands-on experience working for architect Jerry Caldari and later at I.M. Pei & Partners, contributing to residential and civic projects, including work on the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and high-end Park Avenue renovations.After graduation, Murray returned to Ontario, collaborating with builder Don Miller to dismantle and restore historic barns near Shelburne—a formative experience that deepened his connection to material honesty and timber construction. A visit to a friend in Austin in 1998 led to a permanent move, drawn by the city’s creative energy, affordability, and architecture community. He spent several years with LZT Architects before founding Murray Legge Architecture in 2013.His studio maintains a small-scale practice focused on residential, educational, and civic design. Notable work includes the Griffin School addition, numerous bespoke homes, and collaborations with Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates on park pavilions for the City of Austin. In addition, Murray co-leads a public art studio with his wife and sister, whose installations are featured in cities across the U.S.—links to which appear in the show’s liner notes.Outside of practice, he enjoys drawing, playing the violin, and hiking Ontario’s Bruce Trail. His daughter is pursuing a PhD in biology at Syracuse University, researching soils and forest ecology.Legge Lewis Legge (LLL), is an award-winning interdisciplinary collaborative focusing on art and architecture. LLL was founded in 2001 by architect Murray Legge, and cinematographer Deborah Eve Lewis, both based in Austin, Texas, and artist Andrea Legge, based in Ontario, Canada and New York City.http://www.leggelewislegge.com/Curated Podcast Sponsors:Caplan's Appliances: https://caplans.ca/The Doors: https://thedoors4u.com/Aquanta Pools: https://aquanta.caTo connect with our sponsors, email me: jonathan@waldenhomes.caBehind the Build on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behind_the_build_podcast

Jeff Cogliati is a Canadian architect and the founder of Bloom Architects, an emerging Toronto-based studio recognized as one of the country’s first fully AI driven architecture practices. Born and raised in Windsor, 1Ontario, Jeff’s early exposure to Detroit’s rich Art Deco skyline shaped his lifelong interest in design. He began his architectural education at St. Clair College and later transferred to Lawrence Technological University in Southfield, Michigan, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Architecture. He went on to complete a Master of Architecture at Toronto Metropolitan University, formerly Ryerson.Jeff’s career spans two decades across some of Canada’s most respected firms. He began at WZMH Architects, continued with HOK and Audax, and later joined Page + Steele IBI Group, where he spent nearly thirteen years and became a principal. In that role, he led major residential design teams and oversaw projects from feasibility through construction. His work helped shape skylines in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and Halifax. In 2023, he joined B+H Architects to lead its residential sector before founding Bloom Architects in 2025.At Bloom, Jeff and his partner combine architecture, interior design, and advanced AI tools to deliver projects efficiently while expanding creative potential. Their work ranges from custom homes to multi building residential communities. His practice reflects a belief that technology should enhance human creativity rather than replace it.Outside of architecture, Jeff’s lifelong passion for music mirrors his approach to design. Both disciplines demand rhythm, collaboration, and the pursuit of harmony.Curated Podcast Sponsors:Caplan's Appliances: https://caplans.ca/The Doors: https://thedoors4u.com/Aquanta Pools: https://aquanta.caTo connect with our sponsors, email me: jonathan@waldenhomes.caBehind the Build on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behind_the_build_podcast

Aleris Rodgers and Francesco Valente-Gorjup are the co-founders of Studio VAARO, a Toronto architecture practice focused on thoughtful, holistic design from concept through construction. They met while completing their Master of Architecture at UCLA and later worked in Europe and Asia, including several years with Herzog & de Meuron. There, Francesco developed deep expertise in façades and building envelopes across large, multidisciplinary teams, and both contributed to the design and construction phases of the M+ museum in Hong Kong before relocating to Canada.Aleris was born in San Francisco and raised in the United States. She earned a BA in Psychology from Harvard and an MArch from UCLA. She is licensed in New York State and serves as an Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, at the University of Toronto’s Daniels Faculty. Francesco grew up in Toronto, studied English and architecture at the University of Toronto, and later returned to KPMB, where he contributed to major projects and obtained OAA licensure.Founded formally in 2022, Studio VAARO’s work ranges from full-gut residential transformations to new builds, often integrating interiors, custom detailing, and rigorous coordination. Their Rathnelly House renovation exemplifies the studio’s approach, re-structuring a century home within its original roofline while introducing generous ceiling heights, monolithic concrete elements, and inventive fixtures such as a recessed triangular powder-room sink. The practice also pursues research, most recently coauthoring Impossible Toronto: On the Courtyard with Gabriel Fain Architects, a Neptis Foundation–supported study that visualizes how European-style courtyard blocks could enrich Toronto’s housing landscape.Impossible Toronto: On The Courtyard By: Studio VAARO & Gabriel Fain Architects, for the Neptis Foundationhttps://impossibletoronto.ca/Globe and Mail: Opinion by Alex Bozikovichttps://www.theglobeandmail.com/culture/art-and-architecture/article-a-dense-urban-canada-its-possible/Curated Podcast Sponsors:Caplan's Appliances: https://caplans.ca/The Doors: https://thedoors4u.com/Aquanta Pools: https://aquanta.caTo connect with our sponsors, email me: jonathan@waldenhomes.caBehind the Build on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behind_the_build_podcast

Jason Halter is a Toronto-based designer and founder of Wonder Inc, an interdisciplinary studio known for its explorations in modular and prefabricated construction, small-scale architectural design, and graphic and spatial design. Raised in Winnipeg in a creative family surrounded by books, art, and discussions of building, he developed an early fascination with design while spending time on construction sites with his father. After earning an undergraduate degree in history and art history, he moved to Toronto at twenty-one and studied architecture at the University of Toronto, where he later taught and continues to contribute as an adjunct instructor. After U of T, Jason received a graduate Fellowship from Syracuse University in Renaissance History.Halter’s career bridges making, teaching, and collaboration. He has designed and built furniture, worked as a carpenter, and maintained a long interest in container and modular building since the late 2000s, completing projects across North America and abroad. His practice focuses on attainable, resilient construction using regional materials such as Douglas fir, western red cedar, and eastern white pine, with an emphasis on sustainable sourcing and long-life detailing. Through Wonder Inc, he collaborates frequently with design partner, Anita Matusevics, on projects that merge architectural design, visual communication, and publication work—including book design for leading architects.Guided by a deep respect for nature and craftsmanship, Halter describes himself not as an architect but as a maker—someone who learns through iteration and collaboration with builders, trades, and clients. His work and teaching continue to examine how material intelligence, modular systems, and careful stewardship of resources can shape a more sustainable built environment.Curated Podcast Sponsors:Caplan's Appliances: https://caplans.ca/The Doors: https://thedoors4u.com/Aquanta Pools: https://aquanta.caHenry Rotberg SteelTo connect with our sponsors, email me: jonathan@waldenhomes.caBehind the Build on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behind_the_build_podcast

Pat Hanson is a founding principal of gh3*, a Toronto-based architecture, landscape, and urban design practice recognized for its clarity, precision, and integration of natural and built form. Raised in a Norwegian-Italian farming community near Regina, Saskatchewan, she developed an early affinity for making and exploring the outdoors before studying fine art and later discovering architecture at the University of Manitoba.After graduating, Hanson moved to Toronto in the early 1980s and began her career at Jack Diamond’s office, where she advanced to associate before co-founding her first practice. In 2005, she established gh3*, which has since become one of Canada’s most acclaimed design firms. The studio’s work bridges architecture and landscape, emphasizing civic engagement, material expression, and environmental sensitivity.Hanson’s notable projects include the Borden Park Natural Swimming Pool in Edmonton, Toronto’s Cherry Street Stormwater Facility, the Boathouse Studio on Stony Lake, and June Callwood Park. Her leadership has earned gh3* multiple Governor General’s Medals in Architecture and national recognition for innovation in public and infrastructure design.A Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, Hanson has lectured widely and contributed to academic and professional discourse across North America. She is also a supporter of equity in practice, having advised organizations such as BEAT (Building Equality in Architecture Toronto).Outside of architecture, Hanson maintains a lifelong discipline of daily running, travel, and immersion in nature—an extension of the curiosity and focus that continue to shape her approach to design.Curated Podcast Sponsors:Caplan's Appliances: https://caplans.ca/The Doors: https://thedoors4u.com/Aquanta Pools: https://aquanta.caHenry Rotberg SteelTo connect with our sponsors, email me: jonathan@waldenhomes.caBehind the Build on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behind_the_build_podcast

Robert Davidov is the founder and director of Davidov Architects, a Melbourne-based architecture and interiors practice established in 2011. His studio focuses on residential work across metropolitan Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula, from new homes and multi-residential developments to heritage alterations and additions, applying a pared-back, materially expressive approach.Raised in Melbourne in a builder–developer family, Davidov’s early exposure to construction informed a career blending design rigor with practical responsibility. He studied Architecture and Construction Management at the University of Melbourne, completing a structured year of industry experience before graduating and registering as an architect.Before founding his practice, he worked with Harmer Architecture—gaining exposure to technically demanding civic work including mausoleum projects—and with FMSA Architecture (now Foreground Architecture) on social and civic programs, experience that broadened his understanding of client needs and delivery at scale.Davidov’s work is informed by architectural pilgrimages to seminal buildings in Europe, the United States, Japan, and North Africa. He is particularly interested in projects that explore light, proportion, and tactility—and aspires to design a contemporary place of worship.Curated Podcast Sponsors:Caplan's Appliances: https://caplans.ca/The Doors: https://thedoors4u.com/Aquanta Pools: https://aquanta.caHenry Rotberg SteelTo connect with our sponsors, email me: jonathan@waldenhomes.caBehind the Build on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behind_the_build_podcast

For the first time ever, Bruce Kuwabara, Marianne McKenna, and Shirley Blumberg sit down together to share the story of founding KPMB and shaping it into one of Canada’s most influential architectural practices. Established in 1987, KPMB has earned more than 400 awards, including 18 Governor General Medals in Architecture, and completed over 31 million square feet of projects spanning education, health, culture, civic, workplace, hospitality, recreation, and mixed-use development with a team of 132.What emerges in this rare conversation is a portrait of a studio built on shared values, entrepreneurial grit, and the conviction that every project must count. From the watershed win of the Kitchener City Hall competition to a generation-defining wave of Toronto’s cultural institutions, their model rejects silos—teams move fluidly, ideas are tested rigorously, and design integrity carries through from concept to detail. The aim has always been clear: architecture that elevates daily life, strengthens community, and endures.They speak openly about collaboration as leadership, embracing constraints as creative catalysts, and embedding sustainability through KPMB Lab’s focus on low-carbon design and social impact. The discussion also looks forward: major renewals and commissions that engage history and place—from concert halls to academic hubs and museums—and the careful transfer of stewardship to the next generation while protecting the studio’s culture and standards.Woven throughout are formative stories—childhoods marked by making, migration, and resilience; mentors who demanded rigor; and the decision to found a practice where excellence and empathy hold equal weight. It’s an inside view of how KPMB continues to evolve without losing its center: rigorous, humane, context-first architecture led by people who still love the craft—and the challenge—every day.Curated Podcast Sponsors:Caplan's Appliances: https://caplans.ca/The Doors: https://thedoors4u.com/Aquanta Pools: https://aquanta.caHenry Rotberg SteelTo connect with our sponsors, email me: jonathan@waldenhomes.caBehind the Build on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behind_the_build_podcast

In this episode of Behind the Build, Kelly Alvarez Doran joins, both architect and co-founder of Ha/f Climate Design. Based in London and working internationally, Kelly shares the journey that led him from growing up in Winnipeg, studying at the University of Manitoba and the University of Toronto, to practicing across Africa and Europe before launching his practice.Ha/f Climate Design emerged from teaching and research at the University of Toronto and early collaborations with the City of Toronto. Kelly explains how the studio helps architects, builders, and policymakers understand the carbon and financial impacts of design decisions. The conversation explores life cycle assessment, embodied carbon, and the pressing need for Canada to catch up with global standards on reporting and reducing construction emissions.Kelly’s experiences working on mining resettlement projects and later with MASS Design Group in Rwanda profoundly shaped his approach, teaching him to rethink supply chains, materials, and local labor. He describes how constraints there led to innovative solutions, reinforcing the importance of provenance, low-carbon design, and supporting local economies.From residential housing to embassies abroad, Ha/f Climate Design now advises on policy, benchmarks carbon footprints, and trains architects and engineers nationwide. Kelly uses vivid analogies—like the “food pyramid of construction materials”—to reframe how we think about aluminum, steel, wood, and locally sourced alternatives.The discussion also touches on density, infrastructure, and the need for cultural and political shifts in Canadian housing, urging us to embrace “farm-to-table” thinking for buildings and design cities prepared for a hotter future.Ha// Climate Design: https://halfclimatedesign.com/Curated Podcast Sponsors:Caplan's Appliances: https://caplans.ca/The Doors: https://thedoors4u.com/Aquanta Pools: https://aquanta.caHenry Rotberg SteelTo connect with our sponsors, email me: jonathan@waldenhomes.caBehind the Build on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behind_the_build_podcast

Magnus Ström is the founder and Principal Architect of Ström Architects, a UK-based practice internationally recognized for its refined, modernist approach to residential design. Originally from Sweden, Magnus was surrounded by functionalist architecture from an early age—drawn to clean lines and minimalist forms that would later define his work. His parents’ hands-on building projects and honest critiques of his childhood sketches sparked an early and enduring passion for architecture.Denied entry to Sweden’s architecture programs due to competitive academic thresholds, Magnus pivoted—first trying business and engineering before ultimately finding his path in the UK after Sweden joined the EU in 1995. He studied architecture at the University of Portsmouth and gained formative experience with PLB Architects during his studies, followed by a pivotal role at De Blacam and Meagher in Dublin, where he worked on one-off houses and absorbed lessons from deeply rooted modernist traditions.Magnus spent eight years as a director at another firm in the New Forest before founding Ström Architects in 2010. Starting with just £6,000 and a subcontracted project, he grew his studio from modest beginnings into an internationally commissioned design office, celebrated for its precision and quiet sophistication. Key milestones include The Quest, a retirement home that won multiple awards and continues to attract global attention.With a belief in stripping architecture down to its essence—both conceptually and materially—Magnus emphasizes clarity, craft, and client-focused design. Under his leadership, the practice has delivered projects across more than 10 countries, with a forthcoming international office soon to open. Magnus remains committed to evolving both his design ethos and business systems, striving to elevate every detail while mentoring his growing team.Curated Podcast Sponsors:Caplan's Appliances: https://caplans.ca/The Doors: https://thedoors4u.com/Aquanta Pools: https://aquanta.caHenry Rotberg SteelTo connect with our sponsors, email me: jonathan@waldenhomes.caBehind the Build on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behind_the_build_podcast

Andrew Kline, Principal at Workshop APD, joins Behind the Build to share a career built on craft, risk, and mentorship. Raised in rural Ohio, his creativity was first inspired by his grandfather, a graphic artist, and nurtured by art teacher Lois Bachman, who encouraged him to pursue art school. After studying at Columbus College of Art & Design and completing a master’s at Cranbrook Academy of Art, Andrew developed a practice that merges fine art, interiors, and architecture into a holistic design approach.His early career began at L Brands, where he gained experience in corporate retail and international rollouts, followed by Yabu Pushelberg, where he worked on large-scale hospitality projects and honed his narrative-driven design process. In 2016/17, Andrew joined Workshop APD—then about 30 people—as its first Design Director. He helped reshape the studio, introduce new leadership structures, and strengthen its culture. Since then, the firm has grown to nearly 100 professionals, with offices in New York and Minneapolis and satellites in Greenwich, Nantucket, South Florida, Los Angeles, California, and Colorado. Today their portfolio spans high-end residential, multifamily, hospitality, commercial interiors, and product design.Workshop APD’s hospitality work now includes projects from Manhattan and Martha’s Vineyard to Times Square and the award-winning Moxy Banff hotel in Canada. At the same time, the studio expanded into product design—licensing collections with industry partners and launching Workshop Collection, a trade line with its own showroom. Its multidisciplinary model proved resilient during the pandemic, pivoting toward residential projects as demand surged.Now a Principal, Andrew balances creative direction with business development, client engagement, and mentorship. Education and professional growth are embedded in Workshop APD’s culture, with initiatives ranging from leadership development and knowledge transfer to book clubs and creative team programs. For Andrew, guiding both projects and people defines the work. Outside the studio, he recharges through DIY projects, ceramics, travel, and time in Jersey City with his two dogs.Curated Podcast Sponsors:Caplan's Appliances: https://caplans.ca/The Doors: https://thedoors4u.com/Aquanta Pools: https://aquanta.caHenry Rotberg SteelTo connect with our sponsors, email me: jonathan@waldenhomes.caBehind the Build on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behind_the_build_podcast

This episode was recorded live at the University of Waterloo before an audience of students, alumni, and colleagues. Four graduates returned to share their journeys: Carol Phillips (Moriyama Teshima Architects), Lisa D’Abbondanza (Arcadis), Robert Kastelic (Atelier Kastelic Buffey—AKB), and Drew Mandel (Drew Mandel Architects—DMA). Together they reflected on choosing Waterloo, the impact of its cultural history curriculum and Co-op program, and graduating into a recession that demanded resilience, initiative, and a willingness to work anywhere.They revisit formative studio critiques and the Rome term, then trace the thread into practice: Carol’s trajectory into public and post-secondary work and mass timber; Drew’s early break building a tight-lot modern house that launched a residential practice; Lisa’s move into transit architecture and leadership of large, engineer-heavy teams; and Robert’s shift from major cultural projects to finely detailed residential design with close client collaboration. Across scales, they describe the same habits: become expert in the task at hand (even a barrier-free washroom), communicate clearly, and keep joy and rigor in balance.The conversation highlights collaboration—what they’ve learned from acousticians, structural engineers, and builders—how to push for better solutions, and how to manage vulnerability when the work is public, permanent, and judged daily. In an open Q&A, they offer advice to students on Co-op, networking, office culture, and leaving gracefully if a fit isn’t right, while championing travel and firsthand experience as irreplaceable education. They close with reflections on why they’d still recommend architecture: it trains you to think broadly, work collectively, and shape places that make everyday life better.Curated Podcast Sponsors:ZinCo Canada: https://www.zinco.ca/Caplan's Appliances: https://caplans.ca/The Doors: https://thedoors4u.com/Aquanta Pools: https://aquanta.caHenry Rotberg SteelTo connect with our sponsors, email me: jonathan@waldenhomes.caBehind the Build on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behind_the_build_podcast