“What makes us different [from competitors], the defining characteristic of our firm, is the studio environment in which we work, [and] the collaborative thinking we derive from that. We don’t look at our staff as being a pyramid, we look at it as being very lateral. All of us contribute to a project, whether we’ve been doing it for thirty years or three months.”

The studio environment liberates the entire design process, allowing all staff members, clients and project partners to participate in the evolution of the project. As the client is included in this collaborative thinking, they become involved in their own design process.

“We’re [currently] working on a 100 bed seniors facility in Hinton, Alberta,” Mr Kumlin says. “That’s a replacement for a 30 bed facility that is many years past its prime, so this is a real opportunity to contribute something to the community.”

Additionally, the firm is working on an 80,000 sq ft Canadian headquarters for a German piping company, which is a renovation of an existing warehouse fabrication facility, with a new office component for consolidating the company’s local administration.

“We’ve [also] got a gymnastics facility in Quesnel, BC. That’s a new facility for the local gymnastics club, which has been sort of bounced around the city for the last twenty years to schools and community clubs, so they’re finally getting their own home.”

A recently-completed project was for some recreation condos in Fairmont Hot Springs in BC, which is a continuation of an existing development of high-end resort condominiums in which Mr Kumlin owns one of the units.

“There are a few things that are happening [in the industry],” Mr Kumlin says. “One is sustainability, and we’re getting into sustainability because there are so many aspects of it. It goes beyond just energy efficiency. It’s about sustainability of materials, of methods, the character of the location that we’re building in and working in.”