BC TOP 10 ARCHITECTS
DA Architects + Planners,
designers of more than just buildings
The CDCR Special Feature
From its founding in 1969, DA Architects + Planners has
grown from a residential practice to one whose work has
included schools, hotels, large mixed-use facilities and
urban communities. All are based on the company’s orig-
inal vision that they are designing ‘more than just a build-
ing.’ Randy Knill, partner, says the firm originally opened as
Downs/Archambault & Partners, but underwent a renewal
process in 2008 and was re-branded as DA Architects +
Planners in response to the retirement of the founding
partners and to express the breadth of the practice.
“Originally the firm started with mostly residential pro-
jects reflecting the contemporary aesthetics of mid-cen-
tury regional modernism and then grew as the design
approach and philosophy matured.”
As it demonstrated design sensitivity and expertise,
community centres and schools led to larger residential
and more complex projects. DA also collaborated, says
Knill, with other firms forming an Urban Design Planning
Team for the Post – Expo False Creek Lands which led to
the firm working along the north side of False Creek and
an opportunity to illustrate its ‘more than just a building’
approach. 18 – Winter 2018 — The Canadian Design and Construction Report
“The architecturally defined public and private realm
open spaces contributed to a more varied and engaging
pedestrian experience, as we developed the design ap-
proach that emphasized that the space between the build-
ings was as important as the buildings themselves. From
the early projects where enhanced landscape gardens fea-
tured local natural materials, to large, complex urban
spaces today, DA’s vision consistently carries through.”
He says architecture that engages environmental and
social sustainability issues has also always been at the
heart of DA’s design approach since its early days. Among
its successes in this area is a collaboration on the original
Canada Place and subsequent Vancouver Convention Cen-
tre West, which has been recognized with several awards
and achieved a LEED Platinum rating.
Other notable projects include Library Square and the
Ford Theatre – now the Westside Church (collaborations
with Moshe Safdie), Seylynn Village, River Rock Casino Re-
sort, Coast Coal Harbour Hotel, Cielo, and Pearson College
of the Pacific.
Recent projects illustrate even more diversity and in-
clude the Lingyen Mountain Temple, various lifestyle/ mixed
use retail centres, and several Urban Design Studies for
new sustainable communities throughout BC.
While the architectural form of these projects vary
greatly, Knill says there are commonalities among them all.
“All of our projects are the result of a carefully scrutinized
functional program provided by our clients that is then pro-
jected onto the site with a sensitivity to the unique site-spe-
cific characteristics.”
This, he says, can be a response to the climate, views,
or surrounding urban design elements. “It can respond to
urban elements that do not yet exist, like the early Yaletown
high-rises on the empty Expo site, or the current Seylynn
projects which are providing a new opportunity for city re-
generation and densification.”
The firm now includes twenty-five staff members com-
prising three partners, two associates, eighteen technolo-
gists and intern architects, and two administrative person-
nel. “Through almost five decades, DA Architects + Plan-
ners has earned the reputation of delivering well designed
projects and ensuring its clients are well served. This
means partners stay involved and project teams are men-
tored every step of the way. The love of craft carries
through in a highly personal commitment to the products,
and the client.”
Knill says the team is proud of both the projects they
have had a hand in, and the way each evolved. “We are a
collaborative and interactive design firm. We listen carefully
to our clients and many stakeholders and then respond to
their concerns and needs.”
That approach, he says, has resulted in DA being se-
lected for the “tough” projects; those where extensive pub-
lic consultation is required. “Kitsilano Secondary School,
and the Lingyen Mountain Temple are examples of these.
There were others in which difficult urban design issues
had to be resolved, such as the Vancouver Convention Cen-
tre – both the original Expo Canada Place and the new West
Expansion, or where a compelling urban design image
must be created to illustrate the project’s fit, as was the
case with Seylynn Village.”
The firm’s project awards are too numerous to mention
but include recognition for its efforts on the Vancouver Con-
vention Centre West, Seylynn Village, Queen Mary Elemen-
tary School and Ridgeway Elementary School.
For more information, visit www.da-architects.ca.
DA Architects + Planners is inspired by our stunning West Coast environment
and history. We create buildings and public spaces that enrich people’s lives
and enhance our spectacular locale. Interesting and inspiring places are the
central goal of our placemaking efforts.
200-1014 Homer St
Vancouver, BC
Canada, V6B 2W9
T604 685 6312
F604 685 0988
Eoffice@da-architects.ca Our design vocabulary uses West Coast contemporary architectural elements.
The resulting projects blend energy-efficient engineering with this regional
aesthetic that then expresses our sustainability values. This celebrates the social
and environmental values of our clients, the building users, and our changing
society. The goal is that our architectural efforts embody well - crafted details
using sensible materials to successfully accommodate the demanding lifestyles
and expectations in our evolving environment.
da-architects.ca The Canadian Design and Construction Report — Winter 2018 – 19