In January of 2022, we had the privilege of welcoming Younes Al Hyar to the team as a Project Lead on one of our architecture pods. Younes has brought with him a solid base of architectural experience as well as a high level of commitment and excitement to continue learning. As a new Rossmannaut, he hit the ground running and absorbed the culture of a new workplace while continuing to study for his architectural exams. In only a few months Younes has become an intellectual presence in the firm and has now passed his exams.

The road to becoming an architect has been interesting for Younes as he came from a family of doctors and was originally encouraged to pursue a medical education. However, while travelling through France as a teenager, he discovered a passion for architecture and knew this was the career path he wanted to take despite the family tradition of going into medicine. Younes studied in Morocco, where he earned a master’s degree in architecture and began working for a few small firms upon graduation. These firms allowed him to take on many different roles and responsibilities, urging him to learn things quickly.

Needing a change from the projects he was working on in Morocco, Younes was prompted to move to Canada. In 2019 he made the move participating in a bridging program designed to help architect immigrants integrate into the Canadian culture and workplace. This program allowed him to meet and be supported by like-minded professionals who were going through the same procedures.

Landing in Toronto, he was quickly hired at an architecture firm and went through additional certifications to obtain a Project Management Professional certification and become a LEED Green Associate.

Fascinated by the idea of experiencing the history of a building, Younes developed a passion for heritage and restoration projects. He believes there is an importance to maintaining our history and the basis of our cultures and aims to add his value through his work with heritage.

Younes is currently working diligently towards obtaining his official architect license and even enrolled in a practice course to prepare and study for the architectural examinations. After nine months of hard work, he recently completed his exams and is one step closer to his goal. With a few hours of on-site visits left, Younes will soon qualify for his stamp and will become Rossmann Architecture’s newest architect.

Moving forward, Younes would like to have an even higher certification of sustainable design and will continue working with LEED to obtain this credential. In his short time at as a Rossmannaut, he has already shown that he has the knowledge and the drive to be an excellent architect in both Morocco and Canada. A great addition to the Rossmann Architecture team, we look forward to working with Younes and supporting him as he becomes even more successful in his career.

Certain to have a bright future ahead of him, be sure to keep up with Younes’ many accomplishments as he continues on his path as an architect.

L’article Younes Al Hyar: The Evolution of an Architect est apparu en premier sur Rossmann Architecture Inc.

It is with great excitement that we share the news that our own Erik Rossmann is one of the recipients of the 40 Under 40 Awards for 2022!

Erik and his partner Sara strongly believe in giving back to their community and being part of the solution. Erik endeavors for a strong focus in modernization specific to the affordable housing challenges. By employing new and innovative approaches, he has made Rossmann Architecture Inc. one of the fastest growing architecture firms in the city.

Congratulations on this well deserved award.

L’article 40 Under 40 Award Winner – Erik Rossmann est apparu en premier sur Rossmann Architecture Inc.

L’article Project Profile: 42 Northside est apparu en premier sur Rossmann Architecture Inc.

Amidst the growth at Rossmann Architecture Inc. (RAI), a new division in Interior Design has emerged! After upgrading the company structure (more details found here), we made the decision to bring a young and ambitious Designer into the firm to foster a new team. We needed someone with enough experience to own this new branch of the firm and be in tune with the current trends in the industry.

We were fortunate to connect with a Designer who was established in the industry and looking for the chance to grow.

Who is Jeremy Cheff?

Jeremy Cheff graduated from La Cité with Honours in 2013 and quickly became involved in the industry. Before graduating he joined the Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario (ARIDO) and has since stated, “Being involved so early on is what got me to where I am today.”

Having heavy involvement within the industry early on allowed Jeremy to become ARIDO’s events coordinator and be appointed as the president elect for the 2022-2023 term.

Jeremy’s goal is to create an inviting, positive, and open-minded environment that will allow for healthy learning. He is hoping to change the experience for newly graduated Designers and students joining the field to become warmer and more welcoming, allowing for constructive criticism and accountability at all levels.

This Designer has also made some great headway with new government designs based on the new GCWP Standards. Jeremy is looking forward to updating the mold in government interiors and seeing spaces reflect the interiors that are trending in more private spaces and offices. The government buildings in the National Capital Region have started to include a fun new aesthetic, making work more interesting for those who use the spaces.

Impact on the Firm

Despite being hired during a provincial lockdown, Jeremy was able to start putting this team together quickly to get the Design branch of the firm developed. Since joining RAI, he has begun cultivating a team of his own, growing the library of sample products and building connections with suppliers.

As the head of the Design team, Jeremy has used his own history to aid in his capabilities as a leader. Having previously struggled with anxiety and depression and as an advocate for mental health awareness, he uses his experiences to assist his team should they be struggling with the same. Jeremy has ensured that everybody he works with knows his door is open and he shares his experiences regularly as examples of learning effective self-care practices. Jeremy has made it clear that mental health is top of mind for him saying, “Above all else, our mental health should be our utmost priority.”

Working with Architects

Jeremy has been able to build a strong rapport with our current clients by providing a comprehensive service. With his addition to the company, we’ve taken another step closer to becoming a one-stop shop for clients.

A wide range of projects require both an Architect and a Designer and having both in the same location allows for collaboration of work. It creates a sense of ease for both the client and the teams working on the project, ensuring all projects receive the right amount of attention from the right people.  Adjustments for designs can be made quickly having multiple disciplines working on the same team allowing clients to discuss all stages of the project. This elevated level of collaboration ensures that clients receive a project that is well-rounded and ready to move into.

We have already seen some great work with the addition of our new Interior Design division and are eager to see how this team grows over time!

L’article Why Hire a Designer from an Architecture Firm est apparu en premier sur Rossmann Architecture Inc.

The majority of architecture firms still follow the same organizational chart that has been around since architecture has been recognized as an industry. This consists of a head architect as managing partner of the firm, with project managers and technologists/technicians reporting to them.

At Rossmann Architecture Inc. (RAI), the layout of their organization chart changed to include a branch for support staff, headed by the Director of Operations, Andrew Alajouri. A similar layout can be seen in many tech start-ups, but what prompted RAI to make such a significant change to their company layout?

Having always had a passion for the field of architecture, Andrew was prepared to spend his time and energy learning all he could about the industry. He began his journey studying at La Cité Collégiale, where he got his title architectural technologist, before spending time working as an inspector to give him hands on experience at the ground level. The next step for Andrew was studying with honours the theory and history of architecture at Carleton University and later being offered a concentrated course at Ryerson University on specialization, preservation and conservation of architecture. Andrew quickly left the position he had at another architecture firm to take the chance to further his education. The goal after graduation was to return to the Gatineau region and work somewhere that would allow him to focus on heritage projects, now more achievable with a specialization from Ryerson.
When he joined RAI in 2015, he started as an architectural technologist and later a project manager. His peers recall that since Andrew started, he had always taken on more roles and more responsibility than his position originally called for. Andrew found himself taking on the operations role without RAI having the official structure for an operations role. While this may have been a deterrent for others, Andrew is know for being somebody who adapts easily and can think on his feet.

As RAI began scaling immensely in 2020, it was determined that an operational director was needed and Andrew stepped up to fill in the position to organize and create structure in the daily operations of the firm. With business being a large part of his family’s background and some of his studies at Carleton, he offers expertise in both business and architectural operations that give him the perfect combination to step into the role of Director of Operations. Having worked as a technologist, a project manager and a project director at RAI, Andrew already had the experience that makes him the “unicorn” fit for this role.

The addition of the operations team has created more opportunities within the company both in capacity to take on projects and creating revenue, as well as growing the team. With the addition of this team, the administrative and architectural side of this firm has been streamlined. This allows the architects to spend their time designing, and not spending their valuable time operating the business.
“Andrew is such a vital member of the team, and a lot of our success stems from having him in our business”, says Vice President Sara Rossmann.

The growth of the company has exploded in the last year, and with team doubling and the revenue tripling, so much progress has come from having Andrew as a part of the firm.

While still assisting on architectural projects, Andrew now spends the majority of his time cultivating his operations team to ensure efficiency in all areas of the business. Having an experienced professional like Andrew take on this role has been key to RAI’s growth and continued success.

L’article Andrew Alajouri: Operations in Architecture est apparu en premier sur Rossmann Architecture Inc.

In early 2020, the owners of Rossmann Architecture Inc. (RAI) realized that hiring an experienced executive would be crucial to furthering the growth of the company. They needed a seasoned professional who could help build the framework in which to scale the company while maintaining a strong internal culture, a rainmaker with an existing network and the ability to make connections with new potential clients. This position could only be filled by a rare unicorn, and they realized their best chance of finding one was to seek the help of an external executive recruiter.

Shane Balcom was presented to RAI early in the recruitment process and, despite initially seeming out of place for the position, it quickly became clear to everyone that he was an ideal candidate. Although he had no experience in architecture and had previously worked with larger companies, his vivacious personality and extensive business knowledge made him the perfect choice.

In mid 2020, Shane joined the RAI team as Managing Director and has since grown the firm to more than double its employees and triple its revenue.

How he has managed this, especially in the midst of a global pandemic, continues to be a question many have been asking.

While handling many recruiting opportunities, Shane has created development structures to grow the revenue and organization of the company. Having a Managing Director to tackle these business roadblocks has allowed the CEO and VP to maintain and expand their vision for the company in terms of culture and business growth.

With experience in business management, Shane brings a sense of structure to RAI which is implemented through regular rhythms with both the employees and executives. His role was built to coach everybody in all aspects of the business, including forecasting, people management, business decisions and developing client relationships. This has a positive affect on all parties in and outside of the office.

Pierre Proulx, a senior Team Lead at RAI, commented on working with Shane saying, “I can’t remember the last relationship I had where I have benefited as much as I have with Shane.”

These mentoring rhythms have added to the growth of the culture at RAI and have become a subject of great importance for the firm. While the team grows, and the profits grow, Shane has helped lay the plans for moving into a new office space in the future. This space will be designed to accommodate the growing culture for the people RAI wants to invest in.

Thanks to the skill and experience that Shane provides as Managing Director, RAI has managed to step into the future and exemplify the way a modern architecture firm is managed.

L’article The Business of Architecture est apparu en premier sur Rossmann Architecture Inc.

Not all companies are founded by one person. Rossmann Architecture Inc. (RAI) was founded by two individuals, and while they happened to be married to each other, they found a perfect balance to manage their business as a couple.

Erik Rossmann’s partner and wife, Sara, has been there from the creation and helped through many decision processes as their company became more than just a dream.

As Erik had the mind of an entrepreneur, they established a schedule that allowed him to work at the office full time and Sara to stay home with the family. The size of their company also allowed Sara to continue to cover the financial and administrative side of the business from home. Having a “quiet but present” role in the company had positives when they were a smaller size, but it quickly became clear that they would need to change their approach as the company grew. While not an architect herself, Sara has been the head of all administrative, financial, and cultural processes at RAI since its inception. When the company was founded, Erik and Sara came to the agreement that both their young family and young company would require their full attention. They decided that, while their children were small, family would be an important value that they would not surrender, even for a new business.

As the business expanded, it made more sense for Sara to develop a more prominent role. To continue maintaining their work/life balance, Sara and Erik created a flexible schedule for themselves and their employees. This has allowed them to be home when the family needs it and at the office when their work requires it.

A partnership with such balance, whether within a couple or business partners, is incredibly unique and difficult to find. Erik always had a vision for RAI, but the company would not be what it is today if he had been on his own and having someone to help focus on the steps to get there completes the perfect partnership.

Being in a partnership where they work in very different ways, the duo quickly realized that they complement each other’s business styles. While Erik is a strong entrepreneur, moving at a fast pace and thinking of the future, Sara has a more present personality and keeps things at a more natural pace. This works well for the pair, as the company continues growing and more employees are hired, and it creates a sense of balance for their family.

L’article Business Building: Paired to Perfection est apparu en premier sur Rossmann Architecture Inc.

The history of every company is unique. Everyone has their own back story, and the same can be said for Rossmann Architecture Inc. (RAI).

In late 2012, Erik Rossmann, the President of RAI, was at a crossroads. He was employed at a place that did not offer the growth he wanted, and he realized that he would have to leave where he was to achieve his long-term goals. In December of 2012, Erik and his wife Sara took a leap of faith and that was the beginning of RAI.

After having designed his parents’ new home, Erik began the company in the spare room of their house, transforming it into a makeshift office. This space was the beginning of his work as an independent architect. As he and Sara worked alone, many projects needed to be completed by reaching out to contractors. This allowed them to gain connections with many and build a network for the company over the next couple years. In 2014, he purchased the “worst” looking house on Boulevard Saint-Joseph and converted it into an office that would allow for the growth of a company, as well as show that RAI was here to make changes and improvements to the community.

Upon opening the office in January 2015, they hired their first few employees and began growing at a steady rate. Several of the employees that were hired ended up being the contractors that they had gained connections within the previous years. By 2016, RAI was no longer just a single architect – it was a growing business.

As the company took on a few employees and work started piling up, the Rossmann’s began discussing what avenues the company would pursue, and how the company would cope with growth and change. They were at the point where many behind the scenes and administrative roles were needed for the operation of the business. The options were to downsize or upsize, but both presented their own challenges and advantages. While downsizing would allow them to handle a smaller workload and remove many stress factors of running a business, to upsize and begin expanding the company would allow operations to be streamlined so that each member of the team could focus on what they do best.

Then came 2020. This was a big year that created some major changes. The choice to grow the company was a difficult one, but they decided to take a chance and began making plans. The Rossmann team made a choice to optimize the “slow” time provided by the 2020 pandemic as it provided the opportunity to restructure the company, and not be concerned about the changes being made at the office level.

While the company continues to expand both upwards and outwards, the seemingly humble beginnings of Rossmann Architecture are where the foundation of their business truly lies and is what all future building is based upon.

L’article Business Building: The History of RAI est apparu en premier sur Rossmann Architecture Inc.

When selecting a commercial architect Ottawa to design a multi-unit, multi-story project, as a client, you should choose a visionary firm that integrates current technologies while providing for future ones.

A project designed with this approach to technology integration and expansion will attract and retain the very best businesses, occupants, and stakeholders.  This will maximize the project’s Return on Investment (ROI).

Clients who choose Rossmann Architecture find a firm that naturally integrates a spectrum of technologies into project design; we are a firm that has embraced optimized ROI validation as one of our core principles since our founding in the Ottawa-Gatineau area.

Technology Needs Vary According to Project

The scope of technologies appropriate to include in a project’s design will naturally vary from project to project. The kinds of technologies needed in a high-rise apartment complex will differ from those required in a multi-unit business park or in a professional or medical building.

The breadth of a project’s technology needs and requirements is why careful planning between architect and client is crucial.

In selecting an architectural firm for your commercial project design, make sure you find one where you experience communication with the firm’s team as comfortable, creative, and comprehensive. Be prepared to discuss what technologies you believe your project spaces will need, and be open to suggestions from the architects.

Needs-assessment targets, budgets, and limitations must be well defined from the beginning of the project. If these are articulated and established, cost overruns will be fewer, and there will be a higher likelihood of the project being completed successfully and on time.

Some projects, such as business offices, professional buildings, and healthcare complexes, will require complex industry-standardized technology infrastructures.

Other projects will be more flexible, such as retirement communities and open campus spaces, whose technology needs may be driven by communication-based priorities.

Technologies Add Value to Projects

Modern technologies available today, along with those in development, bring exciting challenges and opportunities for advanced architectural design and innovation. Be sure the commercial architect you select for your multi-unit project has a good grasp of this design fundamental.

Rossman architects in Ottawa, from the Junior Architectural Technologist to the Principal, all understand that project designs must integrate forward-thinking technology. We understand the opportunities that technologies offer. Rossman clients expect us to be ahead of the game in this department. They expect us to provide the progressive infrastructures that build technology platforms to connect and inspire a spectrum of end-users.

Our clients’ end-users vary from project to project, naturally. End-users may be vulnerable seniors in retirement towers, multi-generational families in condo communities, burgeoning young professionals in high-rise virtual offices, healthcare professionals in medical buildings, academics in regional multi-story campuses, and so on.

The seemingly endless possibilities for creating newly imagined community and professional spaces can be realized now that technologies have advanced enough to support these environments.

Expand Your Projects’ Appeal Through Technology Integration

Need some inspiration for what can be achieved through technology in your project?

Here are a few examples of value-adding technologies for multi-story commercial health and well-being facilities. Dependent on superior connectivity, access to remote resources, and on-site devices, software and hardware, they call on the Ottawa commercial architect to integrate all components of interactive performance applications into the project’s design.

• Technologies that support on-site and remote rehabilitation programs
• Technologies that bring together global participants in streamed mind-body events
• Technologies that integrate medicine protocols with rejuvenation treatments
• Technologies that facilitate transportation for the disabled and support their access to information, education, and care

Is your commercial design project a business high-rise with a day-care suite, dry-cleaner, fitness center, and cafe? Make sure your architect plans for the technologies necessary for supporting these auxiliary services.

Is your multi-story project an entertainment venue? Will it offer virtual reality experiences? Drive-in capabilities? Gambling, gaming, role-playing, concert-going? Your commercial architect must have the capacity to take on myriad technology requirements and plan them into a design that produces an impactful and fiscally successful venue.

Perhaps your commercial project is a multi-floor residential complex—a grouping of condos that you envision as a progressive community with advanced connectivity and conveniences. You want a design that includes technologies to support, say, an autonomous shuttle, an air-taxi hub, or innovative streaming-based entertainment.

Regardless of the project category—dwelling, professional, entertainment, healthcare—it is the on-campus technologies that add value and allure. They are critical offerings that attract and retain occupants, users, and stakeholders.

Best Commercial Architect Ottawa

Whatever the nature of your project, you as the client depend on the skills and experience of a commercial architect to integrate all appropriate technologies and bring your vision to life.

The architects in Rossmann commercial architectural firm are such professionals. Our team of experts possesses a comprehensive body of experience and knowledge. Our commercial design portfolio spans multiple fields and disciplines, each one with its unique set of technology challenges, requirements, and innovations.

Rossmann Architecture is the leading architectural firm in the Ottawa-Gatineau area, integrating current technologies into our clients’ commercial project designs while holding space for new and developing technologies.

Call us for a consultation and let’s discuss your project’s design and the technology platforms that can position it for success and a great ROI.

L’article Is Your Commercial Architect a Technology Visionary? est apparu en premier sur Rossmann Architecture Inc.

Your commercial project may be a high-rise condo, a professional tower, a multi-level retirement complex, an educational building, or anything in between. What specialty spaces have you asked your architect to include in the design?

These spaces are the amenities that set your project apart from that of the competition.

What do we mean by specialty spaces? We’re talking about dedicated areas of function or purpose that add value to your commercial project and increase your ROI.

Review the four ideas below. You may find some that you love. Others may serve as springboards from which you invent your own creative iterations.

One: Consider Space for a Community Garden

Promote camaraderie, sustainability, and Vitamin D absorption (!) by integrating a community garden into your commercial design project.

Commercial projects located in rural or suburban areas will enjoy more access to land than will buildings in a city. But that doesn’t mean a city high-rise cannot have a community garden incorporated into its design. Your architect can figure that part out. (Maybe he or she will design the garden to fit on top of a roof or along a rear property easement.)

Consider what can be made possible for the users of your building by adding garden spaces into the design. Residents may find new friends. Retirees might enjoy an old (or new) hobby. Professionals may find delight in a lunchtime change of venue. Who knows, surprising interdepartmental connections may arise as teams plant gardens and enjoy communal harvests.

Two: Play Areas for Kids That Intrigue, Inspire, and Invite

After having children, parents find their personal and professional lives changed in so many ways—both expected and unexpected. Sometimes, surprising changes arise out of the dynamic of “play.”

Most parents associate younger children’s play with straightforward, informal recreation and fun. Stomping in puddles. Watching ants on a sidewalk. Kicking a ball. Stacking blocks. Playing “house.” It doesn’t take long, however, for parents to learn that simple forms of play contribute to children’s overall development in the areas of critical thinking, cognitive development, social and emotional intelligence, freedom of expression and creativity, and motor skill acquisition.

Support and attract young parents to your multi-story residential complex by designing safe play spaces for their children. Provide areas for parents to get their kids outside. Take on the responsibility of designing places that facilitate play, and you will retain young families, increasing your project’s ROI.

Consider adding to your project’s design:

• Large concrete spheres of different sizes for climbing on (easy care, robust, theft-resistant)
• Colorfully painted mini climbing walls
• Splash pads (for kids up to age 12; no standing water, so no drowning risks)
• Sandboxes
• Playhouses
• Wall-mounted plexiglass drawing squares
• Mini obstacle courses with tires, low balance beam, slackline
• Concrete pads for chalk drawing

Have your architect design this kind of kid-play specialty space and integrate it into your residential high-rise project. Yes, square footage may be at a premium. Put the play area on a rooftop. Or inside some “lost space.” Maybe around the edges of the structure.

Wherever your architect can integrate it into the project design, consider it an amenity that will boost ROI in setting your dwelling apart from others. Who knows, it may lend adults the “license” to play, too!

Three: How About a Rooftop Park?

Ask your commercial architect to explore adding a rooftop park to the design of your office building. This kind of accessible outdoor space would allow staff to get away from cubicles and boardrooms into a fresh, green, rejuvenating environment. It could also serve to keep team members onsite because going off-site for breaks and food is less attractive.

Like a giant single outdoor room–perhaps accommodating hundreds of people—a rooftop park could include:

• walking paths for decompressing or exercising
• sitting areas with white whiteboards (stored in weatherproof cabinets) for team meetings
• food kiosks for employee breaks or lunches
• coffee and smoothie stands
• tents or courtyards for post-work social gatherings

Studies have shown time and again that this shift of workspace environment fuels productive collaborations–and thought-provoking creativity–while employees get a good dose of fresh air.

Provide a business tower that is distinct from its neighbors by having your architect put a rooftop park into its design.

Four: Areas That Promotes Health and Wellness

Many successful companies and institutions have figured out that facilitating employee wellbeing is not only a nice thing to do, but it also boosts productivity and workforce retention. Help future stakeholders by providing wellness spaces in your professional multi-story design.

Need convincing?

Employees with robust health (physical, mental, and emotional) are sick and absent less often than those with vulnerable health.  Some studies have reported an ROI as high as 162% within as few as three years of implementing employee wellness programs.

Have your architect plan spaces for wellness programs into the design of your project. Your professional building will attract businesses intentional about using these areas to promote the following in their employees:

• increased motivation
• improved focus & efficiency
• better stress management and emotion regulation
• faster setback recovery
• enhanced problem-solving and decision-making abilities
• improved communication skills
• higher creativity
• measurable overall improvements in physical health

What should go into the design for the wellness space? An experienced architect will bring many ideas to the table for you to consider. Some of these ideas may include:

• yoga floor
• mini retreat center
• meditation pods
• massage station
• IV vitamin therapy suite
• Reading/music-listening cabanas
• Fountain walls

Hire an Ottawa Commercial Architect to Plan Specialty Spaces

Rossmann Architecture is the best Ottawa commercial architect for developments ranging from residential high-rises to business towers to healthcare multi-stories. Our portfolio includes a comprehensive collection of design projects, all of which have incorporated specialty spaces.

If you’re looking for a commercial architect in eastern Canada, call us at 819-600-1555. We’ll get a consultation scheduled to see how we can meet your needs and to determine if we are a good fit for your commercial project.

L’article Add Specialty Spaces to Your Commercial Project Design est apparu en premier sur Rossmann Architecture Inc.