2023 was a year of Community. We built on our own community by advancing members of our team and welcoming a talented international architect. We raised over $100,000 for the Mission and other important community organizations. We were humbled by receiving an AFP Philanthropy Award. Our projects for The Salvation Army, Ottawa Community Housing, Woodvale Pentecostal Church, multiple school boards and the long-term care sector made strides toward their realization. Finally, we kicked off the holiday season by donating much needed clothes and supplies to those less fortunate.
Focus on Leadership
Hobin Architecture has always held high the importance of transferring knowledge to the next generation of leaders within the firm. As our growing team reached nearly 50 people this year, it was critical that we adopt a structure to ensure this flow of information throughout the entire team, while providing a more refined management and administrative framework. The new structure ensures that each member of our team has the appropriate level of mentorship involvement based on their degree of experience and areas of specialization.
Pictured above are members of our leadership group at the annual Philanthropy Awards (left), and our team field trip to Philadelphia (right). Photo credit: Jonathan Hobin.
We would like to take this opportunity to recognize our current leadership:
Watch our social channels and website over the coming months for spotlights on our team leaders.
A Humbling Award from AFP Ottawa
In November, we were humbled to be named Outstanding Small Business Philanthropist by AFP Ottawa. AFP describes the recipient: “This company exhibits outstanding civic and charitable responsibility and its generosity encourages others to take philanthropy leadership roles.” Founding Principal, Barry Hobin accepted the award on behalf of the team, reflecting on his personal journey to philanthropism and asserting the importance of mentoring the next generation. Click here to watch Barry’s acceptance speech. Photo credit: Caroline Phillips.
You Give, We Give
This year’s annual fundraising initiative focused on the Ottawa Mission’s “Summer of Hope” campaign. We made a pledge to triple-match donations made over a two-day period, up to $20,000, at the slowest time of year for charitable giving—the middle of summer. Our commitment inspired the generosity of hundreds of other donors, totaling $87,380.
Our firm believes strongly in giving back, and we hope that others in our industry and beyond will be inspired to find ways to leverage their own communities to support important causes. You Give, We Give is Hobin Architecture’s way of mobilizing a force greater than we are on our own to support charities in need.
Foreign Trained Architect Internship Program
Hobin Architecture is pleased to welcome Shivangi Sinha, B.Arch. for her 6-month placement under the Foreign Trained Architect Internship Program (FTAIP), working closely with our partners and gaining exposure to Canada’s regulatory framework and design standards. Shivangi is Licensed under the Council of Architecture in India, and as a LEED Green Associate, has a keen interest in sustainable design.
A collaboration of Hobin Architecture Inc., Architecture49 Inc., Fotenn and CSV Architects, the FTAIP offers an internship opportunity to skilled individuals with Architectural training from outside of Canada. The program is designed to give candidates work experience in a Canadian firm, assisting them in achieving their career goals outside their country of training and/or accreditation. The participating firms offer a 6-month placement to four candidates, providing each with 24 months of relevant Canadian architectural work experience in total.
Todd Duckworth Appointed to Holland Properties Board
The Holland Properties Association (HPA) has announced the appointment of Todd Duckworth to its Board of Directors. An Associate with Hobin Architecture with more than ten years of housing design experience, Todd’s volunteer role will become valuable to the Holland Properties team. The vision of HPA is to provide safe and affordable housing for survivors of homelessness while integrating them into existing stable communities. The Board looks forward to working with Todd as they explore new opportunities in the years ahead.
Todd’s wealth of experience in the residential and non-profit housing sector will offer unique insight to the board’s initiatives.
Field Trip to Philadelphia
This year’s annual field trip brought the team to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania via chartered bus. Tours included the Navy Yard, Charles Library at Temple University, The Barnes Foundation and finally, Cornell University on the way home. We were also pleased to be welcomed by DIGSAU – an architecture firm of similar size and values to those of our own – for a meet & greet and exchange of experience in their downtown office.
During the trip, our team was challenged to compete in a field trip photo contest, of which the top ten finalist entries are showcased above. The winning photo (top left) was taken by Jamison Duff, with runner up going to Jennifer Heaney (bottom left).
Design Awards
In November, the City of Ottawa presented the Urban Design Award of Excellence to the team behind Mosaïq Phase 1 (top). The Passive House affordable housing project at 811 Gladstone Avenue was completed last year, with the second phase now approaching construction. We proudly share this recognition with Fotenn Planning & Design, CSW Landscape Architects and Grant+Henley Design Group. Project Team: Barry Hobin, Gord Lorimer, Doug Brooks, Marc Thivierge, Shawn Leduc, Leila Emmrys.
Our team also brought home three trophies at GOHBA’s Annual Housing Design Awards (bottom row, from left):
Project Highlights
Mosaïq Phase 2 — Formerly known as “Rochesterville”, this Passive House affordable housing project for Ottawa Community Housing broke ground in October. The project adds 273 affordable and sustainable homes to the Mosaïq community which began with 811 Gladstone Avenue. Included is an onsite partnership with PAL Ottawa providing affordable living options for seniors working in the Arts.
Project Team: Marc Thivierge, Barry Hobin, David Anderson, Cameron Deans, Dan Boulanger.
Salvation Army Centre of Hope Ottawa – Now approaching the initial stage of construction, this important project has taken shape through an intense collaborative design and approval process. This first phase will house Family Services and a Café in a renovation of 325 Montreal Rd, and will form an integral component of the overall campus.
Project Team: Patrick Bisson, Dan Henhoeffer, Melanie Lamontagne, Sean O’Rourke, Fabiano Medeiros, Laura Clark, Hugo Latreille, Stuart Thomson.
G. Tackaberry and Family Home located at the New Maple View Landings is taking shape for the United Counties of Leeds & Grenville. The 192-bed Long-Term Care Home will offer specialized health care, behavioural support and palliative care in a safe and modern facility. Incorporating best practices and lessons learned through the pandemic, the new Home is slated for occupancy in mid 2025.
Project Team: Wendy Brawley, Reinhard Vogel, Melanie Lamontagne, Michelle Cataldo, Madelyn Byrtus, Ryan Fleming.
Dundas Manor Long-Term Care Home, where exemplary care is provided to the residents – Over ten years after our initial study work for the redevelopment, construction is planned to commence in the next few weeks. The project will replace the former 98-bed facility with a bright and welcoming new Home for 128 aging loved ones. The Home’s design incorporates best practices and lessons learned through the pandemic.
Project Team: Wendy Brawley, Doug Brooks, Melanie Lamontagne, Shona Dunderdale, Donovan Gifford, Ryan Fleming.
Woodvale Pentecostal Church — the new youth wing is progressing well towards construction. When completed, the renovation and addition will greatly expand the church’s programming for children and youth, while providing flexible spaces for community use. The addition will enhance the facility’s connection to the street while promoting Woodvale’s identity within the neighborhood by providing spaces that support the growth of the church, it’s congregation and the community.
Project Team: Marc Thivierge, Alison Legere.
Fire Station 45, serving the community of Kanata North, is now just weeks away from completion. The new three-bay facility will double the capacity of the former station to meet projected growth within the community. Its bold forms and contrasting colours provide a striking identity to the building, emphasizing its presence on the street. The LEED project is the collaboration of the Ottawa Fire Services, Morley Hoppner and Hobin Architecture.
Project Team: Doug Brooks, Hugo Latreille, Rheal Labelle, Noor Alqaaod, Maddy Byrtus, Nikolina Braovac.
Riverside South Town Centre – Immediately north of the Limebank O-Train Station is the future community core and main street area for Riverside South. The development – a partnership between Urbandale and Richcraft – will transform the greenfield site into a vibrant, pedestrian-oriented urban core, combining intensified housing, commercial and recreational amenities adjacent to the new transit hub. Our demonstration package was developed to establish a vision for the site and demonstrate compliance with the intent of the municipal Community Design Plan and general planning guidelines.
Project Team: Barry Hobin, Rheal Labelle, Hugo Latreille.
Hollyer House is nearing completion in Bells Corners. The building provides 35 units of affordable housing to a number of priority groups including women and children, refugees, and seniors. At ground floor is a community service hub, providing food and other services to both residents and the greater community. A collaboration between Christ Church Bells Corners, CAHDCO, Western Ottawa Community Resource Centre, FAMSAC, The Anglican Diocese of Ottawa and Cornerstone Housing for Women.
Project Team: Gord Lorimer, Doug Brooks, Alison Legere.
2026 Scott Street will introduce over 800 apartments in a variety of typologies, mere footsteps from the forthcoming Westboro LRT station. The pair of 40-storey buildings will embrace affordability, sustainability and accessibility as its main drivers, while encouraging interaction at the ground level. We look forward to bringing this exciting project to reality. A Morley Hoppner and Colonnade BridgePort development.
Project Team: Patrick Bisson, Laura Clark, Sean O’Rourke, Stuart Thomson, Fabiano Medeiros.
36 Robinson by TCU – Now complete, this project was a finalist in three categories at this year’s GOHBA awards. Clad in striking red brick and black glass, the Sandy Hill apartment building provides 153 rental apartments in studio, 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom configurations.
Project Team: Doug Brooks, Karen Griffith, Hugo Latreille, Kurt Draper, Shawn Leduc.
686 Echo Drive – Nestled between Echo Drive and Riverdale Avenue in Old Ottawa South is this modern custom home overlooking the Rideau Canal. Dramatic views are celebrated with oversized windows and outdoor terraces at three floors. Finished inside and out are a balance between neutral tones and warm, natural materials, and The owners took occupancy earlier this year.
Project Team: Barry Hobin, Todd Duckworth, Wayne Fralic, Jennifer Adams.
131 Winding Way – Design of this custom home overlooking the Rideau River began in 2011, and is now just a few months from completion. The home features an L-shaped floor plan which is designed to maximize river views while enveloping a landscaped pool patio. Construction has advanced quickly thanks to a pre-fabricated wall framing system.
Project Team: Barry Hobin, Rheal Labelle, Wayne Fralic.
70 Richmond Road is a 9-storey condominium on the site of the Heritage-designated Champlain Oil Service Station, a circa-1934 Westboro landmark. The heritage building will be adapted for reuse as a retail unit, and is envisioned as a café or restaurant. The project has achieved Site Plan Approval is moving toward construction in the coming months. A Trinity Developments project.
Project Team: Rheal Labelle, Doug Brooks, Ammar Jaratly, Cristina Hoang, Stuart Thomson.
Stone Abbey in Old Ottawa South will offer 18 luxury condominium apartments and future freehold townhouses on the site of Southminster United Church. Now well into construction, the building’s terraced form can be seen from both sides of the Canal, an elegant and contextual response to a delicate site and neighbourhood. By Windmill Developments.
Project Team: Barry Hobin, Rheal Labelle, Kent Bugatsch, Alison Legere, Ammar Jaratly, Noor Alqaaod.
5 Fifth Avenue is a three-story custom home in the Glebe featuring crisp modernist design and accent lighting integrated throughout the exterior and interior. Materials include linear masonry, glass, aluminum and a prominent second floor balcony clad in copper panels which will patina with age. The owners are happy to be moving in before Christmas.
Project Team: Todd Duckworth, Sean Carty, Jennifer Adams.
335 Roosevelt Avenue – Uniform’s Westboro development received an Official Plan Amendment to proceed as two 12-storey blocks. A stepped form and separation between the buildings enable a public connection through the site to the Scott Street MUP and transit network. Just one block from Kìchì Sìbì O-Train station, now under construction, the site is an ideal candidate for transit-oriented development.
Project Team: Barry Hobin, Rheal Labelle, Doug Van Den Ham, Jamison Duff.
Deschâtelets Monastery at Greystone Village – Remediation of the 138-year old building is underway in preparation for it to be transformed into an elementary school, community centre, daycare and seniors’ housing. Envisioned as the collaboration between Conseil des Écoles Catholiques du Centre-Est (CECCE), Ottawa Community Housing and the City of Ottawa, the project will form the centrepiece of Greystone Village when complete.
Project Team: Doug Van Den Ham, Jennifer Heaney.
The Spencer at Greystone Village by eQ Homes has made strides toward completion next year. The building will offer upscale condo living in the heart of the new community. With spectacular views to the Rideau River and downtown, the suites range from 316 sq.ft. “smart suites” to 2 bedroom + den suites and penthouses at over 1,400 sq.ft.
Project Team: Marc Thivierge, Jeff Chaput, Dan Boulanger.
Brighton Retirement Living with Mistral Land Developments, is a three-story retirement home with 124 suites in both Independent and Assisted Living options. Located 90 minutes from Toronto and just 5 minutes from the Lake Ontario waterfront, the project combines convenience with natural amenities in a supportive, home-like environment. Residents will move in this winter.
Project Team: Wendy Brawley, Reinhard Vogel, Melanie Lamontagne, Benoit Maranda, Madelyn Byrtus.
Ottawa Retirement Residence by Signature is in its final months of construction in downtown Ottawa. Overlooking the Garden of the Provinces and Territories and the Ottawa River beyond, the building will house 152 apartments with a range of supportive living options.
Project Team: Wendy Brawley, Rheal Labelle, Melanie Lamontagne, Shona Dunderdale, Dan Henhoeffer, Daniel Boulanger, Fabiano Medeiros.
Christmas Giving
Our team is putting together gifts for Cornerstone Housing for Women and The Salvation Army Booth Centre to help them through the year’s coldest months. New clothing and outerwear items, bedding and footwear are among the items needed. If you would like to support these organizations with their supply needs or to simply make a donation, please visit their website at:
Click to Support Cornerstone Housing for Women
Click to Support The Salvation Army Booth Centre
Christmas Card Contest Winner
Congratulations to this year’s Hobin Christmas Card Contest winner, Ryan Fleming!
