Discover the Biggest Architectural Design Firm in Ottawa–Gatineau

Ottawa–Gatineau is a prominent region in Canada renowned for its architectural marvels. The region boasts a diverse portfolio of architectural design firms that have contributed to its rich architectural landscape. Here are the five largest architectural design firms in the Ottawa–Gatineau area:

• IBI Group

IBI Group is a leading architectural design firm with a significant presence in Ottawa–Gatineau. The firm has vast experience in various sectors, including commercial, institutional, healthcare, and residential projects. IBI Group is recognized for its innovative approach to design, sustainable solutions, and client-focused approach.

• WSP Canada

WSP Canada is a diversified professional services firm specializing in architectural design, engineering, and environmental consulting. The firm offers a comprehensive range of services, including planning, design, construction, and project management. WSP Canada is committed to sustainability and incorporates energy-efficient and environmentally conscious design principles into its projects.

• Stantec

Stantec is a global engineering and design firm with a substantial presence in Ottawa–Gatineau. The firm provides architectural services for a wide spectrum of projects, including urban development, infrastructure, energy, and transportation. Known for its expertise in sustainable building practices, Stantec strives to minimize environmental impact through innovative design solutions.

• HOK Canada

HOK Canada is a renowned architectural design firm with a strong reputation in Ottawa–Gatineau. The firm specializes in creating distinctive and sustainable designs for diverse project types, including commercial, institutional, healthcare, and cultural facilities. HOK Canada emphasizes collaboration and strives to exceed client expectations through exceptional design.

• DIALOG

DIALOG is an award-winning architectural design firm with a profound impact on Ottawa–Gatineau’s skyline. The firm’s portfolio encompasses a diverse range of projects, from residential and commercial developments to cultural and institutional spaces. DIALOG is known for its commitment to sustainable design, innovative concepts, and engaging community partnerships.

The 7 Biggest Architectural Design Firm near Ottawa–Gatineau

CLEAR DRAFTING – Engineering & Architectural Drafting & Design Services

• Address: 1390 Prince of Wales Dr suite 211, Ottawa, ON K2C 3N6, Canada
• Map: Click here
• Rating: 4.9 (30)
• Phone: +1 613-255-3425
• Website: Link
• Opening hours:
  
  Monday: 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM

  Tuesday: 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM

  Wednesday: 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM

  Thursday: 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM

  Friday: 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM

  Saturday: Closed

  Sunday: Closed
• Reviews:
  
  John O✭✭✭✭✭

  3 months ago

  He was very interactive all through the process of drawing up the plan. He went over and beyond in the service provided. Bassam is still responsive to our questions even after we submitted the building plan to the city! He understood our needs and was able to incorporate them into the plan. I am happy to recommend him.

  Ali Hassan✭✭✭✭✭

  2 months ago

  We hired Bassam and Asad to design our renovation this past summer.

  I am exceedingly happy with the Clear Drafting team and level of service.

  Bassam and Asad were extremely helpful from the get go, they went above and beyond in all project’s phases. From conceptual design to the permjt set of drawings, I was very happy throughout the whole process.

  Bassam explained the requirements of the building code and city zoning in detail, we were able to see and walk through every aspect of the design from kitchen cabinetry locations, to appliance sizes, to doors and windows. They really try and make sure that there are no surprises on site with the inspector and they handled things very professionally with the city as well.

  During our meetings we bounced around ideas and got live feedback as to the pros and cons of different choices. I would definitely recommend Clear Drafting to anyone looking for architectural plans. And I didn’t tell him this but his prices were actually much better than the competition. 🙂 Very Satisfied!

  Allen McKeown✭✭✭✭✭

  2 months ago

  Clear Drafting – Bassam Elsaraj is extremely professional, and helped us navigate a ‘web of rules’ in pursuit of a building permit. Was able to provide several updates quickly. I would recommend Bassam for your next project.

  King of Lyrics ملك الكلمة✭✭✭✭✭

  2 months ago

  I hired Bassam to design my dream home a while back and he did an fantasic job. He is professional and knowledgable and was always fun to talk to and work with, I ran into a small issue with the city one year later and he was there to help and give good advice. Thanks for everything!

  Mostapha Hijazi✭

  3 months ago

  I’m extremely disappointed with the service provided by Bassam. It has been a complete nightmare dealing with him. We entrusted him with $5000 to complete our drawings for our dream home, but it’s been 8 months of utter frustration and disappointment.

  Bassam has gone completely MIA, and it seems like he has no intention of fulfilling his responsibilities. We’ve sent countless emails and made numerous phone calls, but he continues to ghost us, leaving us in the dark about the progress of our project. It’s not just unprofessional; it’s downright unethical.

  If you’re considering using Bassam’s services to get your dream home built, I strongly urge you to steer clear. Based on our experience, it’s highly unlikely that he will ever complete your drawings, and even if he does, good luck trying to get them approved with the City. This whole ordeal has been a massive waste of time and money, and I wouldn’t wish this level of frustration on anyone. Avoid Clear Drafting at all costs!

Kariouk Architects

• Address: 179 George St #1204, Ottawa, ON K1N 1J8, Canada
• Map: Click here
• Rating: 5 (26)
• Phone: +1 613-562-2211
• Website: Link
• Opening hours:
  
  Monday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

  Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

  Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

  Thursday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

  Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

  Saturday: Closed

  Sunday: Closed
• Reviews:
  
  Mark Holmes✭✭✭✭✭

  2 months ago

  In September 2018, I and my wife Franca and her sister Sandra, met with Paul for the first time. Our hope was to build a back to front semi detached home on the lot where Sandra’s small bungalow stood in Hintonburg in Ottawa. The 3 of us hoped to build a home where we could age in place in a neighbourhood we loved and where we had lived, and hoped to live, for many years.

  Our home was finished in 2022 and we love it. Paul, Adam and Chris were extraordinary to work with and our home is wonderful. Almost everyone who walks by stops and admires the house.

  That said, I want to talk more about their humanity and excellence as human beings. Early in our journey with Kariouk Associates, Franca was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Paul and Adam and Chris were kind and supportive and looked for ways to make the design work better with Franca’s diagnosis. In the end, the house was a godsend for Franca.

  After an indomitable fight, Franca passed away in August of 2023. Paul and Adam (Chris was out of the country) attended her Celebration of Life and left a note letting me know they wanted to honour Franca in some way. Their idea was to laser cut into the surround of our fireplace a line from a poem I read at Franca’s celebration. What an incredible gesture.

  If you want a skilled and incredibly creative architect, hire Kariouk and Associates. If you want caring and empathetic human beings, double down on that.

  Anne Maheux✭✭✭✭✭

  3 years ago

  How lucky we were to find Paul and his team: professionals who are nice, smart and honest, with a sense of humour and love of animals—what more could one ask for when embarking on the design and birthing of a precious project?

  Paul was thoroughly invested in our plan to build the perfect little cottage on a modest budget. We worked together through many concepts and iterations, using drawings as well as models to develop what turned out to be a unique solution to our list of “must-haves”- especially a loft for our daughter. Chris Davis, one of the firm’s greatest assets, brought a welcome pragmatism to the table by helping to channel ideas into viable options with his easy, personable way. Building projects are rarely problem free and ours was no exception. Paul skillfully guided us over some challenging hurdles. We did not end up with the cottage we had envisioned, but with a superior jewel that speaks to the imagination, effort and energy of Paul and his team.

  Mike M✭✭✭✭✭

  3 years ago

  Paul is amazing and we are lucky that he was our architect, and now our friend. It was serendipity that brought my husband and I together with Paul; we live in Manhattan and found him in by searching for leading architects in Ottawa, which is close to our place in cottage country in the province of Quebec (see the “cross laminated timber (CLT) cottage”) on Paul’s website). From day one we just all understood each other. His design sensibility is incredible, and he personally took us through various design iterations before we settled on our chosen one. Given our back and forth life between NYC and Canada, Paul was always available, day and night, for us to ask questions, propose new innovations, and deal with inevitabilities that come up after construction started. He found us an amazing GC and Paul stayed with the project to the very end to make sure everything was perfect. The consummate psychologist, Paul’s honesty, candor and creativity led us to a very happy place. We love our CLT summer home and are so pleased with the material due to it’s sustainability, it’s amazing R factor (perfect temps in heat and cold because the house is so well sealed) and it’s design. I can’t speak highly enough of Paul and his team and for the vision that created our forever summer home.

  Patrick Stacey✭✭✭✭✭

  3 years ago

  We have completed two homes with Kariouk Architects, one in the Cayman Islands and the other in Caledon, Ontario. Our family first hired Kariouk to design a new home for us on Grand Cayman Island, which was not a beach home but rather a year-round canal-front home that is for full-time use by us and our three young children. They hit it out of the park, so we had them design our second home in Caledon.

  Building in Cayman is somewhat complicated even for a standard run-of-the-mill house, but we expected to multiply this by factors to successfully build a bespoke masterpiece that comes with the designs Chris and Paul come up with. Nearly everything needed to be shipped in, from the structure, to the complicated roof design, to the finishes. Further to that, usually decisions are made on the spot in person during the construction phase, but here not only did they have to perfectly time the shipment of materials from various overseas locations but also had to make construction decisions at a distance of almost 2,000 km away. All of this went off without a hitch. It speaks to Chris, Paul, and Adam going above and beyond in the projects they choose to participate in.

  Here we are now, about 2 months away from occupancy permit in our second Kariouk-designed home, and it’s during this COVID pandemic. Yet again, they still managed to hit it out of the park but with even more challenges such as managing pandemic restrictions. Previous to this, they managed the nuance of building in the Caribbean from a distance and accomplished it without a hitch, and now they are somehow managing the final most complicated stage of design during a world wide pandemic.

  They’ve provided us with equally, stunningly rich design for both our homes while maintaining our family design requirements and space needs. A real testament to the architects’ design skill and their commitment to originality. Given the amount of time we’ve worked together in these two projects, we’ve become friends through the process and even occasionally play some strategy games online together. That’s special.

  jeff d✭✭✭✭✭

  3 years ago

  When I approached Kariouk Architects about creating a home for me in the Niagara area, I thought it was a long shot given they were in Ottawa. It turns out that was not a challenge at all and, further, I found out really fast, as they got me to think beyond “starter home” thinking, that Kariouk Architects thrive on challenges. There were many issues that they had to deal with as we moved from design to construction, such as dealing with local zoning bylaws and the fact that Bower House (their own playful name for the design we developed) didn’t exactly fit into those local codes (or match much else in my area 😀). But every architectural and construction issue was handled extremely professionally and with a great attitude. The guys of this office are as smart as they are sincere, and they are just nice guys, which all counts for a lot when you’re building a home and making such a big personal and emotional investment.

  Thanks Kariouk Architects!

  Jeff

Moneca Kaiser Design Build

• Address: 254 Columbus Ave, Ottawa, ON K1K 1P6, Canada
• Map: Click here
• Rating: 4.7 (26)

A4 Architects

• Address: 1885 Rue Saint-Louis Suite 100, Gatineau, Quebec J8T 6G4, Canada
• Map: Click here
• Rating: 4.9 (20)

Hierarchy Development & Design Inc – Ottawa’s Custom Home Builder

• Address: 112 Royal Troon Ln, Dunrobin, ON K0A 1T0, Canada
• Map: Click here
• Rating: 4.8 (19)

Simmonds Architecture

• Address: 340 Catherine St, Ottawa, ON K1R 5T5, Canada
• Map: Click here
• Rating: 4.2 (14)

CSV Architects

• Address: 190 O’Connor St #100, Ottawa, ON K2P 2R3, Canada
• Map: Click here
• Rating: 4.7 (13)

Discover top consulting firms in various cities, like those mentioned in , to understand the dynamic business scene across Canada. These companies play a crucial role in shaping the vibrant business environment, positioning Ottawa–Gatineau, Ontario / Quebec, Canada as a center for strategic insights and cutting-edge solutions.

Top Architectural Design Firm Alternatives in Ottawa–Gatineau

Ottawa–Gatineau, the capital region of Canada, is home to several top architectural design firms known for their innovative and sustainable designs. Here are three popular firms that have made a mark in the region:

• WMW Architects: WMW Architects is a renowned Ottawa-based firm that focuses on creating environmentally responsible designs. They specialize in sustainable architecture, energy-efficient buildings, and the integration of natural elements into their designs. With a team of experienced architects and designers, they have successfully completed numerous projects, ranging from residential buildings to commercial spaces.
• CSV Architects: CSV Architects is an award-winning design firm located in Ottawa. They have a strong focus on creating functional and aesthetically pleasing spaces. CSV Architects offer comprehensive architectural services, including master planning, urban design, interior design, and sustainable design. With a commitment to client satisfaction and a collaborative approach, they have built a strong reputation in the region.
• GRAHAM Construction: While primarily known as a construction company, GRAHAM is also actively involved in architectural design projects. With a strong portfolio of successful projects, GRAHAM offers a full range of design-build services. Their architectural team works closely with clients to understand their needs and deliver innovative and cost-effective designs. GRAHAM’s vast experience and expertise in the construction industry give them a unique perspective when it comes to architectural design.

These three architectural design firms in Ottawa–Gatineau have proven their excellence in creating sustainable, functional, and visually appealing spaces. Whether you are looking to design a residential building, commercial space, or any other architectural project, these firms offer a wide range of services to cater to your needs. Collaborating with one of these firms will ensure that your project is in capable hands.

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