Designing with Place, Purpose and Craft:

Designing with Place, Purpose and Craft: A Conversation with Omar Gandhi

Featured Guests: Omar Gandhi – Founder & Principal, Omar Gandhi Architects and Rajan Hira – Senior Principal & Registered Architect, Chow Hill Architects

Join Rajan Hira, Senior Principal and Registered Architect at Chow Hill Architects, as he sits down with internationally acclaimed Canadian architect Omar Gandhi, Founder and Principal of Omar Gandhi Architects.

Celebrating 15 years of practice, Omar reflects on the evolution of his award-winning studio, renowned for creating architecture that is deeply rooted in context, landscape, materiality, and human experience. From remote coastal homes and community buildings to civic and cultural projects across Canada, the United States, and the Caribbean, Omar shares insights into developing a distinctive architectural voice while remaining responsive to place.

The conversation explores the role of craft, timber, and regional vernacular in contemporary architecture, the importance of collaboration and community engagement, and how thoughtful design can create meaningful connections between people and their environments. Omar also discusses the challenges and opportunities of growing a practice across diverse geographies, fostering an inclusive studio culture, and advocating for a more equitable profession.

This episode offers valuable perspectives for architects, designers, and built environment professionals interested in creating architecture that balances innovation with authenticity, and ambition with responsibility.

Key Learning Outcomes:

• Understand how context informs design, including the influence of site, climate, landscape, and cultural history on architectural outcomes.
• Explore the role of materiality and craft in creating enduring, authentic, and environmentally responsive architecture.
• Recognise approaches to reinterpreting vernacular architecture, balancing local traditions with contemporary design thinking.
• Learn how collaboration and community engagement can strengthen project outcomes and create greater social and cultural value.
• Gain insights into practice leadership and growth, including maintaining a clear design ethos across diverse project types and geographic locations.
• Understand strategies for fostering equity and inclusion within architectural practice, particularly for women and professionals with young families.
• Reflect on the importance of developing a unique architectural voice while navigating economic, environmental, and professional constraints.
• Explore how architecture can contribute to community identity and wellbeing through thoughtful civic, cultural, and public projects.