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    • Home
    • About
      • Approach
      • Principal
      • Credentials
      • Process
      • Contact
    • Services
      • Commercial Landlord Work
      • Industrial Owner Operator
      • Childcare Architecture
    • Project Types
  • Home
  • About
    • Approach
    • Principal
    • Credentials
    • Process
    • Contact
  • Services
    • Commercial Landlord Work
    • Industrial Owner Operator
    • Childcare Architecture
  • Project Types

Project Types

How to read this page

This page is organized by recurring project conditions rather than individual projects. Each section reflects a type of regulated situation that commonly arises in existing, operating commercial buildings.

Recurring Project Conditions

Jump to the condition that matches your building:


Base Building & Landlord Upgrades


Tenant-Driven Building Modifications


Change-of-Use & Regulatory Conversions


Licensed & Regulated Facilities


Code Compliance & Corrective Work


Exterior Site Improvements

Projects located in Ontario

Architecture For Regulated, Operating Commercial Buildings

Base Building & Landlord Upgrades

When This Arises

Operating Constraints

Operating Constraints

Triggered by tenant turnover, lease requirements, or planned reinvestment in existing commercial buildings. 

Operating Constraints

Operating Constraints

Operating Constraints

Work is carried out within occupied buildings and must align with ongoing operations and leasing schedules.

Typical Scope

Operating Constraints

Ontario Building Code requirements, accessibility standards, and coordination across multiple tenants and consultants.

Retail Plaza Renovations

Office Building Renovations

Rendering of a retail plaza at night with uniformly placed signage and illumination
Case Study

Office Building Renovations

Office Building Renovations

Office Building Renovations

Interior photo of an office building lobby looking out to the street through an all-glass facade
Case Study

Industrial Park Renovations

Office Building Renovations

Office Building Renovations

A rendering of a one story business plaza with beige masonry and warm grey stucco entry portals.
Case Study

Tenant-Driven Building Modifications

When This Arises

Operating Constraints

Operating Constraints

Triggered when tenant operational needs require physical changes that affect base‑building systems. 

Operating Constraints

Operating Constraints

Operating Constraints

Modifications must respect the boundary between tenant work and landlord responsibility.  

Typical Scope

Operating Constraints

Structure and building envelopes extend beyond the tenant space and require coordination with multiple parties.  

Storefront Changes

Stairs, Ramps & Elevators

Photo of a recently renovated tenant storefront and facade in an existing shopping centre

Stairs, Ramps & Elevators

Stairs, Ramps & Elevators

Stairs, Ramps & Elevators

Interior photo of an architectural stair in an office reception area

Roof Terraces & Amenities

Stairs, Ramps & Elevators

Stairs, Ramps & Elevators

A grey metal pergola with a corrugated metal panel fence and paver stones on the building's rooftop.

  

When Architecture Is A Prerequisite To Operating In An Existing Building

Back To Top

Change-of-Use & Regulatory Conversions

When This Arises

Operating Constraints

Operating Constraints

Triggered when a new occupancy, licensed use, or operational change is introduced into an existing building. 

Operating Constraints

Operating Constraints

Operating Constraints

Informed decisions early in the process can determine whether a project proceeds, is phased, or is abandoned. 

Typical Scope

Operating Constraints

A change of use can activate significant Building Code upgrades that directly affect feasibility.   

Apartment-to-Office Use

Apartment-to-Office Use

Photo of a modern clad low-rise building in an urban streetscape

Retail-to-Childcare Use

Apartment-to-Office Use

Retail-to-Childcare Use

Photo of a childcare centre with signage in a retail plaza
Case Study

Retail-to-Assembly Use

Apartment-to-Office Use

Retail-to-Childcare Use

A photo of an indoor play facility with colorful equipment, mirrors, and large windows.

Licensed & Regulated Facilities

When This Arises

Operating Constraints

Operating Constraints

Triggered by mandatory licensing requirements or inspection‑based approval processes. 

Operating Constraints

Operating Constraints

Operating Constraints

Licensing approval is dependent on successful compliance planning and complete documentation.   

Typical Scope

Operating Constraints

Regulatory standards are prescriptive and leave little room for interpretation relative to existing building conditions.  

Assembly Occupancies

Regulated Industrial Facilities

A rendering of a restaurant in the evening with an illuminated stair leading up to a mezzanine bar.

Licensed Childcare Centres

Regulated Industrial Facilities

Regulated Industrial Facilities

Exterior photo of a childcare centre's outdoor play area with fencing at a church property
Case Study

Regulated Industrial Facilities

Regulated Industrial Facilities

Regulated Industrial Facilities

Interior photo of an industrial, pharmaceutical fulfillment centre including processing equipment

  

When Building Code Compliance Affects Your Daily Operations

Back To Top

Code Compliance & Corrective Work

When This Arises

Operating Constraints

Operating Constraints

Triggered by inspection findings, Orders to Comply, or the identification of non‑conforming existing conditions. 

Operating Constraints

Operating Constraints

Operating Constraints

Existing conditions frequently constrain corrective options and require practical judgment. 

Typical Scope

Operating Constraints

Regulatory requirements define the scope, leaving limited flexibility in how issues can be addressed.  

Suite Demising & Fire Separations

Suite Demising & Fire Separations

Photo of a vacant warehouse space with a demising wall labelled 36-ft high and 60 m long

Egress & Exit Facilities

Suite Demising & Fire Separations

Mezzanines & Building Systems

Photo of a metal industrial stair up to an exit door in an occupied warehouse space

Mezzanines & Building Systems

Suite Demising & Fire Separations

Mezzanines & Building Systems

A interior photo of an unfinished commercial building with mezzanine and concrete columns.

Exterior Site Improvements

When This Arises

Operating Constraints

Operating Constraints

Triggered by accessibility requirements, servicing needs, or site‑related operational issues. 

Operating Constraints

Operating Constraints

Operating Constraints

Changes can affect access, circulation, and tenant operations, even when scope appears limited.  

Typical Scope

Operating Constraints

Exterior work must coordinate building code requirements with municipal and site regulations.  

Accessible Parking & Paths

Loading Areas & Service Doors

Exterior photo of a curb ramp leading to a store entrance at a shopping centre

Loading Areas & Service Doors

Loading Areas & Service Doors

Loading Areas & Service Doors

Photo of a warehouse building with a drive-up truck ramp and large service doors

  

Vehicle Access & Repair Areas

Loading Areas & Service Doors

Loading Areas & Service Doors

An airplane inside an aircraft hangar.

  

Over 175 Building Permits Received Since 2017

Related Pages

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Services for Commercial Property ManagersServices for Industrial Owner-OperatorsServices for Childcare OperatorsProcessContact

Nicholas laid out each detail with a voluminous quantity of notes. With information well coordinated and profusely designed, contractors were able to see intricate details most project architects and designers take little time and effort to explain.


Mark S., Project Architect at a global architecture firm


Information on this site describes typical outcomes based on experience.

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