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COMMUNITY–BASED DESIGN
Barr Ryder
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It is institutional and municipal buildings of all kinds that the Canadian firm Barr Ryder specializes in, assessing the specific needs and fabric of the communities they serve.
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Barr Ryder: Canadian Company a
that thrives on community-based design. by Rebecca Rodriguez
For Barr Ryder Architects & Interior Designers building municipal projects is about taking into consideration the specific needs and fabric of each community. “It’s not just about designing a building, but enhancing a lifestyle,” said Steven Bushnell, one of the partners. For this 30-year-old company based in Edmonton, Canada, institutional and municipal buildings of all kinds are their primary focus. The company also designs recreational centers, libraries, 4 Construction Leaders Today
hospitals, restaurants, casinos, and schools. And they are prepared to take on projects of any scale. In North Battleford, Saskatchewan, the company is creating a multiplex of four individual buildings centered around a vibrant civic plaza. There’s a theater that seats 350, a curling rink, a field house with an upperlevel running and walking track, and an aquatics center with water slides, wave pool, and six-lane competitive pool. A possibility of an ice rink or outdoor
theater is being discussed for the civic plaza. “In this case, interactive urban space is incorporated into our design,” Bushnell said. The company has built a solid reputation as being one of Alberta’s leading architectural practices. “It’s about service and good architecture. We assure that our clients are satisfied first and foremost,” he said. Barr Ryder is currently working with the Alberta government to design and construct 18 core schools in Calgary
1. Trans Alta Tri-Leisure Centre, Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada Photo courtesy of Barr Ryder Architects & Interior Designers. 2. P3 School, Edmonton/ Calgary, Alberta, Canada Photo courtesy of Barr Ryder Architects & Interior Designers.
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and Edmonton known as the Alberta Schools Alternative Procurement (ASAP). The schools are state-ofthe-art and are being built through a public-private partnership. As a second phase to the project the company will continue to assist the Alberta Government in the construction of 10 more core schools, plus three new core high schools. The first phase of the core schools was a $370 million construction contract for Barr Ryder. The company carries out business in British Columbia, Northwest Territory, Alberta, and Saskatchewan. “The schools are a big part of what we’re doing today. We’re a mediumsized office of 23 and the ongoing mix of institutional work keeps us current,” Bushnell said. Bushnell is co-partner with Jim Carey and works with two other associates and a mix of professional staff. The entire team puts customer satisfaction at the forefront of their business. Two to three days out of the week partners or associates travel to different project locations. “We’re hands-on and we’re on the road a lot. But there’s a commitment you
make. If a client instructs something to happen, it gets done,” Bushnell said, adding that there is one point of contact in the office for each client. Sustainable design is something the company is also dedicated to. All the core schools in the ASAP project are rated LEED silver. The company has 34 LEED projects currently in the works and has fulltime LEED professionals on staff. “Stainability has been important to us for the past thirty years. It reflects good design,” Bushnell said. Many clients, especially municipalities mandate LEED silver building, so the company is wellpracticed at what it does. The generated savings of sustainable design are always attractive to clients. “It’s not always immediate,” Bushnell said. “The payback can take up to seven years.” Barr Ryder has received numerous awards over the years for their work, including the recent 2009 Woodworkers’ Award for best institutional building for a 25,000 sq. ft. library in Edmonton. Another was from the Consulting
3. Lois Hole Library, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Photo courtesy of Barr Ryder Architects & Interior Designers.
Engineers of Alberta who awarded the “Technology Innovation Award of Merit” for the Edmonton International Airport redevelopment. The company provides a full range of planning, design and technical consulting services, including expertise in the field of building construction and technology research. It takes part in code reviews. “As an example, we’ve been involved in a number of school evaluations where architects and engineers are brought in to evaluate the conditions of a school,” Bushnell said. “We have also done a variety of other existing building evaluations as part of additional services offered by the firm.” Interior design services are also offered and professionals are employed by the company. The company provides full services ranging from interior layouts to furniture selection. Bar Ryder will take on projects of all sizes and have a number of repeat clients. “We want to take on projects that are appropriate and where our services best meet the needs of the client,” Bushnell said. “Client satisfaction is important. We’re a service industry. Summer 2010 5
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4. 2007 Jeus Du Canada Games Centre, White Horse, Yukon. Photo courtesy of Barr Ryder Architects & Interior Designers.
CHANDOS CONSTRUCTION Since 1980, Chandos Construction Ltd. has offered a full range of client focused construction solutions to both the private and public sectors. Chandos’ success and reputation is built upon lasting relationships and a team approach that delivers results. Chandos is 100% employee owned which has enabled us to successfully attract highly motivated professionals with proven track records in all aspects of the construction and
Market competition is stiff and they need to come back to us.” The recession has had an impact on business. Nowadays more than 40 companies might be competing on the proposal for a project, where as two years ago there were only four or five competitors, he said. “Everybody is struggling at the moment. In our sector the municipalities are just not getting funded,” Bushnell said sighting government deficits. “No one’s doing a lot of $140 million projects right now. They’re scaling down.” Around the beginning of 2010 business started to slow down, but Bushnell sees business picking up in early 2011. And looking down the road he sees satisfaction in where the firm is. “We’re in a comfortable and practical position,” he said, adding that growing the business geographically or in terms of services was not in his sights. It’s that consistency of service and varied offerings that keep Barr Ryder at the helm of its industry. CLT Summer 2010 7
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