Studio Jonah

Architecture · Design · Sustainability

 

 

What we do

We are an architecture firm in Toronto, Canada working in consultant relationships with various clients and organizations. 

Studio Jonah creates work that is responsive, thoughtful, and enduring.

Our team has the goal of:

• Helping individuals and organizations
• Defining their visions
• Solving problems and designing new spaces while being conscious of the existing surroundings. 

We work in Ontario, Canada and our Principal Architect has extensive experience working internationally, particularly in New York City, United States.  We welcome the opportunity to work with international clients. 

How we work

Since 2009, we have designed many different building types, some built, some stayed only as ideas, but all of them produced with the same rigour of Studio Design Principles.

How our service model works

With a clear scope of projects discussed at the start of projects, we aim to give clients value by precise, lump-sum fee service charges for each stage of projects.

We understand and adopt, “non-linear” design processes working with this adaptable approach to avoid confusion and budget overrun. With a small/ focused group of consultants, we connect directly with our clients and proactively plan for the successful completion of the projects. We provide value-oriented service.

 

 

Studio Jonah Design Principles

1. Emphasize Collaboration

Our collaboration starts with our clients.

With their aspirations, limitations, frustrations, our work begins; the best design work happens when all of us come together to challenge and search for the vision we can all inspire to. 

While proactively seeking communications at every step of the projects, we learn to understand the different views, which in turn helps to strengthen the project. This collaborative approach allows us to partner with our clients, consultants truly and focusing on delivering the successful result all of us can be part of. 

2. Think Big

It is not about the building size; rather, it is about the thinking size.  

We believe Sustainable Design should be accessible to everyone. Topics such as Reuse, Adaptability, Resilience are fundamental design guidelines that should be examined in every project. With this, all of us can broaden our thinking beyond our next project and recognize the value of future usage.  

Responsibly addressing environmental issues is another critical consideration to more than just the future of architecture. We put these significant issues into our design and ideas to create responsible projects.

3. Solve Problems

By seeking to understand the clients’ challenges, we learn to recognize problems and come up with solutions. We pride ourselves on our individualistic approach with each client, a process the client participates and is involved in each step.

4. Seek Simplicity

With an organized and streamlined design approach, we strive to develop objectives together to avoid unclear design. Unclear design can be conflicting design ideas, inspirations, and non-linear design development process. Our approach has always been to simplify and simplify some more.   

This approach allows buildings to capture their own identity and the spirit of its surroundings, resulting in responsive, comfortable and flexible architecture.   

5. Ask Why

We understand how to accomplish the client’s needs within the project budget and schedule by always asking WHY questions. With these probing questions, HOW part of the solutions reveals to us.  

We aim to empower our clients with an understanding of the importance of design and its impact on economic value over time. Asking “more with less” questions should be examined thoroughly at every stage, especially at the start of a project.