DESIGN Power couple’s architecture honoured
How couple behind Project1 Studio came to be GOHBA’s designer of the year
For many months, architects Ryan Koolwine and Danielle Powell spent their evenings and weekends working tirelessly on freelance projects or chasing potential clients.
Late nights became early mornings and in between caring for their young children and working “day jobs” the tenacious pair spent hours making cold calls, following up on warm leads and fighting to win bids on upcoming projects.
After about nine months, the part-time work warranted a fulltime effort. So they quit their day jobs, crossed their fingers and “jumped in,” said Koolwine.
Together they founded Project1 Studio, an architectural practice with a diverse portfolio in urban infill, multi-unit residential, commercial and interior fit-up projects.
While they have been working under Project1 for almost a decade, they officially opened the firm’s doors in August 2016.
This year, Project1 Studio was named designer of the year at the Greater Ottawa Home Builders’ Association annual Housing Design Awards, where they also won in a renovation category with Novera Homes. Their offices are nestled in the upstairs of a modest commercial building in the ByWard Market on the corner of Dalhousie and St. Patrick streets.
In a conference room adjacent to their open-concept office space, the two sat side by side, often finishing each other’s sentences and laughing as they reminisced on the events that led to their success.
“It was amazing when they called our name,” said Koolwine.
“Getting to this point has been a culmination of a lot of long hours and working late into the night over many years. There’s a sense of fulfilment or validation from all the hard work we’ve put into this.”
Their firm has grown to six employees and an office dog named Scully, after the popular X-Files character. A few of their featured projects include the 6,000-squarefoot Disalvo Sports store on Bank Street; the Bevan Avenue residences in Westboro; a six-storey boutique condominium development called the Parkdale Market Lofts; and a renovation on Soper Place in the affluent Rockcliffe Park neighbourhood.
The couple met in 2002 at Carleton University while pursuing their undergraduate degrees in architecture. Koolwine remembers making a joke during one of their first lectures, which Powell “shot down.” She said she doesn’t remember it.
But they were quick to become friends after sitting next to each other in studio. “She was unlike anybody I had ever met before,” Koolwine said with a smile.
Flash forward a few years and they began dating. They now have three children together — two sons and a daughter. After graduation, the duo spent time in Ottawa and Toronto. Koolwine worked at HOK, Quadrangle Architects and Chmiel Architects and Powell at ICI Group, Chmiel Architects and Taylor Smyth Architects.
Both agree that Toronto heavily influenced their outlook on the industry and building a business. Powell said the bummer in Ottawa is its “old-school seniority.”
“You work, you pay your dues, you put your head down, and after a couple years you might get to do some other stuff, whereas in Toronto it was much more free. You could take a shot at anything,” she said.
When they opened the doors to Project1 they wanted to challenge tradition, to encourage their employees to think differently and experiment with innovative and fresh ideas, like Passive House design, green building and new technologies.
That’s why they decided on the name Project1, which refers to someone’s very first commission.
“It’s not just a cliché. We think it’s interesting the type of energy you bring to your first project where you are committed to doing something really unique and really special. We don’t want that feeling to go away,” said Koolwine.
The firm’s philosophy helps encourage this type of creativity. “We believe in the value of an open mind. We believe that the quality of the built environment has a profound impact on how we live our lives. We believe in crafting thoughtful projects that are beautiful, efficient and challenge the status quo,” it states.
One project they are proud of is a cottage built on White Lake about 60 kilometres west of Ottawa. It was one of their first projects and GOHBA nominations, a blank slate, built on an empty lot where the owners used to camp. Originally, the clients opted for a traditional A-frame home, but Koolwine and Powell offered an alternate idea — one the client fell in love with instantly.
It’s modern with a sloped roof. They used the property’s trees as a guiding tool to divide the home into public and private spaces. One side with large, glass windows and the other with smaller windows and a loft. It features water-harvesting strategies and is powered through the use of photo-voltaic cells.
Although Project1 is relatively new to the scene, they have already positioned themselves as a respected leader in the industry, but they have no interest in being dubbed the best or biggest.
“I don’t want to feel like we are better than, I want to be different than,” said Powell.
They are clear and determined in their vision. They want to continuously improve the work they are doing, foster relationships with clients who share their vision and push the boundaries for design in Ottawa.
“It’s important to recognize how many good, up-and-coming firms there are in the city. I think it’s really fun to be part of that mix,” said Powell.
“It’s the next wave of talent.”