Ones to Watch
Calgary architecture firm MODA works to bring meaning back to their craft.
Is it possible to have interesting and meaningful architecture that doesn’t break the bank? Ben Klumper and Dustin Couzens think so—it’s why the Calgarians founded Modern Office of Design and Architecture (MODA) in 2013. “Architecture often comes at the end of the conversation when a developer is starting a new project, but we want to create work where architecture comes first in that conversation,” says Klumper. Their holistic and creative approach is seen in their Junction 9 Yoga and Pilates studio in Inglewood: long vertical fir fins were designed to act as screens (allowing limited light to flow into the studio) while giving the building a dynamic topological feel for those passing by outside. The project earned them a 2015 Prairie Wood Design Award and a 2015 MUDA Award, steps, the team hopes, that will help educate the community about the value of architecture. “We enjoy the struggle of making something meaningful,” says Klumper.®