PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Paul Backewich Architect/ April 2014 - Present / Principal, sole proprietor

Bird House Cottage / Blake Boultbee Youth Outreach Services addition + renovation / Vine Avenue Addition / Office upgrades / Farms Road Barn + Garage / Multi-unit residential Addition / Kitchener, ON Residence complete renovation / Grand River House re-design / Dearbourne Avenue complete renovation / Langley Avenue addition

WZMH Architects / July 2018 - April 2021 / Associate, Senior Designer

Buffalo Run mixed-use development with Tsuut'ina First nations / Various multi-unit residential complex designs / Lawrence venue mixed-use design studies / Masterplanning / Promenade Mall Renovation

ABBARCH Architecture / June 2016 - July 2018 

Hired to lead the design initiatives in the Toronto office, working closely with the Principals and Marketing while supporting design projects in our Vancouver office

dkstudio architects inc / Apr 2014 – May 2016 / Director

GLOW restaurant re-design / Las Vegas Hotel Complex / Durham Live Master Mixed-Use Master Plan + Design / Guam Greyhound Mixed-Use Master Plan + Design / Treehouse Urban Townhomes, AOR / Luxury retailers Prada, CHANEL, Wolfords / Custom home renovations

DIALOG (formerly Cohos Evamy) / Apr 2008 – Mar 2014 / Associate

Commerce Court redevelopment (invited design competition) / Explorer Hotel expansion, Yellowknife / Barber Mill Hotel complex, Georgetown / Sherway Gardens expansion / Cedarbrae Mall revitalization / RBC Design Standards + Retail by Design / Design support for Creative Services with numerous proposals/ PenEquity Centrum redevelopments throughout Ontario

NORR Architects / Aug 2007 – Apr 2008 / Design Architect

Hamilton City Hall renovations / Union Station redevelopment

PELLOW + ASSOCIATES Architects / Feb 2005 – Aug 2007 / Associate

Shops at Don Mills Planning / Faubourg Boisbriand outdoor lifestyle centre, Ste. Therese PQ / Conestoga Mall redevelopment, Waterloo / New HBC Bay store prototype, Waterloo / Old Navy prototype, Waterloo /

Mapleview Centre, Burlington

YOUNG + WRIGHT Architects / Aug 1999 – Feb 2005 / Associate

State Farm Canadian Head Office / U of Guelph New Science Complex / Motorola Canadian Head Office / various CIBC branches / AMC cinemas / Peace Bridge Plaza

ADAMSON Associates Architects / Aug 1997 – Aug 1999 / Intern Architect

Office towers (Kolter Properties) / Polus Centre Mall, Bratislava

DIAMOND + SCHMITT Architects / Sep 1995 – Aug 1997 / Intern Architect

U of T Grad House / Baycrest Seniors Residence addition + upgrade

REM KOOLHAAS / May 1994 – Sep 1995 / Designer / illustrator

New project illustrations for OMA Book: SMLXL

BRUCE MAU DESIGN / May 1994 – Sep 1995 / Designer / illustrator

AGO OH! CANADA exhibition / Frank Gehry book design

MONTGOMERY + SISAM Architects / 1989 + 1991 Co-op / Student architect

Belmont House seniors residence / RBC retrofits

ROBBIE YOUNG+ WRIGHT Architects / 1988 Co-op / student architect

Queen’s University bioscience / University of Guelph Science

CANADA SAFEWAY FOODS:

Design + Construction dept. - designing renovations + new builds throughout Ontario

 

EDUCATION

University of Waterloo                           Sep 1990 - Aug 1992             Bachelor of Architecture                    

University of Waterloo                           Sep 1986 - Dec 1990             Bachelor of Environmental Studies             

Ryerson Polytechnic Institute                    Jan 1982 - Dec 1983             Arch Tech Certificate       

 

MEMBERSHIPS

OAA Ontario Association of Architects

RAIC Royal Architectural Institute of Canada

TSA Toronto Society of Architects (former member of Executive)

RDI Retail Design Institute Toronto

 

SKILLS

Idea generation / client engagement / visualization / hand sketching + drawing / model building / construction detailing / AutoCAD / consultant management / retail design / working knowledge of OBC / considered mentor / project architect / strong interpersonal skills / team player / excellent organization and time management skills / adept + fair critic / strong communication skills - oral and written and graphic / excellent presentation skills / in-depth research abilities / adept at full Adobe CS6 suite + MS Office / photography / hand rendering /  digital rendering /

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COMMUNITY         

Mentor: Active mentor with the OAA and ongoing within numerous office cultures

Drawing instruction + lecturer: Generate drawing / sketch classes with firms where I have been employed

Jane’s Walk: Creator and leader of a Jane’s Walk 2012-2014

Master Planner: Withrow Avenue Public School annual Fun Fair