WHO WE ARE?
Formosis Architecture Inc. is a locally owned and operated boutique design firm conveniently located in Gastown. Our studio culture promotes a team based organizational structure – open concept, open ideas, a collaborative and supportive approach to our work.
Formosis builds on the principle of a desire to design meaningful places for people. In doing so, we endeavor to clearly understand and respond intelligently and responsibly to our client’s needs. Our approach is one of collaboration, bringing together various design disciplines, contractors, our clients and where feasible the end users and other stakeholders, to meet each project’s unique challenges with an open mind. We are ever mindful of the long-term impact of our work on the community it serves.
Deliberately boutique, deliberately selective in our client list, and deliberate in the people we choose to be a part of our team. Formosis’s work aims to create places – of all scales – that people are healthful and happy being in; places that leave a positive and lasting impact; that fulfils our need to connect with each other and our communities.
Tom has over thirty years of professional experience with an extensive background in commercial, residential, institutional and industrial architecture. He has a detailed understanding of Master Planning, modern design, and sustainable & energy efficient architecture and design. Tom, along with the rest of the Formosis team’s intimate experience working with almost every City, Municipality and District in the lower mainland is a great asset.
HOW WE WORK
Our work leverages our expertise in complex institutional, civic, commercial, recreational and mixed use projects to bring fresh ideas and an open mind to every project. We add complexity and richness through a multi-layered design approach, collaboration with stakeholders and a keen understanding of our client’s investment. Hands on, flexible design in a collaborative environment, we are an alternative to the trend toward the large multinational, multi discipline architectural firms. Our mid-size and extensive experience allow us to offer a direct hands-on approach, an ease of movement through the process and insures significant Principal involvement on all projects, at all stages.
The Formosis team brings a diverse skill set to each project. Our size allows us flexibility to adapt and adjust as necessary to bring our client’s vision to life. We employ various programs and project management techniques best suited to the job at hand and the people involved. We avoid over complicating the process by streamlining paperwork, and directly communicating with our clients. We use simple effective, recognizable tools to manage projects (Excel & Microsoft Projects), to design and collaborate (Sketch up, PowerPoint and Adobe), to produce construction documentation (AutoCAD & Revit), and to track the project during construction (Microsoft Projects & Excel). In doing so, the process remains transparent to our clients which allows them to be true collaborators.
ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE
At Formosis Architecture Inc., we employ a passive approach to environmental sustainability. We rely on our extensive experience with environmentally sustainable building; an integrated design process; and a passion for carefully considered passive design, to set-up the foundations for a sustainable project. If care is taken in the siting, massing and preliminary energy modeling of a project, great gains can be made with little added complexity or expense.
As the design and construction progresses, we build on these foundations; always looking to simplify and reduce. We are committed to the pursuit of a more passive, durable, flexible and healthful and beautiful project.
CULTURALLY SUSTAINABLE
Design of culturally sustainable places goes ‘hand in hand’ with environmental sustainability. Our approach to both is similar – passive, measured design, with attention to detail.
We pay attention to the details that allow for informal social interactions to happen naturally, passively. Every project begins with a vision for how it can extend beyond the functional requirements. Through investigations of scale, interconnectivity, demographics and opportunities for enhanced programming, we develop a framework from which we begin our design. This framework allows the architectural elements to readily support and contribute to a sustained public life and an authentic user experience rooted in the values, principles and real needs of our clients and their stakeholders.