Founded by three young, award-winning Canadian architecture interns, Maurice Martel, Maxime Moreau, and Darrel Ronald, Open Form Architecture defines an architecture practice as a satellite studio wherein partners join together to work on projects, competitions and exhibitions. The team joins designers working in different cities, even different countries: Montréal (CA), Los Angeles (US) and Rotterdam (NL).
OFA seeks to define a new practice of contemporary architecture based on complex tools such as scripting, generative algorithms, bio-mimetic software and associative design in order to arrive at a non-standard practice wherein the formal investigations are endless, open forms.
As of January 2008 the designers will reconverge in Montréal in order to devote greater time and energy to the office itself. With years of experience internationally, the office has at a unique position in the Canadian architecture environment in that it has experienced multiple international perspectives with which to approach the process of design in Canada. The offices aims to create an office that will influence the debate of architecture both at home and abroad.
Concept Development
Architectural Design
Construction Drawings
Construction Surveillance
Publication Material
Masterplanning
Urban Design
We hope to work for clients that are ambitious and visionary, and that have a desire to improve the world around us. We are equally excited to work in both the private and public sectors, and adapt our services to meet the needs of the client.
The Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec (CA)
Pavilion Projects (CA)
Canadian Centre for Architecture - Montréal (CA)
Stichting Kunsteiland - Rotterdam (NL)
International Architecture Biennale Ljubljana - Ljubljana (SI)
Shinkenchiku-sha, Co. - Tokyo (JP)
Planning, Property and Development Department of Winnipeg - Winnipeg (CA)
Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (US)
Université de Montréal - Montréal (CA)
Solidere S.A.L. - Beirut (LB)
Théâtre du Vieux-Terrebonne - Terrebonne (CA)
La Bibliothèque municipale de Châteauguay - Châteauguay (CA)
Abbaye Cistercienne d'Oka - Oka (CA)
Musée Huron-Wendat - Wendat (CA)
Construction Boca, Inc. - Montréal (CA)
The White Family - Montréal (CA)
Montréal is for us Canada's most inspiring creative city, and the best city within which to practice architecture. OFA aims to establish their office in Montréal but contribute to the architectural debate across Canada. We dislike the Canadian attitude that architects should stay put in their own city and province.
The future of Canadian architecture is in connecting with the larger architectural debate across the globe. But this is more than designing projects in China or India, but actually engaging in the design discourse, teaching and theory as well as practice.
The whole world is in a desperate search for talent. Who can respond to the complex tasks of creating our future complex world? It requires inspired leadership, intellectual stamina and responsibility. It requires a humble attitude but also boldness of thinking and daring risk-taking. Talent is passionate, angry and aggressive.
Knowledge of both the past and present merge when it comes to skills. Technical skills are usually past from master to apprentice, and are acquired with time and dedication. Know-how, or Savoir faire begins with attention to detail, pride of craft, and continued investigation. It ends with reflection on process, innovation of technique, and the development of new methods. This applies to design thinking, software techniques, construction methods, and so forth. Design is a form of research and innovation, and our approach is to use each project to think and rethink our "ways of doing".
It is a futile to practice with nostalgia for the aesthetic past, for cultural protectionism, for regressive architectural and urban design. One must study and analyse new social patterns, economic trends and cultural trends, and design accordingly. Moreover, design must go beyond the present and predict future lifestyles and design for the unknown.
Architecture is foremost the offering of services, and OFA devotes great attention to offering excellent services in terms of design aesthetics, technical skills, rigorous thinking and quality of representation. We see a task in communicating between professionals and non-professionals as well and between professional disciplines. Our office is based upon quality of process and product between the client and designer.
Canadian society knows little of architectural and urban theory and history. We need to promote design in order to create the most beautiful country to live in. Our public infrastructure (schools, sports arenas, transport infrastructure, etc.) is a teaching device for good design and the whole country should strive for excellence in design, using public projects to teach our society about excellence. Our goal should be world leaders, not followers.
There is no better way to stimulate dialogue, share tacit skills, get inspired, and remain young than to teach. One of the strengths of the Canadian architectural profession is the attitude towards mentorship.