Public architecture belongs to everyone.
Our Story
A lifetime happens in experiences: sharing meals, unfolding conversations, finding shelter, and forming community. Public Architecture creates space for those experiences to come together.
Our world has finite resources and immeasurable possibility. In the challenging economic landscape of 2008, our founders were drawn to the potential to drive change through meaningful public work.
We started PUBLIC to contribute simple solutions to complex environmental and affordability issues. From park amenities to residences to child care centres, every project is designed to harmonize with the environment and instill a deep sense of belonging.
Our job isn’t to dictate what the public realm should be. It’s to prioritize social dignity for future generations, and build for it now.
Our Approach
We treat buildings as emotional ecosystems. Our biophilic approach carefully considers the intimacy between people and the natural environment, keeping in mind future generations and how we can adapt to climate change.
Each challenge we are presented with is untangled with curiosity, care and optimism.
In our eyes, public architecture belongs to everyone—so every building we touch is designed to harmonize with nature, stand the test of time and advocate for social dignity.
Our Team
View All
Adrienne Young
Director of Design Technology
John Wall
Principal
Martina Caniglia
Senior Associate
Shane O’Neill
ASSOCIATE Principal, Design Director
Yiyi Zhou
Associate
Land Acknowledgment
Public Architecture is in the unceded, shared, current, and traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, and səlilwətaɬ Nations. Our firm brings together people from across the globe, each holding a unique relationship to these and other lands and waters.
Our role in reconciliation includes working with Indigenous architects, designers, and consultants, and engaging with Indigenous communities in the co-delivery of culturally appropriate housing, child care, and education spaces.
Our learning is ongoing. Our practice grows, and our understanding deepens, through our relationships with Indigenous communities and the lessons embedded here.
Awards & Press
Greater Purpose Awards—Innovative Partnership Award
VIENNA HOUSEWoodWorks BC Award
Kin Park Pavilion in Fort St. JohnWoodWorks Citation
'sʔitənəx Child Care at UBC OkanaganWoodWorks BC Award
'sʔitənəx Child Care at UBC OkanaganArchitecture Foundation Award for Design Excellence, Education
'sʔitənəx Child Care at UBC Okanagan