open and flexible and interested in what
other people at the table have to say. That
goes a long way and people appreciate
that,” Cray added.
Reputation plays a large role in the com-
pany’s success. Toronto’s interior design
industry is immense, housing a plethora
of designers, and the trade is only becom-
ing more expansive as infrastructure con-
struction continues to soar. Consequently,
the competition is fierce. Many design-
ers, who initially were not interested or
involved in the condominium business,
have jumped on the bandwagon, thereby
increasing competition even more.
The U31 team is another important com-
ponent fueling the company’s growth. The
20 employees at U31 come from varying
degrees of experience, ranging from in-
dustry veterans to junior designers, and
the partners conduct business by encour-
aging autonomy, which contributes to the
final vision. “We really rely on our design-
ers. We guide them as opposed to telling
them what to do,” Cray said.
“We face similar challenges as other
businesses. It’s about working with the
right people. When you find great peo-
ple, whether these are fellow colleagues,
contractors, artists or specialty suppliers,
you do what’s necessary to hold on to
them. We could do the best set of draw-
ings known to man, but if the contractor
doesn’t respect the vision, it doesn't make
a difference,” Jonsohn added.
a mid to high-rise building, but it’s still a
ay, creative principal
THE CRAFTSMAN | PARTY
ROOM VR
BY ADHOC STUDIO
THE CRAFTSMAN | MODEL SUITE
JAC JACOBSON PHOTOGRAPHY
SEPTEMBER 2016
H
business elite canada
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