now and then, can be fun. Making a
subtle detail work really well, to stand
out just right, makes a difference. On
the Orleans Veterinary Hospital, we
used a roman style brick. It might not
sound like much, but the very long,
thin, bricks help accentuate the de-
sign of the building and make it a bit
unique.”
“We like to work with local materials,
craftsmanship and skills to build on
the community around us, and reflect
who we are, as a culture. This is im-
portant locally, because Ottawa isn’t
Toronto, Vancouver or Thunder Bay;
its got its own culture, ideas and con-
text. But at a bigger scale, I’d like to
think that the buildings I design reflect
Canada as a whole, in some way, and
are reflective of both Canada, Ontario
and Ottawa.”
Dreessen advocates for a national ar-
chitecture policy “designed to suit the
society we want”. Apart from simply
achieving a vision for a client, Drees-
sen sees how architecture can impact
the entire community in various ways,
such as responding to natural disas-
ters, preserving farmland, innovating
materials and technology, developing
approaches to social justice and equi-
ty, fostering culture, increasing acces
Photo Credit - Miv Photography (2016)
APRIL 2018
H
business elite canada
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