Team

DesignABLE Environments offers expertise through registered professionals in the areas of architecture, ergonomics and occupational therapy. This unique mix of backgrounds allows us to provide a thorough analysis of the functional/medical issues on any given project, as well as to provide input on the more traditional issues of project design and aesthetic.
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The members of DesignABLE Environments collectively have over sixty years of direct experience in the areas of barrier-free design and universal design.

Bob Topping
B.Arch, MRAIC, OAA — ARCHITECT, PRESIDENT

Bob Topping's email address
Bob Topping is a registered architect, licensed to practise in Ontario since 1983. He is a member of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada and the Ontario Association of Architects. Mr. Topping has been involved in the practice and teaching of architecture for over 25 years with a specialization in barrier-free and universal design. Mr. Topping is a member of the Canadian Standards Association Technical Committee for CSA Standard B651: Accessible design for the built environment. He is also a member of the National Building Code of Canada Use and Egress Committee (which oversees the accessibility provisions), and the Canadian Committee of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) for TC 59/SC16: Accessibility and Usability of the Built Environment. He also completes medical legal assessments with respect to barrier-free and universal design needs and associated costs.

Management responsibilities include: the oversight of projects from inception to completion; coordination of project teams; client liaison; project scheduling and cost control; and quality control.

Technical responsibilities include: universal design activities; project development; architectural design; graphic design and illustration; technical writing; facility auditing; and the development of accessibility standards. ​

Other responsibilities include the development and presentations of workshops and seminars on barrier-free and universal design, within Canada and internationally. Bob also teaches courses in universal design at both the college and university level.

Thea Kurdi
RAIC Affiliate, Dip. Arch. Tech. — ASSOCIATE, ACCESSIBILITY SPECIALIST

Thea Kurdi's email address
Thea Kurdi has over 15 years experience in applying her knowledge of barrier free design and universal design to architectural projects of varying size and complexity. She has also taught courses in universal design and sustainable design to design students at the Sheridan Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning.

Thea has undertaken many facility accessibility audits including the development of audit protocols and checklists, as well as the preparation of audit reports. She is highly proficient with drawing and illustration software including AutoCAD, VIZ, Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver and maintains her proficiency by teaching the latest version of AutoCAD to professionals at the Sheridan College's CAD/CAM Institute. Thea is also familiar in developing educational materials and resource information on accessibility for students and the design community at large.

Thea has been learning American Sign Language (ASL) since 2003 for both personal use with her infant son and to better understand the design needs of the deaf, deafened, and hard of hearing community.

Thea is registered with Global Alliance on Accessible Technologies and Environments (GAATES) and an affiliate member of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. She is also the host of the award-winning Accessibility Edge radio show, and a member of the RAIC’s Age Friendly Housing Task Force.

Thea has over 15 years of experience helping clients understand what accessibility means, how universal design is better design for everyone and how to achieve the Human Rights Code.

Thea has presented workshops and participated in conferences around the world educating professionals on universal design of the built environment, including at the Canadian Home Builders Association's conference in 2010 about accessible housing, TRANSED 2012 in India, and this year at IIDEX 2016 “How Smart Green Design Choices Create Accessible Spaces” and as a panellist for the National Accessibility Summit.

Ryan Bui
Dip. Arch. Tech. — ACCESSIBILITY SPECIALIST

Ryan Bui's email address
Ryan Bui joined our team in the fall of 2015 after graduating from Sheridan College's Architectural Technology program. Ryan has quickly developed knowledge in the barrier free and universal design focus over the past 3 years, working on a number of projects of varying size, scope, occupancy and complexity.

He has participated in drawing reviews, updating accessibility standards and illustrations. Ryan has become familiar with accessibility within light rail transportation systems; providing consultation to ensure accessibility considerations have been provided for persons with disabilities. He has also conducted multiple accessibility building audits and put together recommendation plans for various facilities across Ontario, including hospital facilities, government facilities, and educational institutions.

In addition to his work with DesignABLE Environments Inc., Ryan has a strong background in Revit modeling and drafting in AutoCAD through years of educational and work experience as well as with software packages including Photoshop, and InDesign along with the full suite of Microsoft Office products.

Sarah Libera
BSc., MPL — ACCESSIBILITY SPECIALIST

Sarah Libera's email address
Sarah Libera is the newest member of our team and a recent graduate of Queen’s University’s Master’s of Urban and Regional Planning. She joined our team in the summer of 2016. Sarah has participated in drawing reviews, updating accessibility standards, facility accessibility audits, and illustrations.

During her studies her focus was on inclusive, healthy community planning and she completed her master’s research on visitable social/affordable housing developments. She was the chair of Accessibility Queen’s and a former member of Kingston’s Municipal Accessibility Advisory Committee. Since joining DesignABLE Environments Inc., Sarah has participated in AFP projects as a member of the PDC Team, working on accessibility compliance review and reporting for proponent selection.

Mark Harris
Dip. Arch. Tech. — ACCESSIBILITY SPECIALIST

Mark Harris's email address
Mark Harris has over 10 years of experience in architectural design, with more than 5 years working in the barrier free and universal design focus, working on a number of projects of varying size, scope, occupancy and complexity. He also has over 15 years experience of creating various print and web based documents, including work on a number of design standards and guidelines.

Mark has undertaken a number of facility accessibility audits and drawing reviews including the development of audit/review protocols and checklists, and has aided in the development of a number of municipal and corporate standards, checklists, guides and manuals for universal and barrier free design and development.

Mark has many years of experience using industry standard drawing, illustration, publishing, 3D modeling and building information modeling (BIM) software packages including AutoCAD, Revit Architecture, VIZ, 3D Studio Max, Sketchup, Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere, and InDesign along with the full suite of Microsoft Office products. Mark maintains his proficiency by teaching the most up to date versions of AutoCAD and Revit Architecture at Sheridan College, Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning in Brampton, Ontario.

Creating truly accessible spaces

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Weekdays: 9am - 5pm

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905-278-0665

Email

information@designable.ca
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