shim sutcliffe

hmm. all the ones on your list except KPMB are corporate outfits. only notable one missing from your list is zeidler partnership.

kasian is relatively new in town, they acquired a health care firm about a year ago as their entry into the toronto market.

KPMB obviously very well published, friend who worked there said they were very image conscious, you need to dress to look the part. helps to actually be a trendy fashionable person.

when you say good, what do you mean by that? security, benefits, pay, etc. only? if you mean good design, then holz. box has a pretty decent list.

if you want construction document experience, then look at adamson associates as well. they seem to do the CD's for everyone and anyone. from the petronas towers in kuala lumpur to the toronto airport.

Hey
Thanks for the answers.

What I meant by 'good'...

I consider firm culture important. You go there everyday, long hours. If people around you go 'fxxk' this and 'fxxk' that every other word, or they do not respect you as a person but a CAD machine (or a coloring / 3D modeling machine), or not have any interest in employees learning/promotion/personal growth opportunities...

Other than that, health and well being come next. I have had employers made you work till 12 or 1 am, with no overtime pay, in this dungeon cold winter night, in their warehouse starchitect office.

So going back to the list that holz.box have generously gave me,

what are their firm culture? Pay Overtime? Bonus/vacation? Learning/promotion/personal growth opportunities?

holz.box can you elaborate your answers a bit?

I'd really appreciate it.

i thought you were asking about good design firms in toronto.

these are the only ones i know of that aren't terrible. as for quality of work environment, couldn't tell ya.

i really like a few projects by kmpb but i dunno if i could ever wear all black or turtlenecks and blazers ever again...

google search also for the websites for:

stephen teeple architects

diamond schmitt architects

quadrangle

zeidler partnership


and offices that do other stuff including architecture...

bruce mau design

3rd uncle design

shim + sutcliffe seems small but extremely good in design. Love their work!!!
The next is KPMB for me.

... much about firms... now you gotta tell me how to get into them. I have only worked in one design firm, and other corporate firms. Shim will definitely ignore me...

My current portfolio only shows my responsibilities in large scale institutional projects. I'd have to be humble and say to these two, ' I don't know architecture at all'...

Do you think it's that hard to switch from large scale (uncontrollable) projects to small scale elegant projects like Shim?

washisn,

I've never worked at or looked to work at either of those firms, but IMHO, I think your large firm, large project experience will be valuable. It sounds like you have some solid knowledge there, and I think it's probably all about how you sell yourself in your portfolio and at your interview, and your cover letter...

I would customize your portolio and resume to show some strong design work, built, or from school as well... and use your extensive real project (although not necessarily design oriented practical experience) as text items rather than visuals. In your letter, articulate your goals, to work for a more design oriented office, and express your interest in taking your strong practical and techinical experience to a more design oriented office... Talk about your experience in detailing, construction knoweldge, but also your interest in detail oriented design...

At your interview, show your creative work, but also bring some construction sets and have some anecdotes that tell about your work experience actually getting things built. The construction documents afterall aren't about design, but more production experience... Describe the valuable lessons you've learned in your previous work, even if you are looking for a change and maybe a "step up" design wise... What were those uncontrollable aspects of the large scale projects, and what were some creative ways that you worked with those constraints?

Tell them that you "want to work on insipiring designs and at an office that makes you jump out of bed every morning to go to work"... Anyway, it's worth a shot!

Good luck!

I think if I were looking for a job, in Toronto or whereever, I wouldn't pick and choose who to apply to... I'd probably apply to all of them, every office that I thought was good or interesting...

Start at the top of your list, rather than at the bottom... build a system for sending out very professional applications, and don't limit yourself... No harm in trying for your top choices first, and then if you don't get anything, continue on to other options... But keep applying, because you never know, maybe you'll get some interviews, and who knows when they will get to your application... But make sure that whatever you send them is perfect... Put the effort in up front on your cover letters, resume, and work sample sheets so that anything you send is strong enough... Alot of people don't even bother applying because they assume that they don't have a chance, without even giving it a try... Who knows, you might get lucky and get a couple interviews...

timing doesn't hurt. and a bit of corporate isn't bad. i know several people that worked @ lame corporate jobs that are now living it up in starchitect firms and actually get to work on good projects.

brink - people seriously don't bother applying? at my office (small, non starchitect) we get like 40 resumes a day.

holz, I don't know... yeah it's tough, there is always going to be tough competition, but I think alot of it is timing and luck, not just how stacked your resume is... I think there are alot of people who throw in the towel way too early... maybe they send a resume once and then give up... I think job hunting is all about persistance... I think if you really are interested to work someplace, you should apply every 4 to 6 months, rework the resume and portfolio and apply again...

but there'll be alot of other lesser known firms in toronto that do good work...

check also the oaa job listings:

http://www.oaa.on.ca/client/oaa/OAAHome.nsf/web/Employment+Opportunities!OpenDocument

thanks! GOOD ADVICE GOOD ADVICE ! I'm new to the site. glad I got some help here.