Business Details
19 Years
experience
Your Trusted Architecture & Design Partner in Edmonton
Established in 2007, HSEA Architecture is a collaborative architecture and interior design firm rooted in Edmonton, Alberta. Our practice focuses on creating meaningful spaces through adaptive reuse, urban place-making, and infill development, serving clients across Western Canada. With a team of experienced architects, technologists, and designers, we prioritize client collaboration to transform visions into functional, enduring environments. Our portfolio spans automotive retail, institutional, residential, and recreational sectors, reflecting our commitment to solving complex challenges with innovative design.We maintain a nimble process while drawing inspiration from local contexts, ensuring projects resonate with communities. Over 17 years, we've grown while preserving our founding ethos of teamwork around a shared table, fostering mentorship and knowledge exchange. Our work extends beyond buildings to shaping urban edges and community hubs that enhance quality of life.
Services
Architecture
Interior Design
Adaptive Re-use
Urban Place-Making
Infill Development
Mixed-Use Development
Commercial Renovation
Residential Design
Historic Restoration
Community Hub Creation
Details
- Year established: 2007
Highlights and features
- We specialize in adaptive reuse projects with 17 years of experience transforming historic buildings.
- Our team maintains a collaborative design process centered on client vision realization.
- We serve diverse sectors including automotive retail, healthcare, residential, and institutional markets.
- Our Edmonton-based firm operates across Western Canada from British Columbia to Nunavut.
- We foster continuous mentorship through integrated project delivery phases for all team members.
Services
Architecture
HSEA Architecture provides comprehensive architectural services spanning commercial, residential, and institutional projects. Our approach combines functional requirements with aesthetic considerations to create spaces that enhance user experience. We specialize in new construction and adaptive reuse projects across Western Canada, maintaining structural integrity while incorporating modern design principles. Our architects collaborate closely with clients throughout the process to ensure final results align with vision and budget.
Interior Design
Our interior design team creates functional, aesthetically pleasing environments for commercial and residential spaces. We focus on optimizing layouts while maintaining brand identity and user comfort. Services include material selection, lighting design, and furniture specification tailored to each project's unique requirements. Our designs prioritize both form and function, creating spaces that support intended activities while reflecting client identity.
Adaptive Re-Use
Specializing in transforming historic structures, our adaptive reuse services preserve architectural heritage while meeting modern needs. We've revitalized buildings dating from 1911 to the 1960s across Alberta, integrating contemporary functionality with original character. Projects include converting telephone exchanges into retail hubs and railway substations into community facilities. Our approach maintains structural integrity while creating relevant, functional spaces for new purposes.
Urban Place-Making
HSEA Architecture's urban place-making focuses on creating vibrant, functional public spaces that foster community interaction. We design developments that activate urban edges and create gathering spaces, as demonstrated in projects like Oliver Exchange. Our approach considers pedestrian flow, accessibility, and environmental context to create destinations that enhance urban fabric. We prioritize designs that strengthen connections between buildings and their surrounding neighborhoods.
Infill Development
Our infill development expertise creates new value within existing urban frameworks. We design projects that respect neighborhood character while introducing contemporary solutions, such as the 4-storey St. Claire Mixed-Use Infill in Edmonton. Services include site analysis, zoning compliance, and contextual design to ensure new developments complement surrounding architecture. We specialize in maximizing land use efficiency while maintaining community continuity.
People
Ian Evans
Principal
Co-founder with 17 years of architectural experience, specializing in adaptive reuse projects that preserve historical integrity while meeting modern needs.
Daphne Macleod
Principal
Experienced architectural leader focusing on community-centric design solutions that enhance urban environments through thoughtful space planning and material selection.
Mark Tofsrud
Principal
Design expert with extensive portfolio in commercial and institutional projects, emphasizing functional spaces that balance aesthetics with practical requirements.
Soheil Ghazi-Zadeh
Principal
Specializes in complex renovations and new construction projects, bringing technical expertise to both historic preservation and contemporary design challenges.
Anne Hujber
Principal
Focuses on creating human-centered spaces that prioritize user experience through innovative design solutions across multiple building typologies.
Questions
What geographic areas do you serve?
While based in Edmonton, we work across Western Canada including Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and the northern territories.
What building types do you specialize in?
We handle diverse projects including automotive retail, healthcare facilities, residential developments, historic renovations, and mixed-use commercial spaces.
How do you approach adaptive reuse projects?
We preserve structural heritage while integrating modern functionality, as seen in our Crawford Block and Oliver Exchange transformations.
Can you handle both design and construction phases?
Yes, we provide full-service architecture from concept through construction, ensuring design intent is maintained throughout project delivery.
What makes your firm unique?
Our collaborative table-based approach fosters continuous mentorship and knowledge sharing across all project stages and team members.
