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@designable.ca, Bob Topping's telephone number: 905-278-0665, extention 2
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 30 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 has also taught courses in universal design at both the college and university level.

Thea Kurdi
RAIC Affiliate, Dip. Arch. Tech. — ACCESSIBILITY SPECIALIST, VICE PRESIDENT
Certified Professional in Accessible Built Environments (CPABE) - Level II Advanced (IAAP)

Thea Kurdi's email address: thea.kurdi@designable.ca, Thea Kurdi's telephone number: 905-278-0665, extention 3
Thea Kurdi has over 19 years of experience specializing in barrier-free and universal design for architectural projects of varying size and complexity. Thea has been an educator for her entire career, both with clients and for location and international conferences, but also with part-time teaching at Sheridan College where she taught AutoCAD, REVIT, Architectural History, Sustainable Design and Universal Design. She is frequently a guest speaker at lectures for design students, including at Waterloo School of Architecture, Ryerson University School of Architecture and George Brown College Interior Design.

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, and Dreamweaver. Thea has developed many different 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 when her son was an infant 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 is an affiliate member of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC). She was 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 focused her career on helping clients understand what usable 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 2018 Universal Design Conferences in Auckland, New Zealand and Brisbane, Australia presenting “Living in Place – Universal and Accessible Design, at the 6th Universal Design Conference in Seoul, Korea presenting “Designing for the Future – Universal Design in Urban Planning”, at IIDEX 2016 presenting “How Smart Green Design Choices Create Accessible Spaces”, at TRANSED 2012 in India, at the Canadian Home Builders Association's conference in 2010 presenting about accessible housing, and as a panellist for the National Accessibility Summit.

Ryan Bui
Dip. Arch. Tech. — ACCESSIBILITY SPECIALIST
Certified Professional in Accessible Built Environments (CPABE) - Level II Advanced (IAAP)

Ryan Bui's email address: ryan.bui@designable.ca, Ryan Bui's telephone number: 905-278-0665, extention 4
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 5 years, working on a number of projects of varying size, scope, occupancy, and complexity.

He has participated in drawing reviews and updated 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 modelling 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.

Velanie George
B. Des. — INTERMEDIATE ACCESSIBILITY SPECIALIST
Certified Professional in Accessible Built Environments (CPABE) - Level I Associate (IAAP)

Velanie George's email address: velanie.george@designable.ca, Velanie's telephone number: 905-278-0665, extention 5
Velanie George's knowledge and interest in accessibility stems from her studies as part of OCAD University's Environmental Design program. She is passionate about helping people make meaningful connections with others and the world around them and believes that accessible and inclusive design greatly help to achieve this goal.

She has worked on drawing reviews, course development, illustrations for accessibility standards, research reports, and helped facilitate Accessibility Advisory Group meetings through her work at DesignABLE Environments Inc.

Velanie is experienced in using a number of design programs and software, including AutoCAD, SketchUp, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Microsoft Office, Bluebeam Revu, and Premiere Pro.

Mark Harris
Dip. Arch. Tech. — ACCESSIBILITY SPECIALIST
Certified Professional in Accessible Built Environments (CPABE) - Level II Advanced (IAAP)

Mark Harris's email address: mark.harris@designable.ca, Mark Harris's telephone number: 905-278-0665, extention 6
Mark Harris has over 15 years of experience in architectural design, with more than 9 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 20 years of 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 modelling and building information modelling (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.

Samreen Sandhu
Dip. Arch. Tech. — JUNIOR ACCESSIBILITY SPECIALIST
Certified Professional in Accessible Built Environments (CPABE) - Level I Associate (IAAP)

Samreen Sandhu's email address: samreen.sandhu@designable.ca, Samreen Sandhu's telephone number: 905-278-0665, extention 7
Samreen Sandhu joined our team in the summer of 2018. She is a recent graduate of Sheridan College’s Architectural program. Samreen is passionate about equal rights for all and believes that an accessible and inclusive built environment is the first step forward.

Since joining DesignABLE Environments Inc., she has participated in drawing reviews, updated accessibility standards and illustrations, and completed facility accessibility audits. She also has a keen interest in accessible and affordable housing.

Samreen is well versed in several design programs and software, including AutoCAD, Revit, SketchUp, Lumion and Bluebeam.

Creating truly accessible spaces

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Hours

Weekdays: 9am - 5pm

Telephone

905-278-0665

Email

information@designable.ca
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