SvN Architects + Planners has recognized quality leadership in architecture, urban planning and urban design by naming Shonda Wang, Sony Rai and Liana Bresler new partners of the firm. This new leadership reinforces the firm’s reputation as one of the only design firms in Canada to provide integrated architecture, urban planning and urban design in one place.
“As leaders in housing and mobility, all of this design intelligence comes into play,” said Drew Sinclair, one of SvN’s founding partners, in a press release. “SvN works on difficult city building projects where there are no ready-made design solutions. With this new leadership, we are recognizing the people who are leading the design of our region’s most complicated sites.”
The firm, which is working in almost all major transit corridors of Toronto and the GTA, has a unique understanding of the private market and public interests. Some of SvN’s notable projects include the award-winning Six Points Interchange in Etobicoke, Dundas Connects and Hurontario LRT in Mississauga, Eglinton Connects, Toronto Port Lands Acceleration Initiative, Toronto’s Pan Am Athlete’s Village and various multi-unit residential projects in urban and suburban locations.
Shonda Wang, M.Sc, BSW, MCIP RPP, one of Canada’s leading urban designers, is critical to SvN’s mobility practice. Wang has over 15 years of experience working on large-scale urban regeneration projects with some of the continent’s largest engineering firms. Her expertise includes transit-oriented intensification and the creation of walkable communities with mobility infrastructure. Her work has earned SvN multiple local and national awards.
“We are in the best city and region to be practicing the integrated planning and design work that we do,” said Wang. “The majority of the growth anticipated will be from immigration, which means we need to be planning for diversity, whether it be housing, accessibility or mobility. Most of all, we need to be planning cities that empower people to choose where and how they want to live.”
Sony Rai, M.Arch, B.Env.D has led some of the firm’s most significant architectural projects. His work includes numerous academic projects in North America and multi-residential housing projects in the GTA. His work focuses on integrated housing innovation and includes the design of student residences, affordable rental and seniors housing. He also helps property owners through the process of retrofitting and intensification of mid-century tower communities.
Liana Bresler, M.Arch, BAS, OAA has an expertise in housing and urban renewal, and her work has been instrumental to the firm’s tower community projects. She focuses on leading infill developments, building retrofits and institutional projects on very complicated urban sites. Bresler’s passion for renewal as a form of sustainability has led her to become a leader on a range of private and public sector projects.
