Founded in 2005, david premi Architect inc (dp.Ai) is a young, growing, and energetic full service architectural practice with a strong focus on sustainable design. Project types and sizes are diverse and located throughout the greater Golden Horseshoe. dp.Ai is a member firm of the Canada Green Building Council.

Our team is young, talented, ambitious and enthusiastic, resulting in attentive and unparalleled service to all of our clients. Please contact us for a list of reference contacts who would be happy to relate their recent experiences.

david premi Architect inc has in house capabilities to efficiently provide service on a wide variety of small to mid-sized projects. We are also aligned with a number of larger strategic partners with whom we collaborate regularly, allowing us to welcome larger commissions.

Approach

Architecture is often perceived as a mysterious, complicated, and inaccessible process. It is our job to demystify the process so that is can be accessible to diverse participants. Content comes from the Users of a facility, and therefore meaningful participation is always desireable.  We believe that the public should be involved in the architectural process. Citizens should engage and participate in the development of the built environment that affects their lives so profoundly. To this end we:

• Employ a highly participatory approach to design, whereby Users are invited to actually participate in the design of the buildings. Experience tells us that this fosters a genuine investment in the process, resulting in better and more meaningful results. We offer ourselves as listeners and facilitators rather than capital “D” designers.
  

• Offer this website as a resource to the public. More than an advertisement for our services, the site was developed on a Social Media platform as a resource for the public at large. We believe that in order for the public to be meaningfully engaged, public education is essential. Please subscribe to our RSS newsfeed, and you can be kept current with local and international issues related to Urban Renewal, Architecture and Design, Sustainable Design and Construction, and more. The website is updated regularly.
• Are located at 28 King Street East, in a second floor storefront facing Gore Park in Hamilton’s Core. We feel our presence in the centre of the City’s core is important, so that people can see us as participants in downtown renewal. We invest real dollars in our offices and in the downtown shops and restaurants because we believe that a healthy and prosperous core is paramount to a healthy city.
• Our office is a service centre open to the public. We understand the process of design and construction, and can help navigate the way through what often seems to be an overwhelming undertaking. Like any other downtown shop, we are open for business, so please stop in and visit, if only to see our current exhibit of local artist’s work. We are here to help.

Sustainability

It’s no secret that the planet is experiencing unprecedented climate changes, and that human activity is responsible for it. What is less well known is that the design, construction, and operation of the built environment is responsible for up to 50% of global carbon emissions. Clearly it is our responsibility as architects to play a leading role. Please explore the links on the “Resources” page to learn more.

In addition to reducing resource consumption and carbon emissions, we also know a lot about how to improve indoor environmental quality to help make inhabitants healthier and more productive. Beyond the design and construction of “green” buildings, sustainable planning and land use are also critical.

dp.Ai is a member firm of the Canada Green Building Council, has accepted the 2030 Challenge and we have LEED Accredited Professionals on staff. David Premi lectures at both McMaster University and Mohawk College in sustainable design and building practices, and was named in 2007 one of the “Faces of Change” of Hamilton by the Hamilton Spectator for his efforts.

The firm recently completed the contract administration for the Brock University Plaza Building which earned a LEED Silver designation in 2007.

Services

Our team is trained to provide a wide variety of services:
Full Architectural Design Services
Full Interior Design Service
Planning
Furniture Selection and Procurement
Site Review and Contract Administration
Three Dimensional Imaging and Rendering
Feasibility Studies
Cost Estimating and Cost Control
Energy Audits
Sustainability Consulting