Behind the Build

• Behind the Build: Robert Davidov - Davidov Architects

  Robert Davidov is the founder and director of Davidov Architects, a Melbourne-based architecture and interiors practice established in 2011. His studio focuses on residential work across metropolitan Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula, from new homes and multi-residential developments to heritage alterations and additions, applying a pared-back, materially expressive approach.Raised in Melbourne in a builder–developer family, Davidov’s early exposure to construction informed a career blending design rigor with practical responsibility. He studied Architecture and Construction Management at the University of Melbourne, completing a structured year of industry experience before graduating and registering as an architect.Before founding his practice, he worked with Harmer Architecture—gaining exposure to technically demanding civic work including mausoleum projects—and with FMSA Architecture (now Foreground Architecture) on social and civic programs, experience that broadened his understanding of client needs and delivery at scale.Davidov’s work is informed by architectural pilgrimages to seminal buildings in Europe, the United States, Japan, and North Africa. He is particularly interested in projects that explore light, proportion, and tactility—and aspires to design a contemporary place of worship.Curated Podcast Sponsors:Caplan's Appliances: https://caplans.ca/The Doors: https://thedoors4u.com/Aquanta Pools: https://aquanta.caHenry Rotberg SteelTo connect with our sponsors, email me: [email protected] the Build on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behind_the_build_podcast

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• Behind the Build: Marianne McKenna, Shirley Blumberg, Bruce Kuwabara - KPMB The Founders

  For the first time ever, Bruce Kuwabara, Marianne McKenna, and Shirley Blumberg sit down together to share the story of founding KPMB and shaping it into one of Canada’s most influential architectural practices. Established in 1987, KPMB has earned more than 400 awards, including 18 Governor General Medals in Architecture, and completed over 31 million square feet of projects spanning education, health, culture, civic, workplace, hospitality, recreation, and mixed-use development with a team of 132.What emerges in this rare conversation is a portrait of a studio built on shared values, entrepreneurial grit, and the conviction that every project must count. From the watershed win of the Kitchener City Hall competition to a generation-defining wave of Toronto’s cultural institutions, their model rejects silos—teams move fluidly, ideas are tested rigorously, and design integrity carries through from concept to detail. The aim has always been clear: architecture that elevates daily life, strengthens community, and endures.They speak openly about collaboration as leadership, embracing constraints as creative catalysts, and embedding sustainability through KPMB Lab’s focus on low-carbon design and social impact. The discussion also looks forward: major renewals and commissions that engage history and place—from concert halls to academic hubs and museums—and the careful transfer of stewardship to the next generation while protecting the studio’s culture and standards.Woven throughout are formative stories—childhoods marked by making, migration, and resilience; mentors who demanded rigor; and the decision to found a practice where excellence and empathy hold equal weight. It’s an inside view of how KPMB continues to evolve without losing its center: rigorous, humane, context-first architecture led by people who still love the craft—and the challenge—every day.Curated Podcast Sponsors:Caplan's Appliances: https://caplans.ca/The Doors: https://thedoors4u.com/Aquanta Pools: https://aquanta.caHenry Rotberg SteelTo connect with our sponsors, email me: [email protected] the Build on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behind_the_build_podcast

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• Behind the Build: Kelly Alvarez Doran - Ha/f Climate Design

  In this episode of Behind the Build, Kelly Alvarez Doran joins, both architect and co-founder of Ha/f Climate Design. Based in London and working internationally, Kelly shares the journey that led him from growing up in Winnipeg, studying at the University of Manitoba and the University of Toronto, to practicing across Africa and Europe before launching his practice.Ha/f Climate Design emerged from teaching and research at the University of Toronto and early collaborations with the City of Toronto. Kelly explains how the studio helps architects, builders, and policymakers understand the carbon and financial impacts of design decisions. The conversation explores life cycle assessment, embodied carbon, and the pressing need for Canada to catch up with global standards on reporting and reducing construction emissions.Kelly’s experiences working on mining resettlement projects and later with MASS Design Group in Rwanda profoundly shaped his approach, teaching him to rethink supply chains, materials, and local labor. He describes how constraints there led to innovative solutions, reinforcing the importance of provenance, low-carbon design, and supporting local economies.From residential housing to embassies abroad, Ha/f Climate Design now advises on policy, benchmarks carbon footprints, and trains architects and engineers nationwide. Kelly uses vivid analogies—like the “food pyramid of construction materials”—to reframe how we think about aluminum, steel, wood, and locally sourced alternatives.The discussion also touches on density, infrastructure, and the need for cultural and political shifts in Canadian housing, urging us to embrace “farm-to-table” thinking for buildings and design cities prepared for a hotter future.Ha// Climate Design: https://halfclimatedesign.com/Curated Podcast Sponsors:Caplan's Appliances: https://caplans.ca/The Doors: https://thedoors4u.com/Aquanta Pools: https://aquanta.caHenry Rotberg SteelTo connect with our sponsors, email me: [email protected] the Build on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behind_the_build_podcast

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• Behind the Build: Magnus Ström - Ström Architects

  Magnus Ström is the founder and Principal Architect of Ström Architects, a UK-based practice internationally recognized for its refined, modernist approach to residential design. Originally from Sweden, Magnus was surrounded by functionalist architecture from an early age—drawn to clean lines and minimalist forms that would later define his work. His parents’ hands-on building projects and honest critiques of his childhood sketches sparked an early and enduring passion for architecture.Denied entry to Sweden’s architecture programs due to competitive academic thresholds, Magnus pivoted—first trying business and engineering before ultimately finding his path in the UK after Sweden joined the EU in 1995. He studied architecture at the University of Portsmouth and gained formative experience with PLB Architects during his studies, followed by a pivotal role at De Blacam and Meagher in Dublin, where he worked on one-off houses and absorbed lessons from deeply rooted modernist traditions.Magnus spent eight years as a director at another firm in the New Forest before founding Ström Architects in 2010. Starting with just £6,000 and a subcontracted project, he grew his studio from modest beginnings into an internationally commissioned design office, celebrated for its precision and quiet sophistication. Key milestones include The Quest, a retirement home that won multiple awards and continues to attract global attention.With a belief in stripping architecture down to its essence—both conceptually and materially—Magnus emphasizes clarity, craft, and client-focused design. Under his leadership, the practice has delivered projects across more than 10 countries, with a forthcoming international office soon to open. Magnus remains committed to evolving both his design ethos and business systems, striving to elevate every detail while mentoring his growing team.Curated Podcast Sponsors:Caplan's Appliances: https://caplans.ca/The Doors: https://thedoors4u.com/Aquanta Pools: https://aquanta.caHenry Rotberg SteelTo connect with our sponsors, email me: [email protected] the Build on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behind_the_build_podcast

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• Behind the Build: Andrew Kline - Workshop APD

  Andrew Kline, Principal at Workshop APD, joins Behind the Build to share a career built on craft, risk, and mentorship. Raised in rural Ohio, his creativity was first inspired by his grandfather, a graphic artist, and nurtured by art teacher Lois Bachman, who encouraged him to pursue art school. After studying at Columbus College of Art & Design and completing a master’s at Cranbrook Academy of Art, Andrew developed a practice that merges fine art, interiors, and architecture into a holistic design approach.His early career began at L Brands, where he gained experience in corporate retail and international rollouts, followed by Yabu Pushelberg, where he worked on large-scale hospitality projects and honed his narrative-driven design process. In 2016/17, Andrew joined Workshop APD—then about 30 people—as its first Design Director. He helped reshape the studio, introduce new leadership structures, and strengthen its culture. Since then, the firm has grown to nearly 100 professionals, with offices in New York and Minneapolis and satellites in Greenwich, Nantucket, South Florida, Los Angeles, California, and Colorado. Today their portfolio spans high-end residential, multifamily, hospitality, commercial interiors, and product design.Workshop APD’s hospitality work now includes projects from Manhattan and Martha’s Vineyard to Times Square and the award-winning Moxy Banff hotel in Canada. At the same time, the studio expanded into product design—licensing collections with industry partners and launching Workshop Collection, a trade line with its own showroom. Its multidisciplinary model proved resilient during the pandemic, pivoting toward residential projects as demand surged.Now a Principal, Andrew balances creative direction with business development, client engagement, and mentorship. Education and professional growth are embedded in Workshop APD’s culture, with initiatives ranging from leadership development and knowledge transfer to book clubs and creative team programs. For Andrew, guiding both projects and people defines the work. Outside the studio, he recharges through DIY projects, ceramics, travel, and time in Jersey City with his two dogs.Curated Podcast Sponsors:Caplan's Appliances: https://caplans.ca/The Doors: https://thedoors4u.com/Aquanta Pools: https://aquanta.caHenry Rotberg SteelTo connect with our sponsors, email me: [email protected] the Build on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behind_the_build_podcast

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