ARCHITECTURE & INTERIOR DESIGN
Creating places for people to live, work, & play...
About Us
We love what we do.
Creating beauty in the built environment
EW ARCHITECTURE INC. is an award winning architecture firm located in North Vancouver, BC, Canada. We are passionate about design and construction and committed to providing excellent service. Our vision is to build sustainably and to create beauty in the built environment. We love what we do and we have fun doing it.
What Architects Do...
We are ‘Generalists’, and we are ‘Specialists’. As ‘Generalists’, Architects are trained in each branch of engineering and other specialty consulting so that we can build a team appropriate to the project and coordinate their work to meet the overall project goals. As ‘Specialists’, Architects are trained in design theory so that we can create places that inspire, and in materials & construction so that we can develop detailed construction documents from which to build. At EW ARCHITECTURE INC. we apply these skills in our work every day, approaching projects holistically as we do Site Design, Building Design, and Interior Design.
Architecture is the deliberate arrangement of the physical world in which we live, work, and play.
SITE DESIGN
Site Design is an integral part of Architecture as the form and shape of buildings and spaces around buildings affect each other. We begin by evaluating the context and the features of the site, the shape of the land, solar orientation, views, and connections. Municipal Guidelines and Zoning Bylaws are reviewed to determine limitations, then we consider the uses and functions intended for the site, as well as how the place will feel. We arrange the physical elements of the site, including structures and hard elements such as buildings, pathways, retaining walls, and patios, as well as soft elements such as vegetation, earth, and water. We apply design principles such as balance, rhythm, hierarchy, proportion, contrast, and scale to create outdoor spaces that complement the buildings and enhance the experience of being there.
BUILDING DESIGN
People spend a significant amount of time in buildings, and at the core of our design philosophy is that it matters how buildings make us feel. The experience starts with your first impression when you see a building. Is the form pleasing to the eye? Does it invite you to enter? How do you feel as you occupy the building, as you use each room to do the tasks of daily life? We consider these questions and more during our design process. We establish the relationships between spaces, adjacencies, and flow. We think of connections, transitions, space, and light. Qualities of place affect our emotions, our state of mind. We design buildings that feel appropriate to their use, buildings that feel good to be in, and feel like they were meant to be.
INTERIOR DESIGN
Interior Design is an extension of Building Design, allowing for the completion of a thought, the full realization of the vision. Material choices will contribute to the mood of a space and we think about light, colour, contrast, textures, and sound when selecting materials and finishes to complement a space. Our work includes designing millwork, cabinetry, tile layouts, lighting layouts, and custom features. It includes flooring, wall, and ceiling finishes, as well as fixture selections for appliances, plumbing and lighting. We have assisted clients with furniture selections and putting the finishing touches on their space.
About Our Company
EW ARCHITECTURE INC. offers full Architectural & Interior Design Services, working from initial design concepts through construction administration.
We specialize in transforming existing buildings, deep energy retrofits, and high performance new buildings.
The majority of our work is in the Residential sector, but we also have experience doing Commercial, Institutional, and Industrial projects.
Meet Our Team
Erica Wolowidnyk | Owner & Principal
Architect AIBC | MRAIC | AIA | NCARB | CPHD | LEED GA
Driven by her passion for design and how places make people feel, Erica has been shaping places for nearly 30 years. Meticulously detailed and unafraid to tackle complex problems, Erica's strong technical skills complement a solid design background as she approaches each project. She has worked on many different project types and also has construction experience, contributing to her design work as well as her ability to build strong relationships with project teams. She has designed and managed projects in British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, California, and Utah. She now lives and works in North Vancouver, B.C.
Erica is a registered architect in British Columbia and California. She is NCARB Certified, a Certified Passive House Designer, and a LEED Green Associate. She is a member of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, the American Institute of Architects, the Canadian Green Building Council, and Passive House Canada. She has a diploma in building technology from BCIT, and a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Oregon.
In her spare time, Erica enjoys writing music, gardening, and spending time with her family. She loves travel, languages, and experiencing other cultures.
Hana Trginova | Designer
3D Visualizer | Bachelor of Furniture & Interior Design
Hana grew up in Slovakia where she explored her creative interests in building from an early age. Her family owned a cabinet company, she gained experience renovating a number of homes, and she also built anything she could think of using found materials. In her education, she developed her creativity in graphic design, furniture design, and interior design. She brings strong design skills to every project she works on, and with a keen eye for composition, form, and balance, she applies her skills not only in Interior Design, but also Building and Site Design. She is resourceful and detail oriented with an energetic personality that brings life to the office.
Hana has a Bachelor of Furniture Design & Interior Design from the Technical University in Zvolen, Slovakia, and has also studied Product Design in Belgium, and Design Management in Austria. She is currently working towards becoming a Registered Interior Designer (RID) and is expanding her training in Building Technology.
Hana is an outdoor enthusiast, and in her spare time she enjoys hiking, biking, and anything adventurous that will take her out to the wilderness. She has traveled extensively and loves to find new, fresh inspirations for her designs.
