Heather Dubbeldam
Architect Toronto, Ontario / Canada
4
4
64
Bunkie on the Hill
Canada / 2022
18
Azure Publishing Office
Toronto / Canada / 2019
Bata Shoe Factory
Batawa / Canada / 2018
21 1
Walper Hotel
Kitchener / Canada / 2018
18
Skygarden House
Toronto / Canada / 2017
23 2
Contrast House
Toronto / Canada / 2013
18 3
Annex House
Toronto / Canada / 2013
Heather Dubbeldam is a fourth-generation architect and the founder and principal of Dubbeldam Architecture + Design, an award-winning studio committed to creating beautifully crafted, innovative projects that embody sustainable approaches. Her forward-thinking design approach, commitment to environmental and social sustainability, and belief in architecture and advocacy as a catalyst for change have established her as a leading Canadian architect of her generation.
With 30 years of professional experience, Heather is known for creativity in design, her integrity in business, and her dedication to leadership in the profession. She is a registered architect with the Ontario Association of Architects (OAA), a Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (FRAIC), and both a LEED and WELL Accredited Professional.
Heather is known for her boundless energy and curiosity, continuously exploring the impact that well-designed environments can have on enhancing people’s lives. She has been recognized as one of the country’s leading architects by Canada’s national newspaper The Globe & Mail, and one of 30 “must know” women architects in the world by Azure Magazine. Last year, her studio’s work was featured in the Venice Architecture Biennale alongside eight other internationally recognized women-led architecture practices from around the world.
Heather is committed to enhancing the public realm through built work, design research, and advocacy. Her studio’s self-initiated, practice-based design research focuses on developing approaches to address the shortage of housing options in urban areas by proposing incremental, rapid solutions to increase housing density, with an emphasis on supporting liveability for inhabitants. Through her ongoing research on sustainability in both Canada and Scandinavia, Heather has become an advocate for sustainable design and the betterment of our built environment. She advocates for progressive design and planning that exemplifies best practices in social and environmental sustainability, and liveability in the development of urban density. She is regularly invited to speak as a thought leader and has presented nationally and internationally at universities, industry events and conferences. Her firm has received over 90 awards including the Ontario Association of Architects Best Emerging Practice awards in her studio’s early years, the Canada Council for the Arts Professional Prix de Rome in Architecture in 2016, and the Royal Architectural Institute of Architects 2024 Architectural Practice Award, and has been widely published.
Heather continues to push boundaries and inspire those around her as a designer, leader, speaker, panelist, and mentor. Outside of her practice, Heather is known for her leadership role in the profession, working to elevate others, especially the younger generation of architects and designers. She plays leadership roles on several boards and is active with many advocacy groups, including as the Chair of the advisory board of BEAT (Building Equality in Architecture Toronto); the Director of Twenty + Change, a national organization dedicated to exposing the innovative ideas of emerging Canadian architects; an Advisory member and past Chair of the Toronto Society of Architects; past Vice-Chair of the Design Industry Advisory Committee, a provincial not-for-profit, cross-disciplinary design think tank and research group; amongst other boards and volunteer organizations. Heather regularly gives her time to mentoring young professionals and students. She is a mentor through the OAA Intern Architect program, UofT student mentoring events, and BAIDA portfolio reviews. She is the co-editor and author of several architecture publications, including the Toronto Architecture Guide Map and four publications in the Twenty + Change series. Heather is regularly invited to participate on professional and awards juries and as a guest critic at schools of architecture across Canada.
Heather has received numerous awards for advocacy, including the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada’s Advocate for Architecture award in 2013, the Ontario Association of Architects G. Randy Roberts Service Award in 2019, and the University of Toronto’s Arbor award in 2020.
With 30 years of professional experience, Heather is known for creativity in design, her integrity in business, and her dedication to leadership in the profession. She is a registered architect with the Ontario Association of Architects (OAA), a Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (FRAIC), and both a LEED and WELL Accredited Professional.
Heather is known for her boundless energy and curiosity, continuously exploring the impact that well-designed environments can have on enhancing people’s lives. She has been recognized as one of the country’s leading architects by Canada’s national newspaper The Globe & Mail, and one of 30 “must know” women architects in the world by Azure Magazine. Last year, her studio’s work was featured in the Venice Architecture Biennale alongside eight other internationally recognized women-led architecture practices from around the world.
Heather is committed to enhancing the public realm through built work, design research, and advocacy. Her studio’s self-initiated, practice-based design research focuses on developing approaches to address the shortage of housing options in urban areas by proposing incremental, rapid solutions to increase housing density, with an emphasis on supporting liveability for inhabitants. Through her ongoing research on sustainability in both Canada and Scandinavia, Heather has become an advocate for sustainable design and the betterment of our built environment. She advocates for progressive design and planning that exemplifies best practices in social and environmental sustainability, and liveability in the development of urban density. She is regularly invited to speak as a thought leader and has presented nationally and internationally at universities, industry events and conferences. Her firm has received over 90 awards including the Ontario Association of Architects Best Emerging Practice awards in her studio’s early years, the Canada Council for the Arts Professional Prix de Rome in Architecture in 2016, and the Royal Architectural Institute of Architects 2024 Architectural Practice Award, and has been widely published.
Heather continues to push boundaries and inspire those around her as a designer, leader, speaker, panelist, and mentor. Outside of her practice, Heather is known for her leadership role in the profession, working to elevate others, especially the younger generation of architects and designers. She plays leadership roles on several boards and is active with many advocacy groups, including as the Chair of the advisory board of BEAT (Building Equality in Architecture Toronto); the Director of Twenty + Change, a national organization dedicated to exposing the innovative ideas of emerging Canadian architects; an Advisory member and past Chair of the Toronto Society of Architects; past Vice-Chair of the Design Industry Advisory Committee, a provincial not-for-profit, cross-disciplinary design think tank and research group; amongst other boards and volunteer organizations. Heather regularly gives her time to mentoring young professionals and students. She is a mentor through the OAA Intern Architect program, UofT student mentoring events, and BAIDA portfolio reviews. She is the co-editor and author of several architecture publications, including the Toronto Architecture Guide Map and four publications in the Twenty + Change series. Heather is regularly invited to participate on professional and awards juries and as a guest critic at schools of architecture across Canada.
Heather has received numerous awards for advocacy, including the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada’s Advocate for Architecture award in 2013, the Ontario Association of Architects G. Randy Roberts Service Award in 2019, and the University of Toronto’s Arbor award in 2020.
Heather Dubbeldam is a fourth-generation architect and the founder and principal of Dubbeldam Architecture + Design, an award-winning studio committed to creating beautifully crafted, innovative projects that embody sustainable approaches. Her forward-thinking design approach, commitment to environmental and social sustainability, and belief in architecture and advocacy as a catalyst for change have established her as a leading Canadian architect of her generation. With 30 years of professional experience, Heather is known for creativity in design, her integrity in business, and her dedication to leadership in the profession. She is a registered architect with the Ontario Association of Architects (OAA), a Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (FRAIC), and both a LEED and WELL Accredited Professional. Heather is known for her boundless energy and curiosity, continuously exploring the impact that well-designed environments can have on enhancing people’s lives. She has been recognized as one of the country’s leading architects by Canada’s national newspaper The Globe & Mail, and one of 30 “must know” women architects in the world by Azure Magazine. Last year, her studio’s work was featured in the Venice Architecture Biennale alongside eight other internationally recognized women-led architecture practices from around the world. Heather is committed to enhancing the public realm through built work, design research, and advocacy. Her studio’s self-initiated, practice-based design research focuses on developing approaches to address the shortage of housing options in urban areas by proposing incremental, rapid solutions to increase housing density, with an emphasis on supporting liveability for inhabitants. Through her ongoing research on sustainability in both Canada and Scandinavia, Heather has become an advocate for sustainable design and the betterment of our built environment. She advocates for progressive design and planning that exemplifies best practices in social and environmental sustainability, and liveability in the development of urban density. She is regularly invited to speak as a thought leader and has presented nationally and internationally at universities, industry events and conferences. Her firm has received over 90 awards including the Ontario Association of Architects Best Emerging Practice awards in her studio’s early years, the Canada Council for the Arts Professional Prix de Rome in Architecture in 2016, and the Royal Architectural Institute of Architects 2024 Architectural Practice Award, and has been widely published. Heather continues to push boundaries and inspire those around her as a designer, leader, speaker, panelist, and mentor. Outside of her practice, Heather is known for her leadership role in the profession, working to elevate others, especially the younger generation of architects and designers. She plays leadership roles on several boards and is active with many advocacy groups, including as the Chair of the advisory board of BEAT (Building Equality in Architecture Toronto); the Director of Twenty + Change, a national organization dedicated to exposing the innovative ideas of emerging Canadian architects; an Advisory member and past Chair of the Toronto Society of Architects; past Vice-Chair of the Design Industry Advisory Committee, a provincial not-for-profit, cross-disciplinary design think tank and research group; amongst other boards and volunteer organizations. Heather regularly gives her time to mentoring young professionals and students. She is a mentor through the OAA Intern Architect program, UofT student mentoring events, and BAIDA portfolio reviews. She is the co-editor and author of several architecture publications, including the Toronto Architecture Guide Map and four publications in the Twenty + Change series. Heather is regularly invited to participate on professional and awards juries and as a guest critic at schools of architecture across Canada. Heather has received numerous awards for advocacy, including the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada’s Advocate for Architecture award in 2013, the Ontario Association of Architects G. Randy Roberts Service Award in 2019, and the University of Toronto’s Arbor award in 2020.