My experience at George Brown College was next to none, I enjoyed every minute of my educational career, especially learning in detail about the Ontario Building Code and applying it into every design course project. The instructors of the program embrace and listen to industry professionals and the life experiences of graduates. It is encouraging to see that our views and opinions are valued as a graduate.”
Massimo is currently employed as a Building Inspector with the City of Vaughan. “Working as a Building Inspector definitely has many perks with the entire job experience being rewarding. The fact that I am outside all day and not confined to the office is definitely a positive. Also, the interaction with many different people from Architects, Engineers, Site Supervisors, and Trades People is also rewarding. Through this interaction comes discussion of building code interpolation and design solutions. That is when I get the most job satisfaction!”
Alumnus - Amylia Martens
Architectural Technology – T109
Graduated 2010
Growing up, Amylia Martens was always fascinated by the Design Industry. "When I was little, I wanted to be an architect or an interior designer - I always wanted to get into some kind of aspect of design. By the time I graduated high school, I knew which college and program I wanted to attend and it was George Brown."
Amylia was accepted into the 3 year Architectural Technology program. "I choose George Brown because I liked the way the information was taught compared to other schools. I loved my college experience as the teachers were great and good friends were made."
Amy’s most valuable experience during her studies at George Brown was taking part in the Design Charettes  "All the students would dread putting in the long hours but in the end it was well worth it and you learned quite a lot in the short stressful period of time!"
After graduation, Amylia secured employment as an Architectural Designer with 1 Riser Designs in the Greater Toronto Area. "They are an architectural design firm that design custom and residential homes. Some of our big clients are Green park, Treasure Hill Homes, and Rivera Custom homes. A typical work day is talking to structural engineers & clients, going over design drawings, coming up with different concepts and constructing & correcting design and working drawings. The most rewarding part of my job is seeing the finished product of the design when it is actually built and knowing that all the hard work and frustration has paid off."
What's next for Amylia? "I am going to get my hours and write the test to eventually be a licensed Architectural Technologist."
Alumnus - Teresa den Boef
Architectural Technology - T109
Graduated 2001
"My most valuable experience at George Brown College was organizing an architectural trip to New York City which provided an excellent experience for myself and all my classmates who attended" explains Architectural Technology graduate Teresa den Boef. "As a young child I remember always having a keen interest in building design and urban planning."
Teresa realized she had a passion for heritage buildings after completing her Bachelor of Arts
degree in Art History and Architecture at Carleton University in Ottawa. "While I was attending university studying art history and architecture, I was thinking about possible education and career options. I felt that George Brown's Architectural Technology program would prepare me for a wider range of the construction industry's job market."
Teresa is currently employed with the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as a Heritage Management Consultant. "My position is primarily responsible for providing professional and technical advice to coordinate, and manage heritage conservation projects and initiatives for the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. This includes reviewing projects from a heritage conservation perspective, researching and documenting the historic legislature building, and developing and implementing heritage conservation operational standards and guidelines. I am also responsible for heritage master planning and the maintenance of heritage resource inventories."
A typical work day for Teresa may include managing external consultants, reviewing project designs, reports, and specifications, taking progress photographs on site, conducting research at various archives or libraries, liaising with other government offices, consultants and specialists, or reviewing and updating files or other resources. "The most rewarding part of my job is being part of a team responsible for the maintenance and conservation of the Ontario Legislature Building, one of the province's most significant heritage buildings."
"My overall experience at George Brown College was excellent. Although every course was important to my architectural training, I feel that the third year studio design projects were the most valuable. The projects were reflective of an architect's office and were excellent preparation for a highly competitive and fast paced industry. I felt that the faculty was very supportive of its students, and the program curriculum was up to industry standards. George Brown College prepared me for the highly competitive job market."
Alumnus - Cindy McPhee
Architectural Technology T109
Graduated 2000
 "The balance of science and art really made Architecture the most interesting career choice for me." explains Cindy McPhee who was a student representative on the George Brown College’s Board of Governors. "At high school I had learned AutoCAD and was looking for a school that could teach me above the level that I was already at when coming to college. George Brown’s instructors were not only able to teach those that were at all different levels, but treated you as an adult. They provide deadlines for projects, feedback or comments on those projects and are giving ideas on making your projects into something better."
Cindy is currently employed with Wayne Swadron Architect acting as a CAD Technologist. "I am producing details, plans, building elevations, notes, sections - basically everything that is needed to complete a construction set of drawings. In addition to that I will be talking on the phone or in meetings, either in the office or out on site, with consultants associated with our projects, i.e. structural engineers, mechanical and electrical, the builders and their suppliers to discuss issues that arise with each project that I work on. I print and review drawings either produced by myself or drawings, like shop drawings, sent to me for review purposes."
Education never stops for Cindy, who is currently completing a certificate in Construction Project Management offered at George Brown College.
 Alumnus - Darryl Rahim
Architectural Technology - T109
Graduated 2006
"One of the most rewarding aspects of working in the design and planning sector of the construction
industry is definitely the final outcome of your hard labor – the construction of your project. Seeing
a design that you worked on come to life is definitely a great experience!" explains Architecual
Technology graduate Darryl Rahim, who is currently employed at Bregman and Hamann in
downtown Toronto.
"Some of the most valuable experiences I had at George Brown included working collaboratively in
the many group projects that were part of the curriculum. Such group endeavors helped to prepare
me for what I now encounter on a daily basis -- working with clients, collaborating with my peers,
and organizing my time effectively. "
"The architectural office is typically a fast-paced environment involving a high level of organizational
skills, proper time management, as well as joint collaboration and planning. The level of
organization that is required in order to complete group projects in the classroom effectively is just
as important in the office environment."
"As I mentioned previously, the hands-on, technical experience that I received at George Brown
definitely helped to prepare me for the ‘real world’. I was able to start my first job and feel
confident understanding what was being given to me and knowing that I could handle the work."
Education never stops for Darryl, who is now a full-time student at Ryerson University in their
Bachelor of Architectural Science degree program. "My primary goal at the moment is to finish my
Bachelor's degree, obtain as much work experience as I can during the summer, and take some
time to travel. I'm also keen on home renovations and would like to try my hand at real estate and
flipping residential properties, eventually turning it into my own small business."
Alumnus - Michael Haynes
 Architectural Technology
Program - T109
Graduated 2008
"There are only three words that can adequately express my 3 years at George Brown and those would be ‘Insightful, Informative and
Inspirational’." says Michael Haynes who graduated from the Architectural Technology Program in 2008.
His most valuable experience involved being a participate in the ‘World House Costa Rica Online Charrette’ which focused on the search
for housing solutions for the rural province of Guanacaste, Costa Rica. "This project helped me to feel what it was like to actually design
a structure that could be constructed to shelter another person and not just another project design to be submitted to gain marks."
"I have a passion for architecture because it is one of the few professions where you as a professional can have a direct effect on a person, family, community or country. Whether your design is a statue, bridge, industrial building, commercial or residential you will always have an effect on the people that occupy and use your design for whatever purpose. In this profession I have the opportunity to make an imagination become a reality and leave my mark on society with my creation."
After completion of his studies at George Brown, Michael returned to his home country of Barbados and worked at the Architectural firm of Design Collaborative for the summer. Michael is currently a student at Kingston University in the United Kingdom pursuing a BA Honors Degree in Architecture.
Alumnus - Tino Sisca
Architectural Technology Program - T109
Graduated 2008
Tino Sisca chose the Architectural Technology program at George Brown College because he wanted to be at the "top of the food chain" in the construction industry.
"I knew I wanted to dedicate my career to the construction field and be part of a school that invested just as much interest to construction as I did to deciding what career path I wanted to take."
After second year, Tino completed a work placement with Whitney-Bailey Associates Inc., a group of architects that work on large industrial and commercial projects. "During my time in the placement I came to realize that I wanted a career with no boundaries, unlimited opportunities, and with a company that takes the time and effort to train you thoroughly".
Tino was thankful he attended an on-campus presentation for students by employer Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies during his last semester because it secured him a Project Manager position with them upon graduating. "The most rewarding part of my job is the feeling of completion & satisfaction when I walk through a building that is secure from functional hardware which we specified and provided."
During this past year, Tino had the possibility to travel to many parts of the United States of America for training seminars, reviews, and assessments. "Education and study seems to always be an ongoing factor of life."
Alumnus - Jennifer McKay
 Architectural Technology Program - T109
Graduated 2001
Jennifer Mckay had always wanted to be an Architect as a child. "Every picture I ever drew was of a house. I remember telling my parents that I wanted to draw houses when I grew up." Initially her decision to study at George Brown College was based on location, but as a student she realized quickly how highly recognized her program was in the industry and how in demand the students were.
A few of Jennifer’s most memorial instructor’s were Erik Simundson ("He has a unique way of teaching."), John Wills ("He taught me to stand up for myself in this competitive industry surrounded by strong individuals.") & Doug LaPorte ("He always goes the extra mile to make each student feel that they truly are welcome and important."). Doug helped Jennifer obtain her current position as a faculty member with the School of Architectural Studies. "It is my privilege to not only have been taught by these three individuals, but now it’s a pleasure to work with them everyday."
Jennifer’s typical work day usually involves a rush to the college trying to beat her students for an 8am class. "Things are usually chaotic, lots of questions". The most rewarding part of her job is being able to share her experiences with students that she hopes will become a successful part of the construction industry. "The construction industry is huge but also small in that I expect we will work together in the future. It is a great feeling being able to share what I have discovered so that they can be successful employees."
After graduating from the Architectural Technology Program, Jennifer obtained her Bachelors of Applied Science from Bemidji State University in Minnesota through a transfer agreement with George Brown College, and now plans on completing a Masters program. "In this industry one is always learning, we have to if we want to remain competitive and knowledgeable in an ever changing field."
 Alumnus - Gabriele Guiducci
Architectural Technician - T132
Graduated 2003
Gabriele Guiducci loves the smell of lumber, especially when the material is being used to build a home he designed. He recently reexperienced this aromatic joy when he visited the construction site of a lakeside cottage he inked for a Toronto couple. Their specifications were clear. They wanted a view of nature from every room: the woman wanted to watch the Georgian Bay sunset from her bubble bath and the man desired a similar vista from his woodworking shop.
Guiducci synthesized their ideas and created a plan that worked, both aesthetically and structurally, enabling the couple to achieve their rustic yet modern vision of retirement.
More than bricks and mortar, Guiducci is in the business of fulfilling dreams. He creates custom homes and re-designs existing residential spaces through his own company, Geomera Designs.
He loves people, and the process of getting to know them, which enables him to fashion spaces that reflect who they are and what they care about.
His company name "Geometra" is meaningful in that it is a designation he earned in his native Rome, Italy. "It literally means ‘surveyor,’ someone who is part engineer, part architect, who can deal with just about everything," he says.
Growing up in a family of artists (his father, a painter, his mother, a fashion and interior designer), Guiducci was artistic himself, but technical design and math were always his forté. As a child he recalls sketching his first set of floor plans for his family’s yet-to-be-built seaside home.
By the time he arrived in Toronto in 1998 at the age of 24 with his Italian credentials, he was in need of experience in the Canadian residential design industry. George Brown’s two-year Architectural Technician program offered the right courses at the right cost in a multidisciplinary environment that mirrored the real world. "We learned alongside contractors, designers, project managers and all of the trades that we would eventually be dealing with. It was a great way to build my first network," he says.
Further, George Brown helped him secure his first job as a draftsperson, and introduced him to his future business partner, a classmate who he started a residential design company with in 2003. Their first contract was a 9-lot townhouse complex in Oakville. "It turned out very well," he says.
In 2005 he started Geometra Design. He loves the freedom it affords him to work on interesting projects and to forge close connections with his clients. "You are, and always will be, their designer. It’s a very unique relationship," he says.
George Brown remains a part of his life. He returns regularly as a volunteer mentor and he recently upgraded his skills with a few more courses through continuing education programs and a final accreditation exam with the Association of Architectural Technologists of Ontario, earning the designation of Architectural Technologist.
As for the future, he is thinking about expanding his business into a design-build company in which he creates the architecture and oversees the construction. For now, he is content to call himself a Canadian designer, one who is continually striving to develop a shared understanding of what his client wants and then achieving it through design.
"My clients love what I have done for them and say it is exactly what they wanted. Some others are harder to please. At the end of the day, I must meet their vision," he says. "That’s the challenge I love, and my real satisfaction."
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