David, “it’s called the Junction East project, which is a very exciting project. We finished all the public consultations, which we lead, and the schematic design is also completed”. The design firm was recently awarded another branch library in Niagara Falls and is doing some development work in downtown Hamilton. Moving forward, David hopes to see more library projects in DPAI’s future. “Libraries are really great buildingsbecause,inmyopinion, they are probably the most important cultural institutions in cities and communities,” he explains. “They respond directly to community needs and those needs are changing very quickly.” The firm also hopes to do some larger-scale projects. Although the confidentiality agreements of some projects restricted him from speaking extensively on them, David divulged that DPAI is currently looking at master planning an entire community towards a sustainable future. Looking into the future, the goal at DPAI is to stay true to its values and have a positive impact on the world, either via community-building initiatives or sustainability initiatives. Besides building a sustainable community, David says they “want to create an environment where our team members can experience both professional and personal growth.” “We want our people to have a good balance in their lives,” he concludes. “I don’t believe that running a sweatshop or making people work too hard all the time is a positive or healthy thing for anyone. I think the work suffers because of it.” DPAI
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