Amela
Name and credentials:
Amela Brudar, MAIBC MRAIC LEED® AP
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City and country of birth:
Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
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Education:
Graduated in 1990 from University of Sarajevo, School of Architecture.
Recognized by CACB as a Master of Architecture
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Achievements:
- Received top marks through public school, and received a scholarship for my university studies.
- Have been involved with several award-winning projects for our firm
- Became registered as MAIBC in 2003
- Obtained LEED® AP certification in 2006
- Promoted to principal of GBL Architects Inc. in 2008.
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A few of my favourite things:
- Spending time with my children is at the top of my list because the time we spend together is so precious and short. It could be anything from quiet reading to crafts, sports, movies and events as long as we are enjoying our time together
- Reading a good book.
- Mountains - we moved to Vancouver from Toronto because of them.
- Skiing in the winter and hiking and bicycling in the summer.
- Traveling anywhere. We have a long list of places we want to visit
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Tell us about your practice as an architect.
I graduated in 1990, a couple of years before the war started in Bosnia. The economy,at that time was pretty much non-existent, and graduates had a very bleak perspective of finding any meaningful work. I was lucky to have had a great relationship with my professor / mentor for the final thesis at university and she had offered me a chance to work as her assistant. I was also involved in several freelance projects in Bosnia, Croatia and Germany before immigrating to Canada in 1992.
After moving to Canada, I start working at GBL Architect Inc. (then known as Gomberoff Policzer Bell), and gradually advanced in the company, becoming an associate in 1999 and principal in 2008.
I started, as many young architects do, with the production of working drawings. Gradually my talents for front end-design was discovered, and for several years I have worked exclusively on the feasibility studies and design / development phases of the project. I have always tried and managed to stay involved with the projects from conception to occupancy, making sure that the design was respected and executed as originally conceived.
Nowadays, as a principal, I tend to be involved in all aspects of the practice with a main focus on running the practice and contracts issues. We have three principals in the firm, and while each is responsible for a number of projects, we collaborate very closely on most projects - making sure that at least one of us is closely involved with a project at any given time.
It gives me great pleasure to see young architects starting in our company, all of them bringing their fresh ideas and talents to the office. Great leaps have been achieved in recent years in terms of designing sustainable buildings, and our office has fully embraced the changes that are taking place in the industry. One of our projects, a seniors building, will be a first “net-zero” building in Canada, producing as much energy as it consumes.
I’m very grateful to be able to work on these buildings that are socially as well ecologically sustainable. Working closely with the non-profit societies that will be the future operators of the buildings, understanding their challenges, and trying to design the best building we can to meet their needs has been a real eye opener for me in the last couple of years.
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What architectural work are you most proud of?
I had to think about this one for a while as I have greatly enjoyed working on many projects. My initial reaction was the Homelessness Initiative projects because their impact is far-reaching for society as a whole. We have been mandated by BC Housing to design a new building type that represents a commitment to sustainability. We have taken this mandate very seriously, resulting in a series of buildings that were commended by the Vancouver Design Panel. One of the buildings, the 188 – E 1st Avenue project for the Lookout Society, has been added to the list of “Exemplary Projects” for the City of Vancouver..It was very proud moment for us.
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What was it that brought you to architecture?
I was always interested in different forms of art, and experimented with painting, music, ballet and drama during high school years. In my later years in high school I became very interested in the industrial design. When the time came to decide which way to go in university, I was weighing between architecture and industrial design. My parents, both engineers, helped me make the decision, indicating that architecture synthesizes and creates spaces for all art.
On a more practical note, my father pointed out that if I can design a building, I shouldn’t have a problem with vases and mixers in the future. So it was architecture. I never looked back.
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How many children (grandchildren) do you have? Ages?
I have two daughters. They are twins and they are seven years old. My husband and I have been married for the last 20 years. An English expression says “time flies when you’re having fun“. It feels like just yesterday that we went onto our first date in Sarajevo when we were in third year of university.
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How do you manage to practice architecture while raising children and running a household?
It does come with challenges. It means putting in long hours after the girls are asleep, whether it is work that needs to be finished for a meeting the following day, or a bake sale at school that you don’t want to miss again. I was lucky that both my parents and my in-laws were able to help us and take care of the children when they were very young, so I didn’t have to lose much time from the office. I don’t think we would be able to pull off raising twins without them.
Also, my husband and I share all responsibilities in raising our children. He also owns his own business and has some flexibility with his working hours - this has helped immensely.
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Can you recall an instance where the dual responsibilities of being a parent and an architect came to a head?
Unfortunately such instances happen way too often. The classic example is having to miss daytime performances at the school, or sports day when every other parent is there and you just cannot (or dare not) even try to reschedule a meeting.
Often I have to attend public hearings, design panels or events organized by clients. This means being away from home during the evening, which interferes with the time when we like to have a family dinner, do homework, practice violin, read before going to bed, etc. It is hard and I try to minimize the number of nights when I’m not home. Luckily, my husband is an extremely involved father and together we try to do our best for our children.
One instance from last year that I still haven’t forgiven myself about was the sport day. The girls kept telling me for at least a week that they were practicing their “cheer” for Team Yellow. Everybody on their team was to wear yellow that day. I didn’t take it too seriously, partly because I didn’t go to school in Canada and partly because I was very busy with work. I didn’t have time to run out and get them yellow clothes, so I made them go to school that day wearing just regular clothes. It was only as I was driving off to work, seeing all the other kids were wearing either yellow, green, red or blue clothes with their hair and faces painted a matching colour, that I realized I had made a mistake. Needless to say, the girls weren’t feeling too good about themselves that day.
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Do you think that being a parent has actually influenced your approach to architecture?
My having children coincided with the movement (or revolution) in green building design that has taked over architecture in the recent years. Thinking of my children’s future, I have embraced the possibilities more wholeheartedly, understanding that if we do not act now, then there will be no future for my daughters’ children.
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“There is no more sombre enemy of good art than the pram in the hall.”
- Cyril Connolly, Enemies of Promise, 1938
What do you think about this quote?
I do not necessarily agree. While you do have to juggle your different responsibilities, you have to be more efficient at what you do. I typically work very intensely giving all that I have when I’m at work. Being a parent doesn’t really affect what I do. Or if it does, it is in a positive way. I would like to set a positive example for my daughters to demonstrate to them that you can have a career of your choosing and still be a caring and loving mother.
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What is the best piece of advice you would give to a would-be parent / architect?
Never give up on either one. It can be done. It takes a lot of determination and hard work but the pleasures that come with having children, or designing a building (your other children) are far greater than the hardship. You have to learn to delegate and to share responsibilities with your partner. One also has to accept that we are all human with limitations. We have to learn how to overcome that omnipresent feeling of guilt - not being there for my children all the time, and not being at all the functions that I may have to be on for the office. I am still working on this one. I'll let you know if I ever get there.
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If you could change public policy that impacts on child-rearing, what would that be?
Of course, the availability of quality childcare is a huge problem. Also, legislate flexible work hours for parents.