One to Watch: Architect Kayla Browne

According to architect Kayla Browne, the only thing her projects have in common is how unique they all are. €œWe really like taking on different design challenges, and exercising our minds that way,€ says the founder of Calgary's Bold Workshop Architecture.

Whether It's a sunny, metal-clad house built on passive design principles, an industrial-style urban winery or a restaurant with overgrown cathedral vibes, Browne revels in the unknown. All of her projects incorporate support from Sturgess Architecture, where Browne still works as a senior associate. In the spaces they create together (commercial, residential or otherwise), Browne uses vibrant hues to set the mood. €œColour brings a life, an atmosphere in a project that you couldn€™t otherwise achieve,€ she says.

But the architect's boldness (pun intended) goes beyond colour and design. Frustrated by the lack of female architects€”and overall diversity€”in the building and construction industry, Browne joined Building Equality in Architecture (BEA) Calgary in 2018.

She organizes networking groups, panels and lectures for underrepresented folks in the industry, and has recently teamed up with the University of Calgary's architecture program to organize mock interviews, portfolio reviews and other opportunities for students. Creating distinct, functional spaces is key in Browne's architecture work€”and she's creating spaces for other architects, too.