OPEN PRACTICE is a collaborative and innovative studio rooted in the specifics of place while being immersed in, and in dialogue with, a larger social context.
OPEN PRACTICE seeks the creative opportunity latent in the confines of rules, regulations, and the demands of contemporary society.
OPEN PRACTICE is a seed, a starting point, from which new methods of working will yield responsible, responsive solutions.
OPEN PRACTICE is a tool for shaping a sustainable, local building culture.
OPEN PRACTICE
Open Practice Inc. is a design led firm offering services in architecture. Formed in 2008, Open Practice Inc. is an intentionally small studio forming project specific teams tailored to suit your project. At Open Practice Inc., we believe the strength of a collaborative architecture lies in: viewing the client as a key team member throughout the entire design process; including non-traditional partners in the collaborative team; and having access to qualified and well suited resources.
Open Practice Inc. fosters working relationships with a network of other design professionals, contractors, consultants, craftspeople, academic institutions, government agencies, and financial institutions. With experience both locally and internationally, Open Practice Inc. draws upon an extensive range of resources. It is, however, the regional network of any particular project that roots the project in its context. Open Practice Inc. is continually building relationships with local resources; people who recognize the inherent characteristics of a place. It is here that opportunities are found to create a regional architecture that is both culturally relevant and sustainable.
THE DESIGN PROCESS
The design process is a disciplined explorative process that evolves through close client collaboration and clear communication. The design process begins with a complete understanding of the specifics of a project: scope, schedule, budget, client program, and client goals establish a framework from which to build. These requirements must then be developed within the boundaries of: relevant codes (building, zoning, energy, and historic); civic and community organizations; and within the physical constraints of the site (climate, topography and the existing built environment).
During this process of exploration and refinement, the client, Open Practice and the assembled team will define project goals and a quantitative method to evaluate the success of the project. Without a method to measure and evaluate success, project goals are too often unrealized.
AARON STAVERT
As the founding principal of Open Practice Inc., Aaron brings over twenty years of professional practice experience from a diverse range of projects exploring such areas as: embodied energy in building materials, methods of prefabrication in the off-shore oil industry, information technologies and their impacts on rural communities, adaptive re-use and revitalization of historic buildings, the ability of architecture to impact business and employee performance, sustainable materials and construction methods in residential architecture, and the “craft” of detail in furniture design.
As a result of this diverse range of experience, Aaron has built a methodology, an approach to design thinking, rather than a formulaic response to familiar situations. Extensive collecting and analyzing of information, extracting the unique qualities of each project, and applying a critical approach with an attention to detail, lead to unique solutions to conventional problems.
Aaron obtained a Bachelor of Environmental Design Studies from the Technical University of Nova Scotia in 1995. He later earned a Master of Architecture degree from the Dalhousie School of Architecture in 1997, where he graduated with distinction.
Aaron is a member of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, the Architects Association of Prince Edward Island, and the Canada Green Building Council. He is a registered architect in the province of Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia.
