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As a planner, Mike has been involved in a number of main street and downtown studies looking at the development potential of sites, urban form, and opportunities for pedestrian linkages/public realm improvements.
As a landscape architect, Mike’s experience includes a wide range of urban, suburban and rural public spaces from open space master planning and environmental management plans to detailed design, tender drawing preparation and contract administration. This includes a variety of streetscape projects taking projects from concept through to construction.
Since April 2008 Mike has been an instructor at the Chang School at Ryerson University teaching landscape construction materials and techniques to students enrolled in the School’s Landscape Certificate Program both in the classroom and online. As a result Mike is well versed in the latest materials and construction trends in the industry.
Although Peter approaches design from a landscape architectural vein, his interest lies in all facets of the design process. His weaving of different disciplines creates a unique and rich solution. While the results provide a strong design solution, he insists the design must stand up to the rigours of modern constraints. The solution must be creative, but implementable. Resilient but flexible. His solutions also promote the intertwining of vibrant public open spaces with healthy ecosystems, creating whole interactive systems.
Peter thrives on exploration. Whether it is walking in new parts of Toronto, or camping in the wilds of Northern Ontario, his sense of discovery provides a clear vantage point to his design of spaces. He believes in creating intricate spaces, ones which can be discovered and enjoyed, not for only the immediate experience, but also for their return value - an investment that increases with time and experience.
Since joining thinc design in early 2016, Misha has worked on detailed design and masterplanning for a variety of public realm projects including parks, playgrounds, schools, trails and streetscapes throughout Ontario. In addition, he has worked on a number of mixed-use and residential developments in the private realm. Misha is proficient in producing concept sketches, working drawings, construction drawings, presentation/marketing images, report writing and design.
He has been the lead staff on various projects, collaborated on multidisciplinary design teams, and has been engaged in the facilitation of public consultation. Misha has lead and participated in all stages of a given project - small, medium and large scale - from conceptual design, through to contract administration.
As an Associate, Leandra acts as a senior Planner and Project Manager, coordinating team members, conceptualizing key priorities in the plans, advising and providing quality control, conducting needs assessments, and ensuring the project remains on schedule. She also participates in community consultations and acts as the main contact for clients.
Prior to joining Thinc, Nick worked with Baker Turner Inc. in Brampton, where he managed projects from concept through to implementation, and was exposed to a variety of project types and scales. With over four years working for a profession firm, he has developed confidence in site inventory, design, and communication with clients and consultants.
As an Associate, Danielle leads projects and teams to advance the firm. She leverages her nimbleness, proven work ethic, conscientiousness, and strong interpersonal skills to gain the trust of clients, collaborators, and community members.
Working as a senior planner and project manager, Danielle develops parks and recreation master plans for municipalities of all sizes that are grounded in thorough writing, research, needs assessments, and community engagement.
She joined thinc design after spending a year working abroad in Amsterdam at Lodewijk Baljon Landscape Architects. Decidedly familiar with the influences and voices that define Toronto, Stacey is excited to be back working in her hometown and the landscape of southern Ontario that she grew up in.
As a landscape architect, Stacey has worked on the detailed design and master planning of public parks, playgrounds, schools, streetscapes and private mixed-use and residential developments. She has collaborated on multidisciplinary design teams, and has been engaged in the facilitation of public consultation. Stacey has participated in all stages of a given project - from conceptual design, to public consultation through to contract administration.
For her honours thesis Jillian reviewed conservation psychology research in order to make recommendations on how to design urban environments to better foster environmental stewardship. For her studies in ecosystem restoration, Jillian developed a restoration report for the Bruce Trail Conservancy to guide the management of a conservation easement.
Prior to joining thinc design, Jillian’s experience included designing residential planting plans, building custom landscape features and conducting ecological fieldwork. Having held positions with the TRCA and City of Toronto Urban Forestry Jillian has excellent plant identification skills and is knowledgeable about native and invasive plant ecology.
Her diverse portfolio is comprised of institutional, large scale public realm, streetscape typologies, park, and condominium design. She has acquired a dynamic range of skills including detail design, graphic visualization and communication, conceptual / schematic design, large scale planting plans, algorithmic / 3-D modelling and contract administration.
From January to August 2021 Emerson was a student intern at thinc. During this time, he worked on a range of projects including the Leamington Waterfront Destination Plan, 46-48 Laing Avenue, and various Parks and Recreation Plans. These projects gave Emerson a broad scope of experience and helped him refine his professionalism in design. As an intern, Emerson contributed to thinc’s positive work culture and provided his thoughtful input on a variety of diverse projects. We are very excited to have him back to start his career with us.
Through her experience in the non-profit and municipal sector, Gelila has worked on various projects ranging from public realm plans, public art design development, and active transportation expansion projects. Using an intersectional approach and guided by her keen interest in community placekeeping, Gelila is interested in how community co-creation and intercultural collaboration can enhance public space and city-building practices.
As a planner at thinc design, Gelila supports the advancement of parks and recreation master plans by conducting trends and demographic research, policy analysis, community engagement, and needs assessments.
Prior to joining thinc design, Hayley gained land use and development planning experience at a planning consultancy. She has a strong knowledge of planning systems and the ability to interpret and apply related legislation and policy. Hayley is passionate about improving the quality of communities while celebrating the diverse identities that they are comprised of.
As a planner at thinc, Hayley supports the advancement of municipal parks and recreation master plans by conducting trends and demographic research, policy analysis, needs assessments, and community engagement.
From a young age, he has been passionate about drawing and creating. Expressing his creativity through landscape design is something he is enthusiastic about. Living in Toronto for most of his life has enabled him to develop a strong aspiration for urban landscape design, aimed at creating lively and viable spaces for all to enjoy. During his downtime, you can find him outdoors. He has an appetite for maintaining a healthy vigorous lifestyle, whether it be through cycling, backpacking or gardening.
At thinc, Paul assists with a wide range of project tasks. He has worked on several park and recreation Master Plan proposals along with designing layouts for a handful of reports. He has also worked closely with senior landscape architects at thinc to develop conceptual designs and presentation graphics for clients such throughout Southern Ontario.
During her studies, Madison undertook an honours thesis exploring ecosystem integration within urban landscapes. Her research aimed to address the challenges of climate issues and biodiversity loss through the implementation of integrative nature-based solutions, allowing for their coexistence. This research stood at the forefront of her final Capstone project, where she proposed a shopping centre redesign of Mississauga's Sheridan Centre. This project includes facets of New Urbanism, including urban and streetscape design, community design, sustainable design, and mixed-use development.
Her previous experience in her seasonal positions, including landscape maintenance and garden center sales and design, granted her extensive knowledge in plant identification and care and an understanding of the importance of native planting and maintenance in the landscape for ecosystem health and natural heritage awareness.
When not at work, Franco is a passionate rock climber who has competed at the provincial level. His love for outdoor rock climbing and its “leave no trace” movement drives him to be as ecologically and environmentally responsible wherever and whenever possible. When coupled with his interest in modern architecture and urban design, Franco is inspired to create more sustainable designs while constantly advocating for more environmentally focused approaches.
Before joining thinc, Franco’s experiences in landscape construction and garden maintenance provided him with a practical foundation and understanding for his work and designs. Franco has been applying his knowledge as a landscape designer for the past few years with a focus on installing native and responsible plantings to promote healthier and more sustainable urban ecosystems.
She focused her undergraduate degree on the study of phenomenology and ethics, using these lenses to consider the underlying factors that impact the development of communities, and later discovered a complementary interest in developing resilient rural areas through her Masters. Her graduate research focused on measuring prime agricultural land loss in southern Ontario and developing policies to ensure a more sustainable future for farming through a stronger understanding of the impacts of rural and urban interfacing.
Prior to joining thinc design, Erin gained valuable land use and development planning experience working as a Planner for the Ontario Land Tribunal and as a Rural and Agricultural Policy Planner at Halton Region. She has a strong knowledge of Ontario’s planning systems and a passion for collaborating with communities to create meaningful places for them to live, work, and play.
As a planner at thinc design, Erin supports the advancement of parks and recreation master plans by conducting trends and demographic research, policy analysis, community engagement and need assessments.
Ronnie Is a Contract Administrator at thinc. He recently graduated from The University of Guelph’s Landscape Architecture Program and has a background in Residential Construction. Although he is new to thinc, Ronnie’s Building experience along with his education in landscape design makes him a knowledgeable, reliable, and valuable member of our team.
Outside of the office, Ronnie can often be found working on personal hands-on projects such as gardening, carpentry, and landscaping which he takes great pride in. This love for the outdoors is what drove him to landscape design in the first place. The remainder of his free time is typically spent playing basketball or enjoying a round of golf.
In the future, Ronnie will take his L.A.R.E exam with the goal of becoming a member of the Ontario Association of Landscape Architects.