Ryder Architecture in Vancouver was launched in 2017 by Adam James, with the desire to meaningfully address climate change and create social value. We are a part of a wider practice, founded in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK in 1953, which now has eight offices collaborating worldwide.

This year’s Design Vancouver Festival theme asks how we build something stronger together. For Ryder Architecture, the answer starts with people: who gets the opportunity to enter the design and construction industry, and how are they supported along the way?
For one afternoon, Ryder will open its Vancouver studio as a working showcase of the next generation of designers, engineers and builders coming through BCIT’s ACE micro-credential program. ACE, which stands for Architecture, Construction and Engineering, is a year-long, paid program that rotates students through real placements across architecture and engineering studios, as well as construction companies. Modelled after PlanBEE, the award-winning program Ryder launched in the UK a decade ago, ACE is designed to create more accessible pathways into design careers for people outside the conventional route, including recent graduates, career-changers, and newcomers to Canada.
Visitors will have the opportunity to explore models, drawings, prototypes and process work from three cohorts of ACE students, and to speak directly with students, host employers, and BCIT representatives about what work-integrated design education looks like in practice. Informal talks throughout the afternoon will reflect on how the architecture, engineering and construction industry can become more open, collaborative, and inclusive.
Whether you are considering a career in design, looking for a path into the industry, or curious about how the next generation is being trained, this open studio will offer a clearer picture of how a more inclusive workforce can help build better design for everyone.