Cambrian Heights
A 46,500 ft² multi-tenant industrial building in mass timber, placed on a difficult site using DAO's own cost and site models.
Danielson Architecture Office · Sudbury + Ottawa
Buildings, systems and repeatable development.
New buildings, additions and renovations. We specialise in mass timber and price a design while it can still change.
- OAA Certificate of Practice since 2017
- Based in Sudbury and Ottawa
- Projects across Ontario
Trusted by
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Grenier CPA
-
-
What we do
Three sectors, one way of working.
From site review and approvals through permit and construction, for owners, developers and families.
Industrial
Warehouses, multi-tenant buildings, additions and re-cladding, including built mass timber work in Greater Sudbury.
7 projects
Commercial
Retail, salon, spa and office fit-ups, with fast-tracked approvals for tenants who have an opening date.
5 projects
Residential
Custom homes, additions and cottages, often phased so owners can stay in the house.
7 projects Specialty
Mass timber
Glulam and CLT structures for every kind of building we design.
Mass timber SpecialtyAlgorithmic costing + design
Models that show how cost moves as a design changes.
How it works FrameworkLantern Box
A new home above an existing house, on its own frame.
Lantern Box ResearchMaterial science
Cast smelter slag, folded paper structures and high-performance concrete.
Research Algorithmic costing + design
See what a design change costs before you make it.
We model the site, the structure and the main building parts, each with an approximate cost.
Change a storey height or move the building, and the model shows how the cost responds, including the sudden jumps, like an extra row of footings or a bigger mechanical unit.
On one project, early modelling identified more than $1 million in potential construction savings.
Estimated construction cost
$2.48M
- Cut
- Fill
- Road
Lantern Box · an architectural system developed by DAO More home.
More home.
Same land.
A new home above an existing house, on its own frame.
New columns and foundations beside the house carry the addition, so the house below stays in use. It starts as a one-storey loft and can grow to two. It works for a single home or across a portfolio of properties.
Selected projects
Selected work.
Each project is labelled as completed, in design, a proposal or a concept. All 27 projects
Herold Industrial Park
A renovated 21,500 ft² building and a new 18,800 ft² mass timber building on a constrained site between two highways.
Nepahwin Residence
A nail-laminated timber balcony, solarium tea room and garage workshop added to a lakeside home over a phased, owner-built schedule.
Wahnapitae Residence
A supplier's prefabricated cottage, adapted to a sloping lakeside lot with an ICF walkout basement, balcony, garage and pool terrace.
Glamour by Krystal Beauty
A 4,200 ft² salon and spa fit-up, designed and approved on a fast track to open in under six months.
Float Spa
A sensory-deprivation spa planned as a gradual removal of stimuli, with a perforated screen wall designed and built by DAO.
Regional field access
A small practice with a large practical radius.
DAO has its own aircraft for site visits, supplier meetings and construction review across Ontario. Same-day visits are possible across much of the province, weather permitting, which cuts travel time and cost on remote projects.
- 200 and 400 km from Sudbury
- 200 and 400 km from Ottawa
Evidence
Experience you can check.
“Their ability to translate our vision into practical, innovative, and aesthetically pleasing designs has ensured that all projects not only meet but often exceed our expectations.”
Publication
Canadian Wood Council case study
Our industrial mass timber work is a case study in Exploring the Role of Mass Timber in Industrial Buildings and Warehouse Construction.
Licensing
Ontario and British Columbia
OAA Certificate of Practice since 2017. Principal licensed with the OAA and AIBC, and a member of the RAIC.
Research
Patents and applied research
Two US patents for the Formid seat, applied research grants from Mitacs, NOHFC and FPInnovations, and a 2022 paper in Sensors.
Left to right: Jason Presse, Katherine Morawietz, Jeremy Upward, Patrick Danielson. Photo Amanda Thirkill.
Who we are
The team.
We work directly with owners, engineers and builders, from the first options through to construction.
- Patrick DanielsonFounder and Principal Architect, OAA, AIBC, MRAIC
- Jeremy UpwardChief Technology Officer, Intern Architect
- Katherine MorawietzArchitect, OAA
- Jason PresseArchitectural Designer, Intern Architect
Working with us
From first call to construction.
Most projects start with a short call and a look at the property. If the next step isn't clear, we start with a feasibility review.
- Property
- Planning
- Design
- Delivery
Property
Site review, existing records, 3D scans and a map of the constraints.
Planning
Feasibility, rezoning, minor variances, site plan and other approvals.
Design
Concept options, cost modelling where useful, visualisation and documentation.
Delivery
Consultant coordination, building permit and construction administration.
Contact
Tell us about your project.
Send a few lines about the property and what you want to build. We'll reply to arrange a call.
Useful to include
- The property address and what is there now
- What you want to build or change, and roughly when
- A budget range, if you have one
- Any survey, drawings or photos you already have
Locations
Sudbury, Ontario
Ottawa, Ontario
Meetings
We work as a remote office. We come to you, or arrange a meeting wherever suits you.
Service area
Projects across Ontario, with most work in Greater Sudbury, Northern Ontario and the Ottawa region.