DON GURNEY
PRINCIPAL - ARCHITECT AIBC, RAIC, NCARB

Don Gurney, a visionary architect, deeply respects the traditions of architecture while infusing a contemporary design perspective into his work. His approach is all about creating spaces that achieve harmony, utilizing natural materials that age gracefully. In 1998, Don founded Openspace Architecture after a decade working as a Project Architect and Planner on significant waterfront developments in Vancouver. He combines his extensive planning knowledge with a humanistic approach, emphasizing site context and the enhancement of the building experience. Don holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Carleton University in Ontario, Canada, is a member of the Architectural Institute of British Columbia and the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada.

ERIC PETTIT
SENIOR ASSOCIATE

Eric Pettit, a seasoned building technologist and production team leader, directs projects from design through contract administration. With over 30 years of experience, he excels in contract documentation, utilizing a wealth of construction knowledge and cost management expertise. Actively improving the 3D digital modeling process, Eric enhances constructibility and facilitates seamless multi-discipline integration. His extensive background encompasses notable contributions to airport and Skytrain infrastructure developments, along with the successful completion of over 27 resort homes in Whistler, BC. Eric is a graduate of Ryerson University in Ontario, Canada holds a Bachelor of Architectural Technology.

ELIZABETH GRUCHALA
ASSOCIATE - ARCHITECT AIBC

Elizabeth Gruchala specializes in crafting custom homes and has an extensive global background in hotels, resorts, and institutional buildings. Her passion lies in collaborating closely with clients to create elegant designs that reflect their individual preferences, aiming to evoke a sense of warmth and sophistication in every project. By prioritizing open communication and collaboration, she cultivates enduring relationships with clients and builders. Elizabeth holds a Masters of Architecture and a Bachelor of Architectural Studies from the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, and is a member of the Architectural Institute of British Columbia.

JOHN O’REGAN
INTERN ARCHITECT AIBC

John kicked off his career with a diploma of building technology from BCIT in 1996 and has over 15 years of experience in the construction industry. He completed his Master of Architecture degree from the University of Western Australia in 2004.

He enjoys having his strong design aptitude being backed up by high level technical expertise. The most satisfying thing for him is to bring the Architectural vision to reality

ERIK GRANANDER
ARCHITECTURAL TECHNOLOGIST

Erik started working at Openspace at 2013 as a student. He combines this experience with the knowledge he has gained from his time at BCIT as well as several years of construction and has become a well-rounded individual able to produce full working drawings to go along with his designs.

While working on a project Erik likes to build strong relationships with the various consultants and trades to make for a balanced team able to efficiently solve any issues that may arise through the building process.

AGUSTINA GARCIA DEL RIO
DESIGNER - ARCHITECT (Argentina)

Agustina is an Argentinian architect and teacher. Along with running her own architectural and interior design studio, Agustina taught in the Architecture program at the University of Buenos Aires for eight years until she moved to Copenhagen in 2020. A year later, she moved to Vancouver where she joined the Openspace team to continue her quest for designing experiences.

Over the past ten years, she has worked in the fields of residential architecture and interiors, commercial interiors, industrial design, photography, and creative direction.

Other spoken languages: Spanish

FERNANDA PALMERO
ARCHITECTURAL TECHNOLOGIST

Fernanda works alongside Senior Architects, assisting in all phases from schematic design through to working drawings. She enjoys challenging herself, problem solving and loves diving into the details of a project. Her passion for architecture started when she was very young. Growing up in Mexico City, she was inspired by the culture, traditions and history of her surroundings and is passionate about creating beautiful and unique residential, commercial and public spaces.

Other spoken languages: Spanish

JESSICA FENG
ARCHITECTURAL TECHNOLOGIST

Jessica hails from Toronto and has a degree in Architectural Science. Studying and working in downtown Toronto, she has experience in various phases of projects from conceptual to working drawings, including institutional and commercial design. She has worked on large and complex international projects as well as been a part of small detailed oriented teams working closely with clients.

She is intrigued by human interaction with the built environment and enjoys projects where she has the opportunity to create a design specifically catered to a site or client.

FARNAZ GOLESTAN
INTERIOR DESIGNER

Farnaz completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Interior Design at the Art Institute of Vancouver. Traveling to different countries opened Farnaz’s vision to new designs and cultures. Which has broadened her vision in a variety of designs. Farnaz believes that details make the design and creating spaces with this in mind will positively affect people’s day-to-day experience.

She enjoys working closely with client’s to help bring their individual visions to life by bridging high functionality with beautiful aesthetics. She is very passionate about what she does and this passion keeps growing every day.

Other spoken languages: Farsi

JESSE MONTEIRO
INTERIOR DESIGNER

Jesse Monteiro joins Openspace Architecture from the Netherlands, bringing a background in both Interior Design and Graphic Arts. An Interior Architecture graduate of Artez University of the Arts, Jesse has spent the past two years designing high-end residential and commercial spaces, developing a passion for crafting bespoke, immersive environments. Now based in Vancouver, he’s excited to bring his European design sensibility and commitment to Openspace’s team.

For Jesse, the most rewarding aspect of his work is the opportunity to create meaningful experiences through close collaboration with clients and colleagues.

Other spoken languages: Dutch

RAY DALUPANG
DESIGNER

With 24 years of graphic design experience in the architecture field, Ray is involved in illustration, presentation work for publications and media, model building, 3D modeling and rendering. Ray brings to the studio creativity and enthusiasm to all projects he is involved in.

DOREEN RAM
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

MAY GURNEY
ARCHITECTURAL TECHNOLOGY STUDENT