Patrick Saavedra, York University's architect and the director of planning, architecture and renovations in Campus Services and Business Operations (CSBO), has been invited by the Ontario Association of Architects (OAA) to play a significant role in the 2016 OAA Awards. On Feb. 11, Saavedra will chair the OAA Concepts Jury along with other notable industry professionals.
The OAA Concepts Jury caps off a momentous and busy year for Saavedra. In 2015, he was also appointed by the City of Mississauga to be a member of the City's Urban Design Review Panel. In addition, he is a member of the City of Toronto's Public Art Commission, which advises the City's Planning and Urban Design departments as it relates to art in the public realm for all projects across the city.
A skilled architect, Saavedra has been with York for years directing a team at CSBO overseeing from 150 to 200 renewal projects annually. He provides advice on design and architecture for major capital projects. Saavedra has been instrumental in leading York University's drive to embrace leading edge building information modelling tools. He has 26 years professional experience as an architect, a planner and an educator and is licensed to practice both in Canada and the United States.
In addition to being a member of the OAA, Saavedra is a member of the Royal Architecture Institute of Canada, the American Institute of Architects as well as the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards. As an adjunct professor, he continues to teach foreign trained architects in post-professional programs. He has also served as a guest critic at a number of architectural schools in the United States and Canada.