KBK Architects Inc. Creating The Perfect Blend Of Aesthetic Beauty And Functionality

Kyle Khadra always knew that he wanted to be a responsible Architect, both in what his multidisciplinary Architectural & Engineering firm, KBK Architects Inc., created and how the company reached its end goal. During his experiences with larger-scale projects in the course of his career and his time working in the corporate workplace environment, he has learned a lot about the many different ways that companies can demonstrate their commitment to fair practices and sustainability in all aspects of their work. Kyle wanted the freedom of being able to provide beauty and value in all of KBK Architects Inc.’s creations while upholding its core values.

“My partner and I founded KBK Architects Inc. in 2010 as a small firm, which gradually gained momentum through client referrals with each successful project,” said Kyle Khadra, Principal Architect and Founder of KBK Architects Inc.

KBK Architects started small, and the team was focused on working on a large volume of projects at very competitive rates. At the time, every project was an opportunity and a challenge. This contributed to a consistent flow of business and income while allowing KBK Architects to build the momentum and experience to take on more complex projects.

“This model resulted in us working on a large volume of projects; our firm has to date completed over 2,000 architectural projects,” said Kyle Khadra. But soon, the company reached a point where it had an established and trusting base of clients and a solid team with extensive experience from a technical and customer service perspective.

“We changed our philosophy at that point and started focusing on unique and outstanding design and smarter buildings. We downsized the team, and due to the level of service we became known for, we were able to focus on a niche clientele that appreciates the need to retain a creative and innovative architectural firm,” stated the founder.

Now, while the firm works on about 10% of the number of projects it used to do years ago, KBK Architects’ revenues are substantially more, and its team is enjoying a much more creative work atmosphere that focuses on outstanding architecture. “Every project now is now an chance for us to make a difference in people’s lives, both on a user level and on a more macro level, where it gives consideration to the surrounding, environment, community, and civilization as a whole.”

Today, the company’s full-time in-house teams of Architects, Professional Engineers, and a team of licensed Certified Designers have extensive expertise in many different aspects of residential and commercial projects. They offer complete Planning, Architectural, Structural & Mechanical Engineering, Construction Management, and Building Permit Application Services in Toronto and the GTA.

Architecture can and is shaping our day-to-day lives. But that’s not all; it is setting the course for our future in its ability to provide solutions to our biggest challenges, such as sustainability in our ever-growing urban environment. The primary approach and philosophy behind KBK Architects’ design are creating the perfect blend of aesthetic beauty and functionality – with sustainability.

“We believe that to change the world, we will need to begin from where we are standing. To KBK Architects, each project is a chance to illustrate and prove that we can improve on the status quo of conventional design and move towards a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle without compromising on luxury and quality of lifestyle,” explained Kyle Khadra.

We need to protect our planet’s gift for many future generations to come, and we can and should start from our backyards doing when we can, however minor it seems. There is a vast need for improvement in the construction industry, and unfortunately, the need for action is becoming more and more urgent. KBK Architects team’s research and client education activities are a small step in the right direction. “We hope, with our design approach at KBK Architects, we are able to provide a beneficial and lasting impression on our surroundings.”

The firm’s design philosophy ensures that it meets and exceeds the clients’ expectations, caters to them with every construction element, and engages in regular check-ins.

KBK Architects believes that design and architecture have the power to make a difference in our society. “Our passion is to design so that each project has its own distinctive, outstanding style. KBK Architects’ client-oriented design approach ensures that the client’s personality and specifications are continuously integrated, allowing for aesthetically stunning, practical, and sustainable builds that enhance the surrounding environment,” assured Kyle Khadra.

Additionally, KBK Architects’ in-house multidisciplinary Architecture & Engineering approach to each project allows its team to work flawlessly, creating a seamless and fast project delivery. This company setting has allowed KBK Architects to generate a flawless track record and a solid base of loyal customers for whom it is the go-to architectural firm.

Currently, the company’s focus area is custom home design and development projects where the clients have access to KBK Architects’ customized service packages tailored to their specific project needs. “We guide our clients every step of the way as they move through different design project stages. We understand that a project can be a daunting task but paired with a great team of professionals, it can also be one of the most rewarding experiences of a lifetime.”

From site selection and concept to navigating through the required approvals to make a vision into reality, the KBK Architects team is eager to lead and assist throughout the whole process.

The company was awarded the best sustainability project for one of its projects, Ida Place, a beautiful house with an indoor atrium and a design that offers superior performance. The award-winning project IDA place is a perfect example of KBK Architects philosophy in practice.

Ida place posed a unique set of challenges related to the environmental protection constraints the property had. The company also understood the importance of personalities in design. KBK Architects incorporated the client’s love of gardening and nature into every facet of the plans by creating a floor plan that allowed unobstructed landscape views, letting out into a gorgeous countryside vista. The breathtaking exterior design uses cantilevered blocks on three sides of the building, showing the excellence of engineering that has gone into the house.

Evolving With the Times

Architecture deals with issues that are embedded in our day-to-day lives. Issues like construction waste and sustainable life cycle, house inequality, and climate change are the aspects that architects and the construction industry deal with daily.

“Building design and architecture are evolving day by day, and we consider working on each project as an opportunity to learn what our clients and the users are looking for, and we are witnessing these changes,” said Kyle Khadra, Principal Architect and Founder of KBK Architects Inc.

The changes in our environment and global warming are encouraging people to be greener. More and more users are seeking sustainable, more considerate architecture. Users in colder climates appreciate indoor gardens, green walls, and solutions that reduce energy consumption. Moreover, people are more aware and educated and appreciate how aspects as simple as changing the form of a building can impact its performance, running cost, and level of comfort while maintaining the same cost as an inconsiderate design of a building. “The way I see it, users now understand the beauty of sustainable design and seek it as much as they seek aesthetic beauty in architecture,” commented the Founder of KBK Architects Inc.

To label a building as a smart building by simply installing an automated system is not enough anymore, and if the building form is not smart, then adding these systems only mitigates the costs, whereas designing a smart building by form, materials, assemblies, orientation, with a deep understanding of the physics of how sunlight, underground temperatures, wall exposure, effect of shade and light, and positioning of windows is necessary to call a building “smart.”

The relationship between indoor and outdoor space are also evolving, as more and more people appreciate outdoor living because of the pandemic. “In-home workspace is becoming a standard necessity; even when designing micro homes, our clients are choosing to have a designated space in their homes for daily work,” added Kyle Khadra.

Interior Gardens and green rooftops are a trend to watch out for. Savvy homeowners are asking more out of their space and require a more sophisticated design approach. “Our generation is becoming more aware of the link between nature and our happiness. The need for connection has always been there in all of us. As architects, we are seeing this need being addressed more often in our living spaces,” remarked the KBK Architects founder.

Although we have seen an increase of interest in sustainable and Low/ Free emission design and construction practices over the past few years, more can be done. Through each aspect of its design process, KBK Architects Inc. ensures that its dedication to green design and ecological sustainability is reflected in each project element. “We recognize that our industry has a lot of work to do – therefore, we seek to lead from the front and promote sustainable technology in architecture,” concluded Kyle Khadra.

Kyle Khadra, Principal Architect and Founder

Kyle considers himself to be an environmentalist and is passionate about architecture and its relationship with building a sustainable society. He is a proud member of the Ontario Association for Architects and has completed over 2,000 projects in North America.

At KBK Architects Inc., he is leading a team whose main goal is to create new innovative solutions that will contribute to his passion, including a catalogue of solutions for buildings to mitigate the environmental footprint of both buildings and users, and suggestions for improving bylaws and official plans to have a more green approach.

To KBK Architects, each project is a chance to illustrate and prove that we can improve on the status quo of conventional design and move towards a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle without compromising on luxury and quality of lifestyle.” – Kyle Khadra, Principal Architect and Founder

"KBK Architects believes that design and architecture have the power to make a difference in our society.”