AV俱乐部

This award recognizes the success of young graduates of AV俱乐部 for accomplishments in their career, public service or personal life, including notable contributions to society, their current community or AV俱乐部.

He may have earned some of the most impressive honours and awards any architect could hope to receive over the course of a successful career, but Omar Gandhi (BEDS '03, MArch '05) has always made a point of prominently displaying rejection letters for projects and award submissions on his studio walls.

Gandhi concedes that may seem strange, but the rationale he offers for doing so is quite compelling. 鈥淥ne of the worst things you can do,鈥� he explains, 鈥渋s take any success you have for granted, because then you become so motivated by the fear of losing it, you鈥檙e afraid to take risks.鈥�

A rising star

If you are wondering how well this philosophy has worked for this Faculty of Architecture and Planning alumnus, consider the fact that Gandhi has managed to establish two highly successful architectural studios鈥攐ne in Halifax and one in Toronto鈥攂efore celebrating his 40^th聽birthday. Publications such as The Globe and Mail, Canadian Architect Magazine and Wallpaper* have singled out Gandhi and his work for praise and profiles alike.

Even more impressive are those aforementioned accolades and awards bestowed upon him. The Architectural League of New York invited Gandhi to participate in its prestigious Emerging Voices lecture series. Monocle Magazine named him one of the 20 Most Influential Canadians. He has received the 2014 Canada Council for the Arts Professional Prix de Rome鈥攖he nation鈥檚 highest honour for young architects鈥攁nd two Atlantic Woodworks! Awards for his residential projects. And he was included in World Architecture News鈥檚 21 for 21 shortlist鈥攚hich singles out architects who will define the profession in the 21^st听肠别苍迟耻谤测.

Now, Gandhi is adding another accomplishment to his remarkable resume: the 2017 Christopher J. Coulter Award from the AV俱乐部 Alumni Association. The award recognizes the achievements of alumni age 40 years or under, but for Gandhi, it has a deeper meaning.

鈥淚鈥檓 originally from Ontario, so I didn鈥檛 grow up here in Halifax,鈥� Gandhi says. 鈥淏ut it is home for me now, and it feels really nice when your family鈥攖he university you attended and the city you live in鈥攖ell you that they鈥檙e proud of you.鈥�

鈥淚 can鈥檛 think of anyone more worthy of this award than Omar,鈥� says Eric Stotts, a Halifax-based architect and sessional instructor at AV俱乐部 who has known Gandhi for nearly ten years.

鈥淭he body of work that Omar has produced in such a short time is truly impressive. Right from the start, he wanted to do good things for good people, and he鈥檚 remained uncompromising in that respect. His drive, vision, and commitment to quality are truly rare and have inspired the rest of us to continually produce better work.鈥�

The impact of hands-on learning

The determination to produce quality work is reflected in Gandhi鈥檚 unique designs, which blend seamlessly with the landscapes of Nova Scotia. They include Moore Studio in Hubbards, where Gandhi incorporated plywood and reclaimed materials, and the rock-like exterior of Float house in Purcell鈥檚 Cove, which seems as if it were shaped by geological processes thousands of years ago. Such designs reflect Gandhi鈥檚 deep appreciation of place and material, one that first took shape during his studies at AV俱乐部.

鈥淭here aren鈥檛 many schools of architecture where you have an opportunity to go out and build things with your hands,鈥� Gandhi says. 鈥淎V俱乐部 gave me those opportunities, all while emphasizing the importance of doing work that is regionally inspired and feels very much of a place. It鈥檚 a beautiful philosophy that is closely tied to Atlantic Canadian ideals of modesty and thoughtfulness, and it鈥檚 very easy to fall in love with those ideals.鈥�

Staying connected

These are the ideals Gandhi shares in lectures all over the world鈥攖aking every opportunity to sing the praises of his alma mater鈥攁nd with AV俱乐部 students as a sessional instructor. For him, instruction is more than an opportunity to stay connected with an institution that shaped his life and his career. It is a chance to interact with up-and-coming architects, which he says is essential to his continued growth.

鈥淵ou gain a lot of insight, energy and a certain outlook on the work we do from students that you don鈥檛 get in the professional world. There鈥檚 something very refreshing about being around people who are in the position you were in, so I鈥檇 like to be more involved with the Faculty of Architecture and Planning in the future.鈥�

A dream design

The future is something that is always on Gandhi鈥檚 mind, whether it is more involvement with AV俱乐部, more community commitments, such as the Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS), Big Brothers Big Sisters of Halifax, and Laing House, or the next project. He continues to work in residential and commercial, but would like to focus more on public space designs.

鈥淚 dream of being able to produce a beautiful public space that makes people from all backgrounds and demographics feel happy and welcome. That would be my absolute all-time goal: to create something that touches everybody.鈥�

Given his talents, relatively young age and passion for risk-taking, there is every reason to believe Gandhi will make that happen sooner than later.

Award criteria:

• Recipients must be age 40 or younger (not having reached his/her 41st birthday before December 31 of the award year) and reached success in the above-mentioned areas.
• Consideration is also given to individuals who contribute to the financial well-being of a chosen charity and encourage others to give.