Marek Zawadzki has been practicing architecture since 1975 and during that period has managed many exceptional projects that have contributed to the growth and expertise of the firm.  While he is an acknowledged expert in education and community/recreation centre design, Marek’s skills extend well beyond that specialization to include many of the firm’s office, commercial and residential projects.  Under his experienced leadership and supervision, projects have consistently been delivered with a strong commitment to client input, design excellence and a commitment to meeting schedules and budget.

Marek has shaped much of the core philosophy of ZAS.  With his unwavering commitment to quality and a unique dedication to collaborative client-driven design processes, he is especially adept at delivering master-planned and perceptive solutions for a diverse range of clients. His collaborative design talents are matched by strong organizational and management skills for multi-stakeholder and technically complex projects. Among the major clients that have sought out his services in consequence are Honda Canada and Staples Business Depot, both of which commissioned ZAS to design and manage the construction of their Canadian headquarter campuses.

His expertise in the design of corporate facilities and high-security projects is significant and vast, and includes regional operation/communication centres for major corporate clients such as Bank of Montréal, Citigroup North America, and HSBC.  As a result, he has a well-developed sensitivity to the unique infrastructure requirements for technologically significant buildings.  This expertise is also reflected in the host of successful bank branches, financial data processing centres, telecommunications control hubs, and justice facilities designed under Marek’s leadership. He has also recently led multi-disciplinary teams on notable complex projects including the $1.5B Dubai Promenade, the multiple phase development of the Hershey Centre Complex in Mississauga, and the Boutique Condominium residences in downtown Toronto.

Over the past 20 years, Paul Stevens has assembled an impressive project portfolio that spans a multitude of sectors, scales and locations. His prolific work expresses a strong belief that design is an important strategic asset that should be uniquely expressed to reflect each client’s vision, values and priorities. An accomplished designer and team leader, his innovative work at ZAS has pioneered projects that play central roles in city building and community urbanism.  At the city wide scale, his experience has extended into the realm of large-scale urban revitalization, transportation and master planning. While much of Paul's work has been in Canada, the increasingly international scope of ZAS work is reflected by projects in China and the Middle East for which Paul has played a leading role.  Exemplifying the collaborative client-driven approach for which ZAS is well-recognized, his leadership ensures that fully-integrated planning, design, and management solutions are achieved.

Paul's innovative and creative approach to design is reflected a long and ever-growing list of over 20 awards and distinctions. A particular strength in civic architecture became apparent early in his career with an award-winning design for Humberwood Centre, a shared-use facility in a Toronto suburb (housing both a public and separate school as well as a public library, child-care facility, and community centre all under one roof--the first facility of its kind in Ontario). More recently this has been reflected in distinctions for the Wellesley Community Centre and St Jamestown Public Library facility, and the Bill Crothers School for Athletics & Healthy Active Living.

Having successfully worked with numerous users and groups in the development of public and private sector facilities, Paul has a particular talent for engaging clients and other stakeholders in a collaborative, constructive design process that pushes the envelope of what is considered possible, even while working on limited budgets and tight schedules. Other planning and design interests include community-based multi-use projects, multi-disciplinary partnerships in design, and ecologically-responsible design.

In addition to designing and managing many of the ZAS’s notable projects over the past decade, Paul maintains an active connection with the broader learning community. He has written thought-provoking features for several Canadian design publications, and he works with the three Canadian universities by working with students, giving guest lectures, and serving as a guest critic. After completing his architecture studies at the University of Toronto in 1987, which included a year spent studying in Rome, Paul worked with several acclaimed Canadian architects, including Barton Myers Associates, Baird/Sampson Architects, and Jerome Markson Architects.

Peter brings over 15 years experience gained on projects as diverse as “off-grid” green homes to corporate campuses to master planning of entire urban precincts.  Peter has successfully executed projects on three continents, a testament to his ability to coordinate projects of all scales and levels of complexity.  He believes the ultimate success of a project starts with listening and understanding all of a client’s needs, including business planning, strategic vision, and local context.

As a specialist in sustainable design, Peter has worked on over 30 “green” building projects in Canada, the Middle East, Africa and China. Recent local sustainable projects include: the Bill Crothers Secondary School (LEED Silver), Honda Canada Campus (submitted as LEED Gold) and River City Condominiums (targeting LEED Gold).  Most recently, Peter has turned his knowledge of sustainable design into a Green Schools Design Manual for the Ministry of Education and the Ontario Association of School Board Officials. In an attempt to “walk the talk” Peter is a four season bicycle commuter, and lives in the "green laneway home" he designed for his family.

He has also lectured and written widely on the subject of sustainable building and urban design.  His projects have appeared in noted publication such as Canadian Architect and Treehuger.com.

Peter is a graduate of the University of Waterloo with degrees in Environmental Studies and Architecture.

Throughout his career Andrzej has provided design and management leadership on several multi-million dollar projects, both publicly and privately funded.  Andrzej received his Masters of Architecture (with honours and distinctions) from the University of Lódz in Poland in 1986.  After graduating, he practiced his craft at several design firms in Germany and Poland including Pietkiewicz Studio (Lódz, Poland), Holzbein Gebau Hagen (West Germany) and Hoff & Partner Architekturburo (Hagen, West Germany).  He then immigrated to Canada in 1988 continuing to work in the profession as graduate architect/designer for firms including Kirshenblatt Korman Associates and Brown Beck & Ross Architects both located in Toronto.  A natural designer with construction market smarts and a solid working knowledge of industry regulations, Andrzej offers the rare combination of a curious mind, a quick-sketching hand and the thoroughness required from a mature professional

A University of Toronto graduate from 1992, Susan’s passion and design expertise is deeply rooted in Community focused facilities. In 1997, after having worked exclusively on recreational buildings, she joined ZAS and brought to the firm this design, technical and management expertise. Her skills have contributed to the development of numerous educational, sports and entertainment, education, religion and healthcare projects. Among the list of projects are the award-winning Hershey Centre development in Mississauga for the past 13 years, the Tom Graham Twin Arena in Richmond Hill, the award-winning Wellesley Community Centre / Library / Childcare in Toronto, the Mapleview Community Centre in Barrie, Toronto Montessori High School in Richmond Hill and most recently, the Port Credit Memorial Arena redevelopment in Mississauga. As a Principal in the firm, her dedication to any project spans the entire duration from inception to warranty review.

Ella has focused her 28-year career on bringing together passion, people and process whether designing new office environments, transforming a warehouse into unique and functional government office space or refurbishing the interiors of a hotel.  A longstanding member of the ZAS team, Ella first joined the firm back in 1983 where her key involvement has since helped establish the Interiors group as a leader in innovative and flexible design solutions by implementing a highly creative process balanced with a uniquely collaborative approach. As a Principal of ZAS Interiors she oversees initiatives related to design, client development and strategic growth. She focuses her creative insight into the design and planning process to ensure the production of classic, engaging and functional design for every client, site and most importantly every user who will benefit from the space.  Ella has worked with a number of the firm's diverse clientele including corporate, educational, hotel/residential and government.

Deo has earned a reputation as a calm consensus builder.  In the past 25 years he has worked on a wide variety of private and public sector projects and has successfully engaged a diverse group of stakeholders.  His portfolio includes several complex projects like the Honda Canada Campus in Markham, Elgin West Community Centre and Aquatic Centre in Richmond Hill and the Lindsay Correctional Facility.  As well, Deo has been the project architect and contract administrator for several notable shared-use projects including the award-winning Humberwood Centre in Etobicoke, Hershey Centre arenas in Mississauga and Father John Redmond Catholic Secondary School & Regional Arts Centre/Ken Cox Community Centre in Toronto.  Deo graduated from the International Studies Program (with honours and distinctions) in Florence Italy.  He subsequently received his Bachelor of Architecture (with honours and distinctions) from the University of Toronto in 1985.  He joined ZAS as an architect in 1990 and became a Principal in 1998.

The recipient of an international fellowship and several awards for design and academic accomplishment during his tenure at the University of Waterloo, Costas joined the ZAS team in 1999.  He has since managed the design efforts on numerous high-profile institutional and commercial / residential projects, including large-scale master plans and feasibility studies.  Costas has represented ZAS at a senior level on international joint-ventures in China and Dubai, but also specializes in regional full-service design through contract administration for library, community centre, K-12 and post-secondary projects with sustainable design criteria.  His most recent projects include Beaty and Painswick Branch Libraries, Superior Heights Collegiate and the new Digital Media Lab for the University of Waterloo at Stratford.

Del brings more than 24 years of project management and construction review experience to the ZAS Senior Management Team.  Over that period he has worked on a diverse range of project types including private sector commercial, residential, institutional, and complex mixed-use developments.  Prior to joining ZAS, Del managed the Elm Street Development - a 16-storey award winning mixed-use tower and the Newland Square (2-level retail and 12-storey residential) in Shanghai, China, among many other projects.  Since joining ZAS in 2002, Del has taken on many of the firm’s commercial, institutional, office and multi-tenant interior fit-out assignments. With a excellent technical background in design detailing, Del also brings the experience of a general contractor and on-site Construction Manager to our firm having acted in that capacity for various ZAS clients in recent years, including adidas, Toronto Transit Commission, and the Islamic Shia Ithna-Asheri Jamaat. Most recently Del has been part of the project management team for the Jaffari Community Centre in Toronto and the new Head Office for adidas Canada.

An associate with ZAS, Erin has played an integral part in the planning, design and implementation of many wayfinding, signage and graphic projects worldwide. Her experience spans corporate, academic, civic, transportation, sports, and entertainment venues. This award-winning designer has a diploma in Graphic Design from the Sheridan School of Animation and Design and is currently a member of the Society for Environmental Graphic Design. She has created memorable works for major brands such as Adidas, Whirlpool, Hershey Sportszone, Kumon Learning, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, and Citibank. She also has been instrumental in assisting organizations like the Toronto Public Library, Ryerson University, Toronto Montessori College and Ontario Reality Corporation develop and produce effective environmental graphics. As our in-house graphic designer, Erin has helped promote the firm’s capabilities in design and brand strategy by producing corporate literature, proposals, internal communications, presentations and marketing collateral.

Jeff has been a member of ZAS since 1992 with a background in Architectural/Information Technology and quickly took on the role of IT Manager. Jeff provides installation and applications for hardware and software maintenance, complex computer networks and information databases. He ensures maximum access and implementation of technology services, as well as recommendations about future planning and development of resources.  Jeff has become an integral part of ZAS behind the scenes, overseeing the firm's extensive computer infrastructure around the world and maintaining a smooth and efficiently run company.