Parkin is an enthusiastic supporter of fostering collaboration, partnerships, and sharing knowledge to build better communities. Employing experts in their fields of design, Parkin’s management team share their expertise/knowledge by teaching at universities and colleges through specialized curricula and participation in critiques to assist students in their studio thesis work. These post-secondary institutions include Carleton University, University of Toronto, and George Brown College.
Upon request, our team has also assisted students with preliminary thesis research. Most recently Parkin’s Southwest Centre for Mental Health and the Rankin Inlet Healing Facility were referenced in thesis research at the University of Toronto.
At the outset of this thesis, I felt extremely overwhelmed tackling a topic that lies at the intersection of mental health, justice, and culturally competent care. I reached out to Parkin Architects knowing their extensive expertise in both forensic psychiatric facility design as well as designing in Canada’s far north. Having this opportunity to learn from architects with professional experience on similar projects has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my thesis. The Parkin team, comprising Robert Boraks, Robin Snell, Claire O’Donnell, and Roberta Somlo, were more than willing to devote their time to answering my questions, sharing their experience on projects, and providing continual design feedback on my work. What I found most encouraging through this collaboration was knowing that there is a firm that shares my passion for compassionate design that celebrates the holistic dimensions of health and wellness. – Lucy Yang, University of Toronto
At Parkin we believe in creating environments that have positive impact on lives and cultivating a sustainable business model as the foundation to lead initiatives that succeed in making that impact.