In Development Episode 26 - Designing for Peoples Growing Needs with Katie Warwa

In today’s episode, Mariah and Ryan chat with Katie Warwa, Owner/Partner and Lead of Design at Urbis Infill Homes, a family-run business. Katie has worked in British Colombia and Alberta on a wide scale of infill development projects. She shares details about an amazing undertaking she was able to be a part of the Oak Ridge Mall redevelopment in the very heart of Vancouver. Transitioning from Vancouver to Edmonton, Katie shares about Urbis’ early days being one of the first companies to do lot splits in Edmonton, which started with a home for her own family in Bonnie Doon. Katie and Ryan get into the opportunities of multi-generational living that infill can provide the flexibility it gives to people to have their home grow with them. Katie also shares with them how neighbour communication is key to their projects and what tactics they have used to gain community support. Mariah asks Katie about what clients are asking for and what opportunities there are in the upcoming zoning bylaw renewal for redevelopment. Listen to hear more about her fascinating experiences designing for infill projects.

Katie Warwa is an Owner/Partner and lead of Design at Urbis Infill Homes, a design builder focused on infill in Edmonton’s mature neighbourhoods. She has a background in Architecture, with a Masters of Architecture graduate degree from the University of British Columbia. Her role at Urbis is much broader than residential design. She has been with the company since its infancy when it was a small operation of just four employees. She wears many hats and touches everything from marketing, to client relationships, to exterior and interior design of homes, to overseeing construction. She is also key to company culture managing multiple teams within Urbis and plays a role as the glue between design and construction. Katie’s passion and focus is on the clients of Urbis. She not only assists clients in designing their homes, but more importantly focuses on the client experience during the process. For Katie, it’s about ensuring that her clients will love their dream home for years to come thanks to her timeless and thoughtful design style of her and her team, as well as her focus on providing a positive and supportive design and build experience for homeowners.