Design Development Phase

Posted on 28 June 202528 June 2025

For the past 8 months,  Otter Housing Association has been hard at work moving our affordable housing project forward. A dedicated design and consultancy team has been meeting bi-weekly to advance the architectural and mechanical plans that will shape our future build.

This collaborative effort includes OHA’s Operations Director and Project Coordinator, lead architect Chris Woodford of Woodford Architecture (St. John’s), civil engineers Jon Pawson and Justin Tilley of Progressive Engineering & Consulting Inc. (Paradise), energy modeller Brian Fountain of Footprint (Toronto), and electrical engineer Matt Appleby of Rowsell Appleby Newton Engineering (St. John’s).

We’re currently deep in the Design Development phase, which involves refining the layout, selecting materials and systems, coordinating building services, and ensuring the design meets performance targets—particularly around energy efficiency, accessibility—and long-term sustainability. This phase is essential for creating the detailed documentation needed to secure construction financing and permits.

We’re on track to have a full set of drawings and specifications ready by the end of the summer, and we can’t wait to share more as the project continues to take shape. Stay tuned!

This design phase has been fully funded by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and the Community Housing Transformation Centre.