ɫ

Aug. 31, 2023

Award-winning innovator and UCalgary alum becomes one of the Master of Architecture program’s newest assistant professors

Philip Vandermey transitions to new role with the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape
Headshot of Philip Vandermey

Philip Vandermey is no stranger to the University of Calgary’s (SAPL).

Having been part of the SAPL family since 2007, as both a sessional instructor and later as assistant adjunct professor, Vandermey, BGS’03, MArch’06, will continue to share his wealth of experience in critical design techniques, exploring contemporary issues at architectural, landscape, urban and regional scales as one of the School’s new assistant professors in the program.

Vandermey came to SAPL direct from graduating from UCalgary with his Master of Architecture, specializing in Architecture and the Contemporary City; he previously received a Bachelor of General Studies with a minor in architectural studies.

“I’ve been teaching here since I graduated, and I love every minute of working with students in an environment that allows for risk-free thinking,” he says.

Vandermey has a diverse professional portfolio that spans project types and countries. He's a Accredited Professional, a Registered Architect with the and the Stichting Bureau , and has worked with firms from Barcelona to Montreal and Rotterdam. His independent work and work as an employee at previous offices, particularly in the field of resilient urban structures and innovative designs, has earned him a collection of accolades including the (RAIC) Student Medal, two , and a , among others.

Vandermey is also a co-founder of . SPECTACLE's , a sports-building design for the Medicine Hat Tigers WHL hockey team, is a testament to its creative prowess. The design consists of a series of theatrically lit operational spaces, contrasting black and white, small and large, and dark and bright, and was the recipient of Canadian Interiors’ 2017 .

As a dual Dutch-Canadian citizen, Vandermey says his work, “crosses project types and scales; however, my greatest focus has been in cultural projects, post-secondary education buildings, urban projects and municipal facilities.”

In his new role, Vandermey is set to inspire design excellence in various architectural studios, bridging the gap between practice and academics. These studios will blend work-integrated learning with community and industry partnerships, teaching critical architectural design across architectural, landscape and urban formats.

“I learn as much from students as they learn from me,” he says. “I’m looking forward to getting more involved at the faculty level, developing design research in the school and continuing to improve my teaching approaches.”  

SAPL is excited to see how Vandermey's experience, enthusiasm and entrepreneurial thinking will continue to elevate students' learning experiences and contribute to 䲹’s mission of giving back to the community.

䲹’s (SAPL) prepares students for exciting and meaningful professional careers through the delivery of a distinctly unique design school experience. SAPL combines a rich and interdisciplinary design-based philosophy with an entrepreneurial mindset, sharing a deep commitment to working with industry stakeholders and community leaders at local, national and international levels to address some of society’s biggest challenges in new and creative ways.