Notice Board

Typologies in the Design of Universities: Places of Learning/Learning of Places.

From the Old World to the New, an overview of the evolution of university design from the middle ages through to the present. Michael Cojocar, a Calgary native, has designed places of learning, university buildings and universities in Central and Eastern Europe as well as Western Canada.  He will share his thoughts and provide a view into the world of university design, where it has come from and where it is going.

Michael has procured and then led construction projects in over 17 countries on 4 continents during the past 25 years.  From the government sector to private residences to large mixed-use developments, Michael has taken the requirements of the client from simple goals to design concept, construction and then delivery resulting in an enviable list of references and repeat clientele. Michael’s drive, energy and skill set have drawn work from clients as far afield as Austin, Texas to Toronto, Canada to Vienna, Austria to Naivasha, Kenya.

Starting his career with significant Western Canadian hospitality projects such as the Banff Springs Hotel and the Chateau Lake Louise, Michael gained a solid technical background that became a benchmark used throughout the subsequent years of his career.  After completing 7 years of practice in Canada, Michael departed to Europe, from a central European base in 1992 and his own firm branched out in project type, project size, and project location to include the sampling below. In summer of 2012, Michael returned to his native Calgary and began works with Zeidler Partnership Architects as Principal. Beginning projects works in Calgary as principal in charge of The Bow, he soon landed a string of school projects with CBE and school boards outside of the city.  Continuing a long string of post secondary design works, Michael and team designed the renovation works for the University of Lethbridge Recital Hall, completed fall 2014. Also in the fall of 2014, Michael designed the Quarry Park Child Development Centre, the largest childcare facility ever built in in Canada, a greenfield commercial project for a well-known Calgary developer.

Soon after completing the design at Quarry Park, Michael joined NORR Architects Engineers Planners as Director, Commercial at currently is working on the Red Deer College Health Wellness Facility for the 2019 Canada Winter Games along with other project work.