Partner and architect Jim Goodwin has hit a notable career milestone – 50 years with DIALOG! We sat down with Jim to hear his reflections about these past five decades.
A senior architect in our Calgary studio, Jim Goodwin is recognized as one of the leading specialists in his field. He is known for his designs of institutional buildings, including hospital and related healthcare facilities, laboratories, research centres, campuses, and government high-security buildings. Jim’s projects have helped meaningfully improve the health and safety of individuals and the public, demonstrating his dedication to providing the best design solutions for the betterment of everyone’s wellbeing. Jim works with his clients to not only resolve their needs but create flexibility and adaptability for future ones, creating lasting and sustainable built environments for learning, working, and healing.
A highly complex, constantly evolving area, this work demands expertise and concentration from architectural designers. Jim has made it his focus for 50 years, with special attention to planning, programming, and project management. At the core of Jim’s work is a focus on the health and wellbeing of individuals, public safety, and national defense.
Jim’s journey to architecture and DIALOG
Currently residing in Calgary, Jim was born in the Okanagan Valley in Penticton, British Columbia where his family eventually moved to Calgary in 1951. As a young child, Jim grew up with a father who was a painter, which brought an artistic curiousity to Jim at an early age. When Jim was around 15 years old, he began exploring the idea of what it would be like to be an architect.
Fast forward to 1965, Jim decided to study Arts and Science at the University of Calgary, where he then transferred to UBC (The University of British Columbia) to earn his Bachelor of Architecture. Upon graduating in 1969, Jim joined the University of Calgary Department of Campus Planning as his first job. Michael Evamy and Martin Cohos, two of the founding partners of DIALOG (formerly named Cohos Evamy), had started doing work on the University of Calgary Campus, and as the client, Jim became their close contact.
An active time where the campus was starting to grow, Jim became highly involved on campus projects in the science and technology area – learning how to design laboratories and working on a new Health Sciences Centre for the School of Medicine.
“In 1974, I received a phone call from Michael Evamy, reaching out for my expertise in health sciences and asking if I wanted to join their team for a project they had just landed: the Alberta Children’s Hospital Redevelopment in Calgary,” Jim reflects. “I jumped on the opportunity and have been with the team ever since.”
A passion for institutional architecture
Jim’s introduction to the health sciences and healthcare sector came about organically, having always been interested in the science and tech field, and with all his job experiences leading him to work on hospitals and labs.
“My fundamental interest is being able to do hands-on work with people that are directly involved,” Jim shares. “What is so interesting about a healthcare project or science and tech, is the clients invite us right into their own space so we can truly see and understand what we’re designing – stand where the surgeon would stand in the operating room.”
This led to Jim’s specialization in healthcare and science and tech design, gaining momentum on more projects of this nature. Jim started working on healthcare projects throughout the Alberta market, working on three major hospitals and over 25 small hospitals. “When I joined DIALOG, they didn’t really have anyone with experience in the healthcare and science and tech yet, so it worked seamlessly taking on that role,” he reflects. “There is an ever-present demand for such services, and there will always be this need.”
Portfolio with DIALOG
Since joining our team in 1974, Jim has worked on key projects across Canada and abroad, including the University of Calgary’s Health Research Innovation Centre, the RCMP Headquarters in Edmonton, Halifax, and Grand Prairie, and the Public Safety National Headquarters Building in Ottawa – all ranging in complexity. His notable projects include the LEED® Platinum, award-winning Energy Environment Experiential Learning Centre at the University of Calgary, and the multi-year medical facilities development for the University of Calgary Cumming School of Medicine.
Jim’s early years were predominantly oriented to the Calgary area, spreading around Alberta and dipping into the Vancouver market, and eventually led to the opening of the Edmonton studio. He became a partner of the practice in 1977.
When asked what his favourite project has been, Jim highlighted the Alberta Children’s Hospital Redevelopment as significant, working on it from 1974 to 1980 – marking many formative years of his life being heavily involved and dedicated to the project. Originally a Junior Red Cross Children’s Hospital with 35 beds for children with polio, the hospital expansion allowed for specialized clinics, private rooms, advanced technology, and accommodation for increased demand – evolving from a small care centre into a larger pediatric facility. “When you work on the consulting side, it gives you the opportunity to be more heavily involved with every person every step of the project – and that’s what I love about it,” Jim shares.
He also highlighted the Public Safety National Headquarters Building in Ottawa as a favourite, working on it from 1989-1995, which has blossomed into further work with the same client group across Canada that he is still actively involved with.
Jim’s longevity with DIALOG
One of Jim’s many reasons he has stayed with DIALOG for 50 years is the importance of teamwork and his passion for working at an integrated practice – surrounded by architects, urban planners, interior designers, structural, mechanical and electrical engineers, landscape architects, and sustainability consultants.
“My favourite part is being able to work as part of a team at DIALOG; over the years we’ve shown that when we work as a team, small or large, we create very successful work,” Jim affirms. “I’m not somebody who wants to work all by myself and take all the credit – it’s far more rewarding when we combine our talents and ideas together. Create as a team. Everything I’ve ever done here has been part of a team and I find that’s the most interesting part of it. At DIALOG, somebody in architecture could be working on something and can get up and walk a few meters over to a structural engineer for a question – it’s really cool. An integrated practice like DIALOG makes it so easy work as a combined team.”
Jim reflected back on the biggest changes he’s seen in his 50 years here: “The technology in our business was very minimal when we started. In Calgary we were one of the first groups that ever experimented with AutoCAD. But don’t get me wrong, I’m still a paper and pencil kind of guy, I still sketch by hand – and can still do the work just as I was doing many years ago. It has not stopped the way I can work. This has definitely been the most enormous change, though, seeing some of my colleagues’ careers completely on the computer.”
Words of wisdom for the future
Through Jim’s 50 years, he has experienced the growth of the practice, which started out as very few colleagues and has now expanded significantly. Jim shared some thoughts on the ever-changing industry: “I hope the practice continues to grow with new people and expand to new locations – and I think it will. I hope we continue to pursue all the forward-thinking, sustainable, life-changing work we’ve already been doing to help tackle today’s world challenges.”
When asked what his hopes are for the future, Jim offered some final reflections: “Here at DIALOG, we’re always going to be successful if we continue trusting our younger people; try to help them succeed and progress, really help them in their careers. You’d be surprised how good of a job they can do. We have to continue to work as team and always involve our younger people and make sure they get the experience and the kinds of opportunities I’ve had. This is a key factor in continued success.”
