DIALOG has been named winner of the ‘Best of Practice’ award from the Architect’s Newspaper!

The Best of Practice award commends the overall company spirit and operations of practices within the AEC community. A jury of experts and professionals analyzed DIALOG’s internal culture, social impact, and design excellence, where DIALOG demonstrated commitment to studio values through every level of the practice and studio structure. We are proud to be chosen as a practice who continuously strives to improve our culture and meet the highest standards.

“I thought DIALOG was a well-rounded practice,” Stephanie Lin shares, award Juror and Dean of The School of Architecture. “They demonstrate all of the criteria around community, well-being, environmental responsibility, and a participatory, interdisciplinary approach to design.”

The diverse perspectives and expertise of our multi-disciplinary teams position us to tackle today’s challenges, working together to solve complex challenges. As designers, DIALOG has a hand in shaping how future generations will experience the world – which is at the core of DIALOG’s guiding principles, designing with community wellbeing and environment in mind.

In 2023, DIALOG became B Corp certified, joining a global movement of companies committed to using business as a force for good. This certification acknowledges an ongoing commitment to deepening our impact as a purpose-driven design practice that cares about our collective impact. As a B Corp, we strive for the highest standards of social and environmental responsibility, accountability, and transparency, as one of fewer than 10 practices in the Architecture, Design, and Planning industry certified as a B Corp in Canada (as of 2023).

With over 130 LEED® certified design professionals, we prioritize exploring green technologies to minimize our environmental footprint. DIALOG signed up for the American Institute of Architects’ 2030 Commitment, calling for all new developments and major renovations to be carbon neutral by 2030. All studios are Climate Smart Certified, sharing our GHG emissions to show our carbon accounting is protocol compliant.

Our studios have diverse cross-collaboration, including Practice Roundtable teams of subject matter experts who help lead best practices to support project execution. A specialized program includes the Iris Prize, an internal scholarship that fosters out-of-the-box thinking, with two weeks of paid leave and $10,000 to conduct research or undertake a project in an area relevant to the practice. We apply a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility lens to our practice, including partnering with an external consultant to assess and implement pay equity actions.

DIALOG also partnered with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in the development of a Workplace Mental Health Playbook for Business Leaders, to help guide companies in supporting their employees in ways that promote mental health.

We are proud to be amongst the top standout practices who continue to put people first.

Learn about the other winners and honourable mentions here.

About The Architect’s Newspaper

The Architect’s Newspaper (AN) has shaped architecture culture for over 20 years. Seven annual print editions are trusted sources for architects, designers, building professionals and intellectuals. Each issue collects breaking industry news and offers insightful commentary, critique and project previews—led by editors with both a critical eye and a sense of levity. AN is made by AN Media Group, which produces award-winning publications, conferences, events, and continuing education experiences for a diverse design community. Combining timeliness with authority, AN Media Group is the most comprehensive source of information on the culture and practice of architecture across the United States.