Claire Kurtin

Growing up in Toronto with a mother as an architect and a grandmother as a heritage activist, Claire Kurtin’s upbringing taught her that good architecture can bring comfort, joy, and inspiration to everyday life. 

Today, Claire’s approach to design is driven by the conviction that sustainability and equity are critical when creating good, lasting architecture. She holds a Bachelor of Architectural Studies from the University of Waterloo and a Master of Architecture from the University of Toronto. 

Claire is passionate about working with existing buildings; she believes that the right renovation or addition can enrich and honour not just the building but also the community it serves. Prior to joining KPMB, she worked at Lebel & Bouliane and Giannone Petricone Associates on adaptive re-use and renovation projects for commercial, institutional and hospitality clients across Ontario including a Glass Museum in Dufferin County and projects for the University of Toronto, Terroni and the Royal Hotel.  

As a student, Claire spent several of her co-op terms at KPMB, working on Ponderosa Commons (student housing for the University of British Columbia), the Ronald O. Perelman Center for Political Science and Economics at the University of Pennsylvania, and the competition scheme for the multiple-award-winning Center for Computing & Data Sciences at Boston University.

Since re-joining the firm in 2021, she has contributed to a variety of projects, including Robertson Hall at Princeton University and a residential tower at Brookfield Place. Currently, she is the project architect on the renovation and expansion of a large office tower in Calgary, and part of the team working on the expansion and modernization of Calgary’s Arts Commons, the largest performing arts centre in Western Canada. 

In addition to project work, she is pursuing a Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification (RHFAC) and is looking forward to using the knowledge she gains to design more inclusive spaces that meet the broad and diverse needs of people with disabilities.