Edwin Strik is a Dutch architect and urban designer, currently Senior Project Architect and partner at Ædifica, a multidisciplinary architecture and design practice based in Montreal. His work focuses on complex urban and infrastructural programs, with an emphasis on socially responsive and environmentally integrated design strategies.
Edwin holds a Master of Science in Architecture, Urbanism, and Building Sciences from Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), where he developed a research-based approach to architecture and urbanism. Prior to joining Ædifica in 2013, he worked at Atelier VAP in the Netherlands on housing and urban redevelopment projects, and at ABCP Architecture in Quebec, contributing to public and healthcare architecture. An earlier internship at Atelier Bow-Wow in Tokyo introduced him to experimental methodologies that continue to inform his practice.
His contributions at Ædifica include urban design, master planning, and built work across institutional and civic sectors. Notably, he led the design for Marché Central’s Place des Maraîchers, a multiphase commercial and residential mixed-use development in Montreal’s Ahuntsic-Cartierville district, shaped by community engagement and environmental performance. In parallel, he has supported multiple programming exercises for healthcare facilities in Québec, and the Greater Montréal Area. Across projects, Strik brings a consistent interest in architecture’s role within broader social and ecological systems.
What inspires you?
People’s daily rituals and how they appropriate space while performing these rituals. I’m curious of the way people interact with space, socialize in diverse settings, adapt places to their needs, but also how spaces happen to inflect their behavior. I find such observations fascinating, sometimes surprising, other times comforting, and they inspire me to design spaces that foster quality interactions between people and the built environment.
What core values guide your diverse architectural projects?
Ædifica’s approach to architectural projects is very much human-centric. Our design process strongly values transdisciplinary collaboration between the various talents in the firm, with our clients and end-users, as well as with other professionals, regulatory bodies, and builders. We are driven by the desire to enrich human lives by creating places that are sustainable, inspiring, and foster wellbeing. We celebrate collaboration and design as catalysts for innovation, engagement, and change. Our core optimistic approach leads us to dare to challenge the status quo and to design projects that exceed requirements and expectations.
Can you share how community feedback has influenced one of your projects?
Our firm is a leading expert in integrated design processes (IDP), in which all stakeholders exchange on design wishes, issues and solutions, and contribute to co-create the project. Many of our major projects also involve public consultation processes, in which we participate and integrate community feedback. For example, for the repositioning of Marché Central, from a typical 1990s power center to a safe, user-friendly, and much greener retail environment, two public consultations were organized for citizens to express their preoccupations and aspirations. Among others, resulting from these consultations, an uninterrupted pedestrian network, a continuous bike path, and generous greenery was integrated into the project.
How do you incorporate elements of human-centered design in functional spaces?
For us, designing for people means more than just meeting needs, it means understanding their experiences, aspirations, and daily rituals within a space. For example, Ædifica’s office which we designed to fit our hybrid work schedule and is accredited to the highest WELL standard, includes a great number of user-centered design principles such as abundant but controllable daylight, temperature control, adjustable desks, biophilics, a kitchen and our own chef Mike for the preparation of a daily healthy lunch and of course a variety of working and meeting spaces with different characters and levels of intimacy.
What fuels your creativity in the face of challenging projects?
I try to imagine how people I admire and respect would react to this challenge. Basically, I try to take a step back and see things from another perspective, which usually inspires either creative solutions or tried and tested ones. Every project has its challenges. Through team effort and collective intelligence, often transdisciplinary, our most challenging projects often generate the most interesting results.
What sustainable design solutions are you most proud of implementing?
Again, at Marché Central, which was a desolate sea of asphalt, we added over 300 trees that will eventually form a green canopy and contribute to reducing the heat island effect on the site and create a continuous corridor for biodiversity. To improve the site significantly, we also used various stormwater management strategies, including rain gardens and permeable pavement. On a programmatic level, we made a place for urban agriculture by integrating a large rooftop greenhouse (currently the second largest in the world), which is run by a young and innovative Montreal-based enterprise.
How do you lead and inspire your design teams?
I try to lead by example and to involve team members in critical and open discussions that involve out-of-the-box thinking and blue-sky brainstorming exercises. I try to encourage participation, an open and respectful attitude, and to foster a sense of belonging within the team. Design is not the work of a sole individual, it is a collective work that demands every team member to contribute and collaborate in the interest of the project and its end-users.
What are your thoughts on the future of urban design and sustainability?
My thoughts center around creating human-scaled environments that prioritize both ecological resilience and social connections. I believe the cities of tomorrow must be structured around nature, not just as a backdrop, but as a fundamental framework that shapes how we live, how we interact and structure our mobility. This means integrating green and blue bio corridors – natural pathways that combine greenery with visible, functional water systems. These elements will do more than simply beautify urban spaces and will play a critical role in managing stormwater, improving air and water quality, and fostering biodiversity. By putting green water management infrastructure front and center, we’re not just responding to climate challenges, we’re turning them into opportunities to create more vibrant, ecological places.
Urban spaces will also shift away from being car-dominated to being people-focused, with an emphasis on active mobility like walking and cycling. Future developments such as ecoquartiers will be safe, accessible, and designed to reduce car dependency, encouraging healthier lifestyles and stronger neighborhood interactions.
I think that at the heart of sustainable urbanism lies a commitment to three key pillars:
- High-quality private living spaces that are inspired by the natural and cultural character of their surroundings.
- A vibrant community life, where public spaces are generous, inclusive, and designed to foster intergenerational connections.
- Environmental responsibility, through exemplary energy performance, eco-conscious materials, and biophilic design—embracing our innate connection to nature both indoors and out.
Finally, I believe the success and sustainability of any urban project depend not only on good design but on the active participation of citizens and stakeholders. When communities are genuinely involved, they help shape spaces that are both resilient and meaningful places that people are proud to call home.
What advice would you give to young architects just starting out in the field?
Be curious, ask questions, and travel. Push yourself to explore architectural creation through as large a set of lenses and tools as possible.
Well said Edwin, Bravo , great continuation ,towards a bright future