Unity Design Studio Inc.

06/02/2026

Every project has a moment when the feeling of the space begins to reveal itself.

At the Cowan Recreation Centre, that moment is here.

These recent site photos are beginning to show the warmth, texture, and human quality of the building. A carefully considered material palette is giving shape to a civic space that already feels deeply human.

Designed for movement, gathering, play, wellness, and everyday community life, the facility supports that activity through material character, softened scale, and the quiet use of wood throughout.

As construction continues, the character of this important civic space is coming through.

05/27/2026

Congratulations to Lakefield College School on the opening of the Bouchard Family Thriving for Life Centre.

This new addition brings together spaces for learning, movement, creativity, and student well-being, strengthening the academic heart of campus while creating room for future growth. It has been a privilege to continue working alongside LCS, our consultant partners, and the full project team to help shape meaningful student spaces that support campus life today and into the future.

04/24/2026

Our relationship with Havelock Metal Co. goes back more than a decade. It’s one that has been built and refined through ongoing collaboration, evolving project by project, detail by detail.

This week our team visited Havelock’s manufacturing plant and headquarters in Peterborough, a chance to see their process up close and reconnect with the people behind the work. We designed the facility in 2018, which made the visit that much more meaningful.

This kind of long-term collaboration shortens the distance between idea and ex*****on. It creates space for dialogue, iteration, problem-solving, and ultimately stronger outcomes.

This is a core part of how we work. Strong partnerships, built over time and grounded in trust and shared intent, are what allow us to deliver with clarity and consistency.

We’re grateful to the Havelock Metal team for the time and the access, and for the strength of the partnership we continue to build together.

04/15/2026

The recently announced 2026 Ontario Budget includes a nearly $53 million investment in supportive housing, with LOFT Community Services’ Bradford House specifically named.

That recognition reflects both the urgency of the need and the strength of the project.

On track to open in late Spring 2026, Bradford House was delivered through an Integrated Project Delivery model, enabling early alignment, shared accountability, and joint decision-making from the outset.

The site will provide 99 seniors and older adults with stable, barrier-free housing and on-site supports, a place grounded in dignity and holistic care.

We are proud to be part of the team delivering this alongside LOFT, contributing to a project that meets a critical need and now serves as a provincial example of what supportive housing can be.

We’re grateful to the Ontario Government for critical funding support for Bradford House, announced during the 2026–2027 Budget Reading on March 26, 2026. This support reflects years of hard work and collaboration and reinforces the confidence in Bradford House’s lasting impact, helping ease pressure on hospitals and offering an alternative to long‑term care for people with complex needs who require personalized support.

04/14/2026

On Friday, our team showed up for the sixth year to donate blood, a simple act that can make a real difference for someone in need.

Our annual blood drive is an important reminder that our impact extends beyond our projects. It shows up in how we support our community, in small, consistent ways.

Thank you to the staff and volunteers at Canadian Blood Services for making the experience seamless, and to our team for continuing to make this a priority.

The need for blood is constant. If you’re eligible, consider this your nudge to book an appointment.

02/20/2026

Last Monday, on Family Day, members of the Unity team and their families cheered on the Peterborough Petes in support of Five Counties Children's Centre.

Five Counties plays an essential role in the lives of children and families across our region. Seeing the community come together in support of their work was a powerful reminder of what makes Peterborough such a special place.

Unity was proud to sponsor the game and stand alongside an organization that strengthens our community every day.

12/22/2025

This year reinforced what matters most to us as a practice. Staying grounded in our purpose. Working with care and intention. Building relationships that deepen over time and strengthen the work itself. Growth was not about scale for its own sake, but about focus, alignment, and practicing with clarity.

Last week, our studios gathered to celebrate the season. Moments like these matter because they reflect the culture behind the work. Taking time to gather and celebrate together is not separate from the practice. It is part of how strong teams are built.

We are proud of what we carried together this year. And we are looking ahead with intention, guided by a clear sense of where we are going and why it matters.

Thank you to our clients, collaborators, and communities for the trust. And to our team, for the care, rigour, and humanity you bring to the work every day.

Onward into 2026.

12/19/2025

Food insecurity in Peterborough is rising. A 2024 study revealed that nearly one in five local households worried about having enough money for food, the highest rate ever recorded here.

Through our recent work with the Peterborough Community Health Centre, we’ve been brought closer to the realities behind those numbers. Many neighbours are stretched past the point where rent and food can coexist in the same budget. In some cases, monthly income doesn’t even cover the cost of a basic apartment.

This challenge is not unique to Peterborough. Communities across Ontario are facing similar pressures, including in Collingwood and Kitchener, where the rising cost of living is pushing more households to the edge.

As has become an annual tradition, our team contributed to local food banks in all three communities. It won’t fix the systemic issues, but it reflects a simple truth. Strong communities are built by people who look out for one another.

If you’re able, consider supporting the organizations carrying this work every day.

12/11/2025

Seeing The Canadian Canoe Museum come alive with music this weekend spoke to something at the heart of how we work. We design with care and intention, understanding that a building’s true character is shaped by the people who use it. Sometimes in ways you anticipate. Sometimes in ways you could never predict.

And that’s the point. Architecture becomes most powerful when it invites people to connect, create, and experience something meaningful together.

We’re grateful to see the Museum becoming a cultural anchor for Peterborough, shaped as much by the people who gather there as by the building itself.

11/20/2025

We’re pleased to share that Peterborough Fire Station No. 2 is featured in SABMag [Sustainable Architecture and Building Magazine] ’s Fall Ontario Focus issue. The piece speaks to something we care about deeply, the idea that civic buildings can achieve both resilience and humanity.

This project asked a lot. Net-zero energy and carbon. Post-disaster performance. Strong daylight, healthy air, and spaces that support firefighters’ physical and mental well-being. It also needed to feel at home in the Northcrest neighbourhood. Ambitious goals, but the right ones.

Our team worked closely with the City, fire staff, and our consulting partners to align around those priorities early. That alignment shaped everything. The mass timber structure, the geothermal system, the solar array, and the commitment to indoor environmental quality. Even the choices that seem simple on the surface were made with intention.

What stands out most is how collaboration protected performance. It helped retain high-value features, respond to site challenges in real time, and keep climate and wellness targets intact. And it proved something important: that sustainable, resilient civic infrastructure is absolutely possible when everyone is pulling in the same direction.

Seeing the project recognized is meaningful, but not because of the attention. It matters because it reinforces what thoughtful design can offer communities when long-term value comes first.

Read the feature in full:
https://issuu.com/sabmagazine/docs/ontario_fall_2025_digital

Structural Engineer: AMR Engineering Limited
Mechanical / Electrical Engineer: CIMA+
Civil Engineer: Engage Engineering Ltd.
Commissioning Agent: JBL
Building Envelope Commissioning: Cambium
General Contractor JCB Construction
Sustainability Consultant: Fluent Group Consulting Engineers
Professional Quantity Surveyor: BTY Group
Landscape Architect: Basterfield & Associates