These promotions acknowledge the impressive growth and contributions of these highly effective and experienced leaders – both within PFS Studio and the landscape architecture profession at large.

“We’re pleased to recognize leadership promotions across our practice. This group brings creative new ideas, innovative approaches, and a commitment to design excellence to our firm’s growth, culture, and leadership.”

Our people are intrinsic to the success of every one of our projects. Each of these talented individuals uphold the calibre of our practice – in their service to our clients and collaborators, their mentorship of our staff, their bold vision for the future of our communities, and their dedication to delivering design excellence.

Please join us in congratulating our new Partner, Principal and Associate.

Nastaran Moradinejad, CSLA BCSLA AALA LEED AP, Partner

Nastaran Moradinejad is recognized for her communication and project management skills. She is also a versatile designer who brings her experience in both architecture and landscape architecture to her PFS Studio projects. Since joining the firm in 2006, Nastaran has contributed her expertise to a variety of projects with a wide range of design requirements from conceptual site-specific design and detailing to large-scale planning.

She takes a keen interest in ecological systems and innovative ways to integrate them with site de-sign. Her interests are in multi-disciplinary, technical projects and projects requiring custom solutions to project requirements.

Nastaran has led PFS Studio teams to realize numerous complex, challenging projects and is currently focused on managing some of the firm’s largest and most high-visibility projects in the public realm including the West End Waterfront Parks and Beach Avenue Plan, PNE Amphitheatre Renewal, Concord Brentwood Plan and individual site build outs, and True North Square in Winnipeg.

Nastaran’s significant experience initiating, coordinating and managing complex multidisciplinary teams of professionals, colleagues and stakeholders, along with her confidence working in dynamic environments involving many viewpoints and agendas will serve the team well for this assignment. Congratulations Nastaran!

Vinh Van, CSLA Associate OALA Associate Principal

As the Studio Manager and now Principal of PFS Studio’s Toronto office, Vinh cultivates a creative and collaborative environment, inspiring staff, clients and collaborators alike. His rigorous, site-specific design approach and his understanding of macro and micro site scales results in iconic, innovative and multi-functional landscapes that transform the urban fabric. Vinh is currently leading several high-profile public realm projects including Bathurst Quay Common, Mirvish Village Park, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Agnes Etherington Art Gallery, and Butterfield Park. Congratulations Vinh!

Soroush Ghadi, CSLA BCSLA, Associate

Soroush is a process-oriented project landscape architect with over ten years of design, development, and planning expertise in British Columbia and Alberta. He aspires to create
multi-functional, environmentally conscious, and engaging community facilities. He understands the project goals and expectations of the community, and he values their involvement in the design and development of their projects. Through great leadership, effective communication, accountability, and collaboration, he has demonstrated his ability to manage teams from start to finish and create exceptional outcomes. Congratulations Soroush!

Kelty was elected in the category of ‘Executed Works of Landscape Architecture’ for her outstanding professional work, individuality and mastery of the art of landscape architecture. Investiture to the College of Fellows is the highest honor the CSLA bestows on its members. Congratulations Kelty!

Kelty joins our founders and partners, Greg Smallenberg and Chris Phillips as well as Jennifer Nagai as distinguished fellows of the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects.

Congratulations Kelty and to all of the 2025 Fellows.

Read more here.

PFS Studio’s Redmond Downtown Park is the recipient of a 2024 Award of Excellence by the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects in the Small-Scale Public Landscapes category!

Led by PFS Studio Principal Kelty McKinnon, Redmond Downtown Park transforms a former auto-parts strip mall into a vibrant, tech-savvy urban park that serves as the new civic heart of Redmond, Washington. The design integrates digital art and nature, and is inspired by the buoyant, hummocky peat-bog history of the site, as well as Redmond’s present and future as the tech capital of the Pacific Northwest. The park was crafted through extensive engagement with community members, event organizers, and Digipen faculty to host a variety of digital and analog events year-round. It features a 550’ diameter circular lawn; underlit wood boardwalk; multipurpose wet/dry plaza with sculptural pavilion, stage, and water wall; picnicking bosque; gardens; and diverse seating opportunities among over 100 new trees. The sculptural pavilion and waterwall, titled ‘Buoyant’, is designed by artist Jill Anholt as a platform for digital art and light projection, as well as a multitude of cultural events held throughout the year.

Thank you to the CSLA for your recognition of our work on this project.

PFS Principal Nastaran Moradinejad is the recipient of the 2024 Schwabenbauer President’s Award from the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects (CSLA)! The Award is bestowed upon members of the CSLA in recognition of their unselfish and devoted contributions to the CSLA.

Nastaran is known for her exceptional communication and leadership skills, as well as the boundless energy and curiosity she brings to the table. Over the years, she has made significant contributions to the landscape architecture profession, most notably serving as President of the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects in 2018, and President of the British Columbia Society of Landscape Architects (BCSLA) in 2012. She continues her service as the Chair of the Canadian Landscape Standard Steering Committee and sits on the Landscape Architecture Canada Foundation’s Board of Directors.

Congratulations Nastaran!

PFS Studio has been in practice for over 35 years. Over these decades, we have held on to a relatively consistent set of values and ambitions within the constantly changing world within which we practice. Our work has emphasized the importance of the public realm in defining and shaping our cities, communities, and environments. And we have consistently pursued work that has come with complex challenges, but with potential for meaningful change. In this latest article, PFS Studio discusses our practice in terms of responsiveness to the changing world, our consistent focus on context and placekeeping, and our reliance on our team’s diversity and the high level of Principal engagement.

Read the article here.

Over the last two decades, PFS Studio’s landscape architecture, urban design, and planning practice has been deeply rooted in Toronto. We have led the design and construction of some of the city’s most beloved public spaces including Grange Park, Underpass Park, Sherbourne Common, Hennick Bridgepoint Hospital, Vaughan Civic Centre and the Front Street East Promenade and Park. We have also led or been centrally involved in key planning initiatives including the East Bayfront Precinct Plan and the West Don Lands Public Realm Plan.

Since opening our studio in the heart of the downtown, we have been working on several preeminent design and planning projects including Mirvish Village Park, Bathurst Quay, the Vision for Portland Slip, Butterfield Park, Tyndale Green, Regent Park Revitalization Phases 4 & 5, and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH).

Our team is very excited about this next step to support the firm’s Ontario client base and meet the day-to-day needs of Ontario projects. Our Toronto and Vancouver studios are dedicated to our shared vision and focus to deliver iconic and memorable open spaces and urban places for all to enjoy.

Grant Fahlgren – Descendent of Residential School and Sixties Scoop Survivors, Founding Member and Co-Chair of the CSLA Reconciliation Advisory Committee, and Indigenous Design Lead at PFS Studio – led a presentation of his and his collaborators ongoing research, advocacy, and policy development on Reconciliation in Landscape Architecture, followed by a discussion within our respective Toronto and Vancouver offices of how we can continue to expand our collective capacity to support Reconciliation and Indigenous Peoples within our practice. Our Vancouver and Toronto Offices closed for the day on October 2nd in observance of National Truth and Reconciliation Day to allow staff the opportunity to reflect.

This time calls us to acknowledge the painful past, commit to understanding Indigenous experiences, and work together to build a future founded on respect, empathy, and justice. Together we can forge a path towards healing and unity.

We are delighted to share that The University of Victoria’s National Centre for Indigenous Laws has been awarded a @canadianarchitect Award of Excellence!

PFS Studio is part of an extensive multidisciplinary team of consultants led by Two Row Architect, Teeple Architects and Low Hammond Rowe Architects to design the new National Centre for Indigenous Laws at the University of Victoria. The open space concept is to showcase sustainable practices, feature local flora and fauna and existing forest landscape, and support the Indigenous pedagogy supported within the Faculty of Law through engagement of the land in a culturally sensitive space. PFS Studio with Two Row Architects have been working closely with the faculty, stakeholders, and the local Indigenous community and Elders to define the open space program and shape the design of the Elders Garden and Learning Deck. The specific planting strategy for the project has been curated to support teaching and ceremony. Further details on this project, as well as the other award-winning work are available in the December 2023 Issue of Canadian Architect.
Renders courtesy of @tangostudio.ar

@universityofvictoria

Team:
Architecture: @tworowarchitect @teeplearchitects, Low Hammond Rowe Architects
Structural: @fastepp
Mechanical: @ame_group
Electrical / Lighting / Technology / A/V: @aesengr
Energy Modelling / LEED: @introba_inc
Civil / Transportation: @mcelhanney
Arborist: Talbot McKenzie
Code: GHL Consultants Ltd.
Hardware: @allegioncanada
Cost: @bty_group
Envelope: @rjc_engineers