Leigh Collyer’s promotion to Principal comes after nearly twenty years of experience leading and growing the firm’s interiors practice in Vancouver, with a strong focus on workplace design and social venture organizations
The Vancouver studio of ZAS Architects, one of Canada’s leading designers of architecture, interior space, and sustainable urban places, announces the promotion of Leigh Collyer, B. Arts, LEED ID+C AP to Principal. As Interior Design Director, Collyer has played an integral role in the growth and development of the firm’s Vancouver office. Through building a talented and collaborative team, Collyer has successfully won long-term contracts with major financial institutions including HSBC, Bank of Montreal, and other credit unions. Her flexible and strategic approach to interiors has been pivotal in supporting clients with the recent acceleration of shifting demands and behaviours in the workplace, particularly as Canadians cross-country prepare to return to the office with the lifting of pandemic restrictions.
Collyer has built and grown ZAS’ interiors practice in Vancouver, developing strong relationships within the financial services sector as well as the non-profit and social equity spaces. Currently, her focus has been preparing updated work spaces to support the return-to-office as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.
“Workplace design has reached an exciting and crucial moment, accelerated by the pandemic and ubiquity of remote work across many sectors. There has been a significant shift in the way we think about our offices and how we collaborate and connect. Gone-are-the-days of static cubicles or workstations – it’s time now that we continue to develop new strategies for vibrant and healthy workspaces that produce results through our interior design,” says Collyer. “It has been so rewarding to work closely with our clients to create amazing spaces that support new ways of working.”
“Leigh has always been an extremely valuable and celebrated part of the ZAS team. Her leadership and results speak for themselves, having built our interior design studio from the ground up, maintaining and growing relationships with some of Canada’s top financial institutions for many years. It was important for us to recognize her work, tenure, and many contributions to ZAS’ practice. Congratulations from the entire ZAS team Leigh, we look forward to many more years of success together,” says Paul Stevens, Senior Principal, ZAS.
Collyer’s design approach for Nada Grocery, a package-free retailer is steeped in sustainability to align with the mission, vision, and values of the organization. From the site selection to material procurement, recycling, re-purposing and refurbishing, every aspect of NADA. Grocery’s airy and bright design took a green approach.
Collyer has nearly 20 years of design and project management experience, servicing numerous long-time clients from Canada’s leading financial institutions. In 2022, Collyer has been focused on supporting HSBC’s new head office design, representing an entirely new way of working for bank employees through a hub-and-spoke workplace model. Another recent project includes directing the successful completion of new corporate offices for Microsoft, one of the largest adaptive re-use projects in the office’s history. Outside of her work supporting financial institutions and corporate businesses, Collyer equally prioritizes working with clients in the non-profit and social equity spaces as a passion project, balancing both portfolios with ease. Alongside her corporate client roster, Collyer has also supported BC Artscape, Nada Grocery, and Nestworks.
Collyer’s promotion comes at an exciting time for ZAS Architects. The firm’s Toronto studio was recently awarded a sustainable work design contract for circular economy leader SusGlobal’s new head office in Hamilton, has continued to support the ongoing construction process of Toronto Region Conservation Authority (TRCA)’s mass timber head office, and recently celebrated the completion of the Canoe Landing Campus in Toronto, a social and educational nexus which includes a $65M community recreation centre, public and Catholic elementary schools, and a childcare centre set alongside important community amenities such as a basketball court, jogging track, and urban gardens. Canoe Landing was awarded the 2021 City of Toronto Urban Design Award and the 2020 Project of the Year in the Structure > $50M category by the Ontario Public Works Association (OPWA).
About ZAS Architects + Interiors
ZAS Architects + Interiors Inc. is a full-service design firm offering expertise in all facets of architecture, planning, and interior design. With its head office located in Toronto, and branch offices in Vancouver and Dubai, the ZAS team is united in its dedication to the ongoing development of high-quality architecture, delivering results that are innovative, beautiful, and sustainable. The firm’s notable works include the Vaughan Civic Centre Resource Library in Vaughan, York University’s Bergeron Centre for Engineering Excellence and the Toronto Region Conservation Authority Headquarters, a mass timber, net zero carbon office building currently under construction. For more information, please visit the Company’s website at: www.zasa.com