David Pontarini

传：David Pontarini is a Founding Partner of Hariri Pontarini Architects, an internationally renowned architecture and urban design studio in Toronto. With Partner Siamak Hariri, David has built a diverse portfolio of variously scaled high-rise and mixed-use developments. In 2013, the studio was awarded the RAIC Architectural Firm Award. As an architect, David is dedicated to crafting high quality, elegant buildings and inspiring public spaces that forge connections with the communities they serve. Of particular interest to David are the scales at which architecture operates and the impact that working across them can have. Starting with single buildings, and scaling up to block, neighborhood, and large-scale master plans, David has played an active role in shaping cities across Canada while bringing strategic growth, sustainable development, and diversification to improve the quality of urban life. David’s dual approach to city-building–combining a deep understanding of urban policy with a commitment to architectural excellence–has helped earn the firm a reputation as one of the country’s leading urban design offices. Throughout the firm’s history, David has worked closely with the City of Toronto to develop guidelines for future urban development. In 2013, he was a contributor for the Tall Building Guidelines and in 2017, was a key resource in Growing Up: Planning for Children in New Vertical Communities, a study that explores how new developments can better function for larger households at three scales: the unit, the building, and the neighbourhood. From 2005 to 2011, David served as a member of the City of Toronto’s Design Review Panel and Preservation Board. David studied architecture at the University of Toronto and resides in Toronto with his family. He is an active member of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) and has presented at conferences in China, Sydney, and Toronto. With a commitment to furthering the architectural profession, David has is an active participant in national conversations around city-building and has taught at the University of Toronto at both the graduate and undergraduate level.