About Us
Firm Profile
The Workun Garrick Partnership, Architecture and Interior Design Inc. is an architectural practice offering expertise in architecture, programming and interior design. Over the 70 years of our existence, we have cemented ourself as being at the forefront of educational design but have established an excellent track record of successful projects for a wide spectrum of planning and design commissions, including community and civic centers, health care facilities, office buildings, administration centres, recreational facilities, multi-family and seniors residences, institutional, commercial, places of worship, and industrial facilities. We are proud that our multi-faceted design practice applies its efforts to address a full range of building types, however, our practice has been, and continues to be, focused on educational, community based, and First Nations commissions.
Workun Garrick is a creative firm that works sensible design into everything we do while collaborating with our clients to explore functional solutions for their ‘vision” and project aspirations. Our experienced team brings the client into every creative discussion to deliver designs that shape, serve, and support communities. Our experience ranges across many building types and we’re as happy designing a link to a modular classroom as we are refining a multi-floor medical office building.
We aim to be culturally aware and open to new ideas and ways of doing things to understand and appreciate every projects unique challenges. We ensure to have an open mind to all the creative possibilities and rely on our diverse and talented team to implement them.
With the global economic, cultural and environmental futures already highly volatile, our architectural practice has to adapt to changing times. At Workun Garrick we have proven we understand when we need pivot and evolve with the times to stay successful. Lastly, we never lose sight of the most fundamental qualities that connects all great design – people and communication. Through understanding, we maximize potential and can deliver architecture at its utmost quality.
History
The Workun Garrick Partnership Architecture and Interior Design Inc. originated in Edmonton in 1953 as John McIntosh Architect. In 1967, Morley Workun and George Chernenko joined John (Scotty) McIntosh as partners. This association remained until 1990 when their firm merged with Garrick Sivertson Architects to facilitate impending retirements. Upon the retirement of Scotty, George and Raye Sivertson in 1993, the firm was re-named Workun • Garrick Architects and Associates Inc. with Morley Workun and Paul Garrick as directors.
In 1997, Dave Christie and Robert Rabinovitch began a buyout of the firm from Morley Workun and Paul Garrick. In 1999, Dave MacGregor joined Christie and Rabinovitch as a partner in the firm. Paul Garrick achieved his retirement objective in 2000 and upon Morley Workun’s retirement in 2002, the firm was re-named The Workun Garrick Partnership Architecture and Interior Design Inc. to celebrate the rich heritage of the two firms that preceded it. 2013 brought the retirement of Dave Christie, yielding Dave MacGregor and Robert Rabinovitch as sole directors. In 2018 after 11 years as an Associate Tristan Hawryluk was announced as a Partner. Now in unison, Dave, Rob and Tristan continue to carry on the firm’s values and success.
Leadership at Workun Garrick
Supporting our Community
We fully believe in Community support and involvement both in our own backyard and the communities we work in. Workun Garrick supports local academic achievements through the establishment of student bursaries and scholarships. We yearly support local sports teams through sponsorships, and equipment donations, We regularly donate to, golf tournaments, staff events, trade-shows, rodeos, and Pow Wows. The Workun Garrick Studio yearly grows huge mustaches for Movember and supports Breast Cancer bake sale fundraisers that also doubles as “Team-Building” activities.
As part of our commitment to give back to our community our Firm oversees the “Workun Garrick Kidz Zone” program where we bring 10 students (from various schools throughout Alberta) to every Edmonton Oil King home hockey game. This gives the opportunity for kids to be exposed to sport (Something the Partners feel very strongly about) and a fun day out with Parents, students, and school staff.