Creating value for clients
SPAN Architecture Inc. is an Alberta-based architectural firm known for the diversity of the work – they take on a wide range of projects in a wide range of sectors, including residential, commercial, industrial and institutional. In all sectors, their goal is to understand their clients’ challenges, and to provide creative and practical design and constructional solutions that meet or exceed their needs. On every project – no matter the size, scope, or value – they are committed to delivering the same top-quality customer service. Founder and principal Songlin Pan started SPAN in 2013, and the firm has grown consistently in the dozen years since. Over the last few years, in particular, the firm’s growth has massively accelerated. These days, Songlin says they are “very busy.” He credits their workload partly to their appeal as a firm, and partly to the growing appeal of the province of Alberta. “The market in Alberta has been quite hot,” he says. “Many developers from Ontario and BC have come over to do projects here in Edmonton, because the cost of land is very low compared to what they would have to pay in Toronto and Vancouver. Developers have realized they can buy a lot for a mixed-use building or a commercial plaza here for the price they would pay for a house lot where they’re from, which means their profit margins are so much bigger.” As a result, Songlin says that SPAN Architecture took on more than double as many projects last year as they did the year before. Their workload included a mix of large and small projects – everything from small restaurant and retail jobs to big multi-family apartments and condo developments. On the larger side of the ledger, SPAN Architecture SPAN ARCHITECTURE
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
SPAN ARCHITECTURE recently worked on a large commercial complex in the Windermere area of Edmonton, which included office spaces, a daycare, a restaurant, and more. They have also done a lot of recent in the multi-family sector. Songlin estimates they did anywhere from 700-to-800 townhomes last year alone, including over 300 units for a multiphase project in Secord. According to Songlin, clients of all sizes enjoy working with SPAN for a number of reasons, but he believes they particularly rate the firm’s efficiency and honesty. Clients know that when Songlin and his team make a promise, they will follow through on that promise, and they value that reliability tremendously. Over the years, SPAN Architecture has grown almost entirely on the back of keeping their promises. The company has virtually never advertised. Almost all of their work has come from repeat business and referrals. “I think that’s the best indicator possible that we’re meeting the needs of our clients,” Songlin says. “That shows we’re doing the thing – we’re providing good service and we’re meeting our clients’ needs.”
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
SPAN ARCHITECTURE Room to grow SPAN Architecture’s current slate of projects is highly representative of the firm’s diversity. At the moment, for example, Songlin says they are working on “a lot” of apartment buildings – some of which are residential only, some of which are mixed-use with commercial on the main floor, some of which take place in mature neighbourhoods, and some of which are in new developing areas. They are also working on a number of interior renovations for CoCo Bubble Tea, as well as a café, a nail salon, an office space, and much more. Moving forward, Songlin says they want to maintain that kind of varied workload. “I’ve never had any particular preference when it came to projects,” he explains. “I’ve always done all kinds – commercial, industrial, residential, you name it. I don’t see that changing.”
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
SPAN ARCHITECTURE Songlin also says he aims to keep growing – he sees the firm’s growth paralleling the growth of the city of Edmonton, and he doesn’t see that slowing down in the next few years. “There are still many people moving to Alberta and Edmonton,” he explains. “Last year, I was told that we had about 100,000 people moving to Edmonton in just one year. That’s a huge amount for a city that only has about 1.1 million people. That’s why we are so busy.” “This year, we anticipate that people will still be moving in, probably in the same amount,” he adds. “That means we still have room to grow.” All that said, Songlin clarifies that they will never be “too aggressive” when it comes to expansion. They never want to grow to the point that their customer service suffers. That means they can only grow if they find the right people – people who are hard-working and reliable, and who understand the importance of doing what they say they are going to do. SPAN Architecture is currently looking for “one or two more” of those people right now, and Songlin says further growth depends on finding them. “For us, it’ll always be about the client and about the service we provide,” he concludes. “That’s never going to change.”
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA For more on SPAN Architecture, their services, and their past and present projects – and to get in touch with Songlin and his team – visit http://www.spanarch.ca/
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTYzNTg=