ABOUT CGS

Established in 2005 in Hamilton, Ontario as TCA | Thier + Curran Architects, CGS | Curran Gacesa Slote Architects is a full-service design firm that is busy, dynamic, and ambitious.

Our new name recognizes the expansion of the firm’s partnership with the promotion of Stevan Gacesa, and Kyle Slote from Senior Associates to Principals. Stevan and Kyle each joined the firm in 2007 and have been a longstanding part of the leadership team with Founding Principal Bill Curran. CGS Architects gives a new name to an established relationship built on complementary talent, diverse skills, and respect.

CGS’s diverse portfolio is founded on two constant principles: a highly collaborative design approach, and a recognition that buildings and sites themselves collaborate in the making of places. We aim to create architecture that is expressive and participatory, architecture that responds to the human needs of habitation; and that draws on alliances with surroundings, landscape, the arts, and the rhythms of human activity.

Our work is decidedly contemporary, yet respectful of context and history. Our buildings are thoughtful and engaging. They transcend the ordinary.

“The mark of a highly competent architectural firm is more than the built form and the ability to translate function into design. Buildings elicit emotions from their users, and, in this area, CGS | Curran Gacesa Slote Architects excels.”

Kevin Sulewski, Chief Operating Officer, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University

EXPERIENCE

Our wide-ranging portfolio demonstrates our team’s versatility and inspires us to bring a fresh approach to each new assignment. CGS projects include education facilities, public buildings, housing, interiors, cultural facilities, commercial and mixed-use buildings, and healthcare projects. We undertake interior design and urban design projects, and pay attention to even the most minute details—including designing our project’s signage.

We work across Canada, the United States, and the Caribbean, but our focus is our home: Hamilton and the surrounding region.

“CGS’s commitment goes way beyond meeting client needs. Their customer services, extensive knowledge of quality and sustainable building design, budget control and contract administration is exceptional. There is no doubt that CGS’s work will have lasting positive impacts for the residents of Haldimand County that include efficient government, community vibrancy and improved customer service.”

Philip Mete, General Manager, Public Works Operations, Haldimand County

DEVELOPMENT MODEL

In addition to our architectural practice, we are also small-scale developers. Undertaking site and building development projects gives us a deeper understanding of project financial performance realities, marketing, and what actually works.

CARMA — Our Development Philosophy

Community— Enhancing community through high-quality, crafted developments with appropriate contextual scale and fit, quality landscape, and quality architecture.  

Architecture —High quality architecture enhances the lives of those within and the community around a high-quality project.

Reasonable Money — Making money is good, but earning a reasonable versus maximum profit is a measure of a high-quality project. Avoiding cheap, soulless, bleak, uninspired architecture is a moral obligation to us. Likewise, we believe our clients have a moral obligation to hire good architects, to listen to them, and to build high-quality, well-designed developments. The buyer, seller, investor, and architect can all benefit greatly from this approach.

Art  — We make it a priority to include art by local and international artists in our developments in acknowledgement that Art + Culture = Joy.

Social Responsibility

At CGS, we take our obligation to help build a better community seriously. We give back to the community in which we live and work by making charitable donations of a significant percentage of our earnings. Since 2005 we have contributed over $750,000 to over 40 organizations in our region. We also undertake pro-bono and reduced-fee projects each year to support organizations that are working to improve our community. Our staff regularly volunteer their time and energy to assist community organizations and causes.

“Our experience with Bill Curran and the team at CGS has been nothing short of excellent. They have been extremely flexible and innovative in their approach to designing what will be of the most value to our organization and the people in the community that it touches and those it surrounds."

Carl Joosse, Chair, The John & Ellie Voortman Charitable Foundation