Bringing passion to his work: Get to know Samir Daoud David

At Kasian, we are proud of the diverse skills and deep sector experience that our various team members bring to our projects and overall community. It is this diversity that empowers us to create a deeper connection between people and place, in turn transforming not only landscapes and buildings, but communities.

Our employee Spotlights serve to introduce some of our high impact and passionate team members, highlight their unique skills, and share their reflections on how design trends are evolving in our changing times.

“I have always been fascinated by architecture. I love travelling and seeing various buildings. Architecture is a universal language that everyone can speak.” 

Growing up in Annaba, a Coast city East of Algeria, Samir developed a love of travel and exploring different types of architecture. This interest drove him to Bordj Badji Mokhtar University in Annaba, Algeria where he completed his Masters Degree in Architecture in 2017 and had the opportunity to work on several France-based architectural projects. After immigrating to Canada in 2018 and exploring multiple Canadian cities before settling in Calgary, David enrolled at Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) where he completed his diploma in Architectural Technology – fulfilling his goal of matching technical know-how and advanced-problem solving skills with his deeply artistic design expertise and sense of imagination.

Samir joined Kasian in May 2022 and is a highly engaged and enthusiastic member of the team. He loves the inclusive, collaborative, and close-knit nature of the corporate culture.

Samir shares some insights on his architectural technologist journey.

Q: You moved to Canada from Algeria five years ago, can you speak to that experience and what brought you here?

I was living between Algeria and France. After I completed my Masters Degree in Architecture I decided to move to Montreal. It seemed to be the best fit given that I speak French (in addition to English and Arabic) and since I loved the architecture there, the European style. Then I decided to try the other end of Canada and lived in Vancouver for a bit, then in Saskatchewan, checked out Edmonton, and then decided to drive three hours south and finally ended up settling in Calgary. It’s one of the most beautiful cities in the world, I love it here.

Q: What drew you to the field of architectural technology?

I have always been fascinated by architecture, so I studied architecture for nine years. I love travelling and seeing various buildings. Architecture is a universal language that everyone can speak.

Architectural technology allows you to explore projects from a more technical angle. Before becoming a technologist, I was only really engaged in the design aspect and how people would communicate with the space. As a technologist, I use a lot of problem-solving skills to consider how to make the space look better. I feel it is a great complement to have the technical side along with my artistic design experience.

Q: You’ve mentioned you love to travel – is there a particular stand-out piece of architecture that you’ve come across?

Yes! A house in Poissy, France, Villa Savoye. It was designed by Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier in 1931. I was fortunate to visit it a couple of times, and even met with one of the architect’s friend’s sons. Le Corbusier started with these big chunks of concrete. This was during a time when everything needed to be as functional as possible. They took that idea of functionality and brought it to another level. Simple, yet you know you can just be lost inside of it.
 

In general, I tend to be drawn to the smaller builds as opposed to the big and complex structures, perhaps because I was raised in a small town and these smaller-scale projects bring me back to my childhood.

Q: What do you like most about working at Kasian?

The people and the culture are amazing. There is a range of people from different backgrounds and everyone is willing to help their fellow co-workers. It feels like a family. It truly is a great place to work.

Q: What do you love most about the work you do?

Every single day there is something new to learn and new challenges to address.

Some projects started ten years ago and then they end up on hold, and then we’re in a position of restarting them at a later time. The codes have changed, the consultants have changed, the materials have changed. The challenge of taking these old requirements and striking that balance between using the existing work and updating where needed is particularly interesting.

Q: What can people expect when they work with you?

Good vibes. I like to make people feel good and lighten the mood. It can be stressful working in a deadline-driven environment, so I like to find ways to get the work done while also having fun.

Q: What inspires you?

My Dad is my hero. He’s a surgeon and he started from scratch. I’ve never heard him complain, he is always there for his family, gives great advice, and is always tremendously supportive.

Q: What do you enjoy outside of work?

I love hiking, working out, playing sports, going to concerts. I’ve been enjoying doing the Kasian fitness challenges with my co-workers and getting in those steps! I also love watching the Calgary Flames and soccer.

Q: Where do you see yourself in ten years?

Hopefully still smiling, still working at Kasian, and having completed my AAA certification. I am very invested and want to stay here and grow with the organization as long as possible.
 

Samir has worked on the following projects:

Penticton-Marina Way
North Vancouver BC Hydro
Kainai Peacemaking Centre
DIWA Concentration Plant
Suncor Energy Centre