A spring panel hosted by the Toronto Society of Architects and DesignTO focused on progressive approaches to labour in architecture.How can architects actively design their own practicesand why should they do so? An article by Rick Linley in this issue (see page 46) tackles the nuts-and-bolts of this question, and two recent sessions in Toronto addressed the topic head-on.At the Interior Design Show, a panel entitled Designing the Plane while Flying It: Leading in Turbulent Times included KPMBs Phyllis Crawford, Nina Boccia, and Rachel Cyr, along with consultants Rob Luke and Elaine Pantel. The presentation traced KPMBs strategic planning over the past several years, sharing how the firm sought to sharpen its value proposition in relation to changing markets. With the help of trusted advisors, KPMB identified the specific skill sets and character strengths that would be needed to help the firm continue to grow and thrive, and systematically assessed their staffs abilities against this framework.As the process unfolded, the firm began to identify where they needed to invest in targeted growth, both for individuals and teams. For instance, they saw good overall performance in core technical and design skills, but more work needed to develop partnership qualities. Theyve since embarked on a process of systematically training up future firm leaders, including building business acumen and financial literacy, to fill in the gaps for the firms future success.A separate event, co-curated by the Toronto Society of Architects and DesignTO, looked more broadly at the question of labour in architecture. How teams work together, and under what conditions work is getting done, has been an area of increased focus over the past years, writes the TSA. Particularly in the field of architecturewhere many of the common pitfalls of creative disciplines also intersect with regulatory requirements and exceptions to Ontarios Employment Standards Actthere is an understanding that we must do better.Reza Nik, founding director of Toronto-based SHEEEP, spoke about how he is using his studio as a platform for building community and sharing best practices. Through initiatives such as SHEEEP.radio and SHEEEP.school, he is aiming to exchange knowledge and empower architects to carve their own paths.Architect Je Siqueira, from Bernheimer Architecture in New York City, detailed the process and advantages of becoming a unionized workforce, highlighting the leverage it affords in negotiating for contracts with fairer terms for employees. Yvonne Ip, a founding member of Guelph, Ontarios Arise Architects Co-Operative, gave an overview of the collective decision-making involved in a co-op business structure.Hazel York, a managing partner at UK firm Hawkins/Brown, was instrumental in shaping the firms recent transition to employee ownershipa model echoed by succession strategies in Canada, in which company shares are distributed from one generation to the next. Here in Canada, 5468796 Architecture co-founder Johanna Hurme detailed her firms progressive approaches to profit-sharing, financial transparency, and formal and informal benefits for staff.Regardless of a firms business structure, common themes reverberated throughout these presentations. As firm owners age, planning for succession is criticalbut this process requires strategic thinking and a long runway. Such a process is often best rooted in transparency: staff are motivated by understanding where they fit into the continuum of a firm, and what they need to accomplish to move up the ladder. People are also more productive when they share in the benefits from that productivity. Arise Architects Yvonne Ip suggests that all firms could benefit from considering the philosophy of cooperatives. Cooperatives ultimately dismantle this idea of employee versus employer, [instead] you are one and the same, says Ip. Ultimately, its really about the workwhether the work is the project or the business.As appeared in theApril 2025issue of Canadian Architect magazineThe post Editorial: Designing Practice appeared first on Canadian Architect.