Here are a few examples:

In the first week we arrived in Toronto, I decided to hop on the subway, go around the city, and get the essence of it. The ride on the train was a truly cosmopolitan experience. I immediately felt like I knew this place and that I would blend in fine. But, the first unexpected culture shock hit me soon after. I had just gotten out of a random subway station (Bathurst) to explore the city and suddenly I found myself surrounded by rows of single-family houses. Dubiously looking at the houses I wondered: “How fast did the train actually go…? I am just a few stops from the downtown core, in the middle of the city. How did I get to the suburbs so quickly?!”

This was nothing like the other big cities that I had been to in Europe, East Asia, or even the U.S. At a moment of epiphany, I thought to myself: “Well, it’s no surprise they claim to have an affordability problem—they are lacking the density!” Soon thereafter, I learnt that people not only believe this is the ‘appropriate’ way to live, but are empowered to oppose anything other than low-density developments near expensive infrastructure (public transit) by our planning system—at the cost of taxpayers’ billions of dollars.

The next culture shock didn’t hit all at once. Rather, it was more like a realization over a short period of time. Every time I went to a dinner party or gathering with new people, people would get all excited and start talking about houses and expensive finishes when I explained that I am an architect. Yet, when I clarified that I mostly work on multi-unit high-density residential and affordable housing projects, the excitement vanished instantly. In their perception, women architects primarily focus on the more domestic realm of design. And honestly, I cannot put all the blame on them. People believe what they see and what they see is usually men as architects and women as interior designers (I am exaggerating, but you can see my point, right?). Even we, inside the industry, must think hard to name a few women architects who are actually working on multi-unit or affordable housing projects.

Over time, I realized that the culture here generally does not easily digest multi-unit housing and many have a negative perception or a kind of political distrust towards developers because they are the ones creating these “ugly tall buildings” that are nothing like the “cute little” houses that they, their parents, and their great grandparents have loved and lived in for over a century. Although everyone admits that housing affordability has been a growing issue in Toronto, people are not very keen on affordable housing either, especially not in their precious neighbourhoods.

Soon I realized that I had to decide whether I should put in the effort to explain myself at the risk of causing disappointment and killing the vibe or just lay low and have fun.

As I got more and more involved in the industry, and learnt more about the issues and challenges of creating beautiful affordable and attainable housing in Toronto, the alarms started ringing in my head. What if some years from now, when my kids grow up, they have to leave the city they love, simply because they cannot afford to live in it?! And then, the decision became obvious: “I am not going to lie low.”

It took me a while, but I realized that the cultural differences that hit me so hard at the beginning could actually be my superpower. I was an outsider, and an outsider’s perspective is exactly what a city on the verge of a drastic change needs. I was trained both as an architect and a planner and the skills I took for granted for so long are what enable me to do what I am doing right now. It is exactly for this reason that I can make a stronger case when I raise the intertwined issues of planning and design in my talks with the media. I have the proof. What I am doing is the evidence that another way of building cities and communities is possible.

I must admit though, I was not always this confident about the path I am taking. When I first started being vocal and talking about the issues that are threatening the livability of our city, I was afraid. I was afraid that it would affect my professional reputation, and that I might be forced to fit in a tiny box. I was afraid of being labelled, and not taken seriously for all the ideas that I could bring to the table.

It is always scary to start paving a new path, not knowing if anyone would ever join you. I am sure that is how our previous generation of women architects felt in the beginning. But despite their fears, they chose to take the challenging path and pave the way for our generation. It is because of their bold choices that I, too, had the opportunity to choose the hard path when my turn came.

It was not easy to put myself out there—with a heavy accent and some grammar errors. There were times when it felt like no matter how hard I try, it would not work, and nothing would ever change. But if you continue pushing hard, the stone will roll, and when it starts rolling, no one can stop it.

Slowly, I started receiving letters from community members, people began following me on social media, the media started reaching out, my newsletter subscribers skyrocketed, and I realized just how many people were already looking for something new. We started getting contacted by clients who did not want the same old story and were eager to see what the outside of the box can look like.

And today, we continue creating smart density all around the GTA; projects that are within walking distance from public transit, with low to no parking, multi-unit, and enhance the public realm. One project that I am especially proud of (credit to our wonderful client, Brookfield Properties) is a new neighbourhood we are working on near a future heavy rail station. This 115-acre site, which is almost a blank slate, allowed us to bring so many of our concepts to our sketching pad. We literally developed a new menu of streets and about two-thirds of the streets will be car-light or completely car-free.

Now, looking back at how far I’ve come; I rejoice every moment of it. I am happy that I chose not to be afraid of being loud and calling out what is wrong, to be the kid that screams: “The emperor has no clothes on!”. I am now seeing the fruits of being bold. Our firm is thriving. I love what I am doing and I can’t think of anything more rewarding than running my own firm and setting the direction for the path I am taking and the paths I will be making. I admire the motto of “being the change you want to see in the world” and I am determined to stay true to it. So, I am living what I preach. I am living without a car in a condo in downtown Toronto with my partner and two young children and I am loving it.

A few years ago, I began my quest of changing the city I’ve been calling home for the last decade, but I am not stopping there. The issues we are facing here in Toronto are neither little nor unique. We need to work together with other trailblazers from all around the world and share what we are learning along the way. This is the reason I want to expand my work out of Toronto and Canada to be part of the inevitable change that is coming and be part of the solution that guarantees our future as a prosperous global society. I am beyond honoured by this opportunity that WLI has given me to share my story, and I feel so privileged to be able to reach out my hand and invite you to be part of this solution.