Kelly Buffey and Robert Kastelic founded Atelier Kastelic Buffey (AKB) in 2004.
Celebrating their 20 year mark, at what has become one of the more celebrated studios in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, AKB has lamented themselves as a highly sought after modern architecture and interior design practice.
Having received international awards for their work, Kelly and Robert both have overcome intense challenges in life, and continue to push forward with a charisma that is so indelible and infectious, you simply want to learn more and more about them and their practice.
Kelly has a Bachelor of Applied Arts in Interior Design from Ryerson (Toronto Metropolitan University), a Bachelor of Arts degree from Queen's University and a Master in Architecture from University of Toronto. She runs the creative vision for the studio.
Robert has a degree in the Bachelor of Environmental Studies and Bachelor of Architecture from Waterloo. He is the technical lead within the studio.
What makes AKB incredibly special is that it's a family run business. Robert and Kelly have been madly in love with each other since working together at KPMB in their youth.
Kelly always wanted to pursue a career in architecture, from her time in high school to university. Her tactile and practical degree at Ryerson really set her on her path, connecting her to sculpting of space.
Robert filled out a form in high school when asked what he wanted to be, so he inserted: actor, engineer and architect. Since inserting that answer, he has gone on to become an architect, the technical director at AKB, and most recently, an actor. Robert is the face for Parkinson’s Canada in an ad with the slogan, “It’s not Parkinson’s. It’s Swagger.”
With a high value on social equity, they have always put their effort into ensuring the staff are looked after, with a health plan in place once they brought on their first staff member decades ago, to buying, designing and working out of their new office. Human connectivity matters to Rob and Kelly. They don't call what they design residences or houses, they call it "home."
Find out more about this softly-spoken, powerhouse couple running AKB on this week’s installment of Behind the Build.
Parkinson’s Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhDgQLw_RBc
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