In this lecture, architect Viktors Jaunkalns will review some of his firm's current civic projects that overlap and combine a variety of public programs into new forms of civic buildings. MJMA's main focus is to work on public buildings that contribute to the wellness of communities and support an active public realm. The projects they work on often combine different public programs and clients into ‘hybrid’ civic buildings. In new communities that don’t have a suite of individual public buildings (or in degraded urban situations where the public realm requires repair / rebuilding), these projects often combine and centralize community and social uses into new built forms.

Viktors graduated from the University of Waterloo, School of Architecture in 1981. He was awarded the Ontario Association of Architects Scholarship to conduct independent research in Switzerland and Italy. He subsequently taught at the University of Waterloo, School of Architecture's Rome Program and the Carleton University's Foreign Study Program.

Viktors is a founding partner of MJMA, and has helped to establish many of the firm's projects as nationally recognized models for a new form of hybrid sport and recreation building that brings together different user groups under one roof. Currently within the office, he plays a design leadership role, overseeing the development of the programming, site analysis, and concept design of projects.

Viktors has a unique expertise in aquatic and arena programming and planning. His experience in recreation design is comparable to few in the industry.