A practice built by people,
carried forward by generations
Since 1986, we have grown through successive generations of urbanists, each bringing new perspectives while building on the work of those before them. Our work has helped reshape cities, influence planning and design practice, and nurture generations of city-builders. While our people, expertise and ambitions have evolved, a shared culture of curiosity, collaboration, hard work and optimism continues to define who we are.
The Beginning
We began with a simple idea: work hard, have fun and create better urban environments. Frank and Joe founded Berridge Lewinberg Associates with the ambition to work for public and private clients, locally and internationally. Important planning and policy initiatives continued to shape Toronto’s future while the practice contributed to urban regeneration throughout eastern Canada and further afield in the U.S. and the U.K. From the outset, we valued independent thinking, intellectual curiosity and the exchange of ideas, establishing a culture in which good work and good company went hand in hand.
Expanding the Vision
Ken Greenberg (to 2000) Andrea Gabor (d. 2015) George Dark (r. 2020)
With Ken, Andrea, and George joining the partnership, the firm became Berridge Lewinberg Greenberg Dark Gabor in 1994. Our growing expertise in urban design, landscape, and planning brought a deepened understanding of how cities work and how people experience them. International commissions broadened our horizons, while an increasingly interdisciplinary approach established a way of working that valued collaboration, creative inquiry and a genuine interest in the life of cities.
A New Identity
As our practice grew, we recognized that our identity had become larger than the names of our founders. Becoming Urban Strategies Inc. was a deliberate expression of who we were and what we hoped to achieve. The new name placed our shared purpose ahead of individual personalities, reflecting a belief in the value of different disciplines, perspectives and ideas working together. It also affirmed a culture in which leadership could evolve, knowledge could be shared and each generation could leave its own mark.
A Growing Partnership
Cyndi Rottenberg-Walker (r. 2026) Connie Pasqualitto (d. 2026) Pino Di Mascio (to 2018) Mark Reid (r. 2026) Melanie Hare Michel Trocmé
A growing partnership brought new perspectives and ambitions as our work expanded in scale and influence. We helped transform Toronto’s industrial waterfront into new neighbourhoods and public spaces, contributed to the regeneration of cities abroad, and established an international reputation for campus and community master planning. These projects reinforced our conviction that good planning begins with listening and succeeds through collaboration. As our practice matured, we continued to invest in the exchange of ideas, professional development and the relationships that make ambitious city-building possible.
A New Leadership Generation
Warren Price Eric Turcotte Benjamin Hoff Craig Lametti Emily Reisman Tim Smith Dennis Lago
Another generation assumed leadership, bringing greater depth to our established expertise and strengthening our ability to address increasingly complex urban challenges. Our work in campus planning, healthcare, transit-oriented development and major urban regeneration helped shape important parts of cities and institutions. We developed new tools for engagement and visualization, pursued innovative approaches to planning and design, and continued to contribute to the profession through teaching, research and public dialogue. Mentorship and shared learning remained central to our culture, ensuring that experience and ideas continued to move between generations.
Continuing the Story
Laura Shupak Mary Castel Leigh McGrath Christine Fang-Denissov Josh Neubauer Sirous Ghanbarzadeh Matt Perotto Inger Squires Yiwen Zhu
Today, a new generation is shaping our future, bringing diverse perspectives and a renewed commitment to the social and environmental responsibilities of city-building. Our work increasingly emphasizes housing, equity, climate resilience, Indigenous relationships and landscape design. Our leadership’s contributions have been recognized through Fellowships in the Canadian Institute of Planners and Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, a Governor General’s Medal in Landscape Architecture, and appointment to the UK’s Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE). These distinctions reflect a longstanding commitment to professional leadership and public service.
Forty years on, we remain guided by our founding ambitions: to do meaningful work, challenge ourselves, enjoy each other’s company, and make cities better.