Who We Are
About Us
We design buildings that tread lightly, work hard, and last long —
places that serve people and place with care, clarity, and purpose.
ADO – Adams Design Office – exists to create architecture that is grounded, thoughtful, and quietly transformative. From homes and small additions to community scale projects, we help clients navigate complex constraints with an eye toward uplifting outcomes that hold up and adapt over time.
We care about big ideas and small details – how a building welcomes you in, where materials come from, and why it will still be loved years from now. Our work is guided by curiosity, technical rigor, and a belief that good design should make life better.
We provide architecture, planning, retrofit, sustainability, accessibility and strategic thinking services.
Drew Adams
Principal
BES, M.ARCH, OAA, MRAIC, CPHD
With degrees in architecture and urban planning, Drew’s brings a strength in synthesizing diverse stakeholder perspectives into practical outcomes.
Drew has more than 15 years of experience leading major building projects, including over $80 million in concurrent capital work. His experience includes work at Biidaasige Park, Evergreen Brick Works, Eva’s Phoenix at the Waterworks, and Indigenous House — Scarborough’s newest cultural landmark.
His work spans the planning, design, and delivery of more than 1,100 units of affordable, specialized, and shelter housing, along with deep energy retrofits, mass timber construction, and low-carbon buildings. He has also worked with numerous Indigenous organizations and First Nations communities.
Work We've Led
Our experience is grounded in work with organizations such as CreateTO, Evergreen, the City of Toronto, Toronto Community Housing, Waterfront Toronto, Defense Construction Canada, and a range of housing providers, non-profits, universities, Indigenous organizations, and First Nations communities.
This includes projects ranging from a few million dollars to more than $30 million as well as delivery of more than $80 million in concurrent capital work. It also includes the planning, design, retrofit and delivery of more than 1,100 units of affordable housing and shelter spaces.
Current work includes involvement in a deep energy retrofit of and design work at the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Waterloo.
Above: Perimeter Institute Decarbonization Enclosure