Principal

Contact: 604 724 3559 cell

mt@matthewthomsondesign.com

Originally from Scotland Matthew moved to Vancouver in 1996 where he joined the team at Chris Philips and Associates, shortly before becoming Phillips Farevaag Smallenberg and then PFS Studio. After 12 years, Matthew left to join Dialog’s Urban Design team and start the Vancouver studio’s Landscape Architecture team, where he was the Lead Designer and Project Landscape Architect on several award-winning projects including Rainbow Park in Downtown Vancouver.

In 2019 Matthew founded Matthew Thomson Design (MTD), an emerging practice that builds upon Matthew’s extensive experiences working on a range of projects over the past two decades practicing in Vancouver. Matthew views the relationships and sense of agency that form during participatory design processes as being integral to achieving successful outcomes and continues to engage with local communities and organizations to provide bespoke, co-design focused professional services.

MTD is Currently working with BC Housing and More than a Roof Society on Vienna House and with Witset First Nations on a Youth Healing Lodge, and with Ka:yu:'k't'h' / Che:k'tles7et'h' First Nations to develop a community growth strategy and assisting the community in locating a Big House.

Professional Summary:

Currently:

Principal of Matthew Thomson Design Ltd

Member of British Columbia Society of Landscape Architects

Member of Canadian Society of Landscape Architects

Past:

Co-teaching UBC Masters of Urban Design + Masters of Architecture

Associate and Senior Landscape Architect, DIALOG

Principal and Senior Landscape Architect, PFS Studio

Chair of City of Richmond Advisory Urban Design Panel

Education:

Green Shores Program Stage1. BCIT

PMCD - Project Management Course

BA Honours in Landscape Architecture: Leeds Metropolitan University

Diploma in Art and Design: Falmouth University

Drystone Construction Certificate, Conservation Trust of Scotland

BCSLA CSLA MLA, Senior Landscape Architect

Contact: em@matthewthomsondesign.com

With her science and ecology background, Erika effectively and intuitively applies her understanding of process in design.

Originally from New York, Erika received a Bachelor of Science from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and spent the following three years assisting in dendrochronological research at Columbia University. She migrated to Vancouver to complete her master’s degree in Landscape Architecture at the University of British Columbia, including a semester abroad at Wageningen University in the Netherlands.

As well as collaborating on key MTD projects, Erika is the Manager of Parks and Open Space Planning Design + Construction at the City of New Westminster, and previously worked at Hapa Collaborative and PFS Studio in Vancouver as a project manager where she co-designed and managed the construction of Sherbourne Common in Toronto, the first park in Canada to integrate a neighbourhood-wide stormwater treatment facility into its design.

Often working with large multi-disciplinary teams, Erika carries projects through all phases, from concept to construction and brings her experience from a diverse portfolio of local projects as well as across Canada.

Erika chairs the Metro Vancouver Regional Parks Advisory Committee and is a member of the BC Society of Landscape Architects and Canadian Society of Landscape Architects.

Professional Summary:

Manager, Parks and Open Space Planning Design + Construction, City of New Westminster

Collaborator/Senior Landscape Architect at Matthew Thomson Design Ltd.

Senior Landscape Architect, Hapa Collaborative

Senior Project Manager, Phillips Farevaag Smallenberg

Landscape Designer, PWL Partnership Landscape Architects

Research Assistant, UBC Design Centre for Sustainability

Intern, UBC Botanical Garden

Research Assistant, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Columbia University

Education:

Master of Landscape Architecture- University of British Columbia

Graduate Exchange- Wageningen University, The Netherlands

Earth & Environmental Science Graduate Coursework- Columbia University

Bachelor of Science, Forestry- SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry

Yong Xu has over 25 years of experience in Landscape Architecture, Urban Design, Environmental Design, in North America, China, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Prior to joining MTD she was a senior Landscape Architect at DIALOG and PFS studio as well as Urbis, IPD and GHD.

While at DIAOG Yong Xu worked on the Smithe and Richards Downtown Park with Matthew Thomson, and was instrumental in developing the 3D digital model and early technical drawings that helped inform the project team and staff towards selecting and evolving the preferred Park design.

As well as collaborating on MTD projects Yong Xu also runs her own successful residential landscape architecture practice

Relevant Projects:

Town of Oliver Community Plaza and Station Street Revitalization 2021 – Ongoing

Lu’ma Native Housing Society + First United Church Indigenous Housing Project 2021 – Ongoing

City of Vancouver, Vienna House, Social Housing/Passive House 2021 – Ongoing

City of Vancouver Smithe and Richards Public Park, while at DIALOG 2014 – 2017

UBC South Gage Student Housing, Podium Level Student Amenity Space, while at DIALOG 2017 - 2019

Professional Summary:

Senior Landscape Architect at Matthew Thomson Design Ltd 2019 – Present

Senior Landscape Architect – DIALOG 2014 – 2017

Landscape Architect - PFS Studio 2008 – 2014

Member of British Columbia Society of Landscape Architects

Member of Canadian Society of Landscape Architects

Education:

LEED Certification

Master of Landscape Architecture: University of British Columbia

Master of Botany and Forestry: University of Eastern China