Associates

Istvan Kovacs

Associate Architect of DFS, Istvan obtained his Bachelor of Architecture at the University of Budapest in his native Hungary in 1972.

Prior to coming to Canada in 1991, Istvan practiced in Austria, Germany, Algeria, Egypt, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.

He joined DFS in 2001. He is highly specialized in historic masonry restoration, design, conception, with emphasis on technical innovation. In the DFS Conservation group, he is responsible for many of our major restoration works. Istvan is a Member of the Board of Directors ICOMOS Canada and President of the ISCS International Scientific Committee for Stone Restoration.

His awards include the prestigious Order of Architects of Quebec Award of Excellence for the restoration of the historic Bank of Montreal Headquarters in Old Montreal.

Marco Burelle

Marco obtained his Bachelor of Architecture from Laval University in 1993. He initially joined DFS in 1996 and got his Master of Project Management from UQAM accredited PMI program in 2002 and was later certified PMP. 

Combining his strong organization skills with his education and his interest in always pushing performance, it contributes strongly to his successful role as Studio Manager and a member of our recruiting and Interview committee

An associate of the firm since 2011, with extensive experience in leading the services for government and institutional projects in Eastern Canada.  As project architect, he has designed many of our government projects in Quebec and Ontario.

Daniel Durand

Daniel obtained his Bachelor of Architecture degree from the Université de Montréal in 1982. Having joined DFS in 2008, he is responsible for general and conservation projects.

Daniel has extensive experience in heritage architecture, with a strong emphasis on technology, programming and contract administration. His general and specific knowledge in building science and envelope is put to contribution on heritage and modern buildings, for expertise and new construction detail.

Manager of the DFS Inc. architecture & design Safety Committee, he organizes seminars for Fall Arrest and Hazardous Materials.

Lee-Ann Hill

Upon completing her Master of Architecture program at McGill, Lee-Ann joined DFS in 2000. She became a LEED accredited professional in 2009. 

Her passion for sustainable architecture is reflected in all her projects, including the analysis and research of sustainable materials and recycled materials, by increasing the thermal performance of building envelopes for improved cost efficiency, and improved indoor environmental quality for users through natural light and exterior views.

Lee-Ann directs a wide variety of project types, including pharmaceutical, laboratory, educational and institutional mandates. She is DFS BIM expert and co-direct with Chris Beamer its implementation in DFS practice  

Sonya Jensen

Sonya joined the DFS team in 2017 and is presently Associate Architect. Her educational background includes a Master of Architecture from McGill in 2002 and Master of Historic Conservation from Oxford-Brookes University in 2010.

Sonya’s architectural work engages with public cultural identity and includes facility planning, museum collections management and historic building conservation. Her Master of Historic Conservation at Oxford Brookes focused on designs for and interpretation of historic sites for diverse audiences in the Canadian context. Her conservation work includes stone masonry envelope repair for government, institutional and university clients, as well as historic churches.

Her professional strengths include project management, analysis of historic sites, major feasibility studies, museum planning and collection management planning.

Maria del Carmen Garcia

Maria is Associate with DFS. Her educational background includes a Master of Architecture from McGill in 2002 and Master of Urban Planning from New York University in 2013.

She joined DFS Inc. architecture & design in 2007 and is team leader on a variety of project types and sizes including many involving the installation of highly specialized research equipment. This experience enables Maria to successfully lead projects from the beginning to final completion and in the process, gain the confidence of her clients, project managers, engineering consultants and colleagues.

 The client base Maria serves include the governments, universities, and various pharmaceutical and research organizations.

Eric Jofriet

An Associate Architect with DFS, Eric obtained his Bachelor of Fine Arts, Visual Arts and Design from Concordia University in 1992 and his Bachelor of Architecture from Carlton University in 1998.

Eric’s experience includes major projects with offices in Montreal, Vancouver, Albany and Toronto and he has also worked in industrial design, graphic design, fine art, and architectural photography. His time with DFS was initially from 2009 to 2011, and in 2017 he rejoined our team.

 His current and recent experience for the Government of Canada, includes work on iconic buildings in the National Capital Area and in the Parliamentary Precinct.

Eric’s knowledge of sustainable materials and practices has been implemented through LEED workshops and conferences, and he has lent his expertise to the Quebec Chapter of the Canada Green Building Council.