Omar Gandhi, founder, Omar Gandhi Architects - principal exhibitors at AiM's In Progress exhibition.

Materiality is central to the creative process at Omar Gandhi Architects, practice founder, Omar, tells us. Fuelled through "honest investigation" into this, alongside place, historical context, and climate.

This value system begins at ideation stage with modelmaking, and continues through to the finished buildings with their striking form, purposeful material selections and an unmistakable playfulness.

Based across Halifax, Toronto and Berlin, every piece of Omar Gandhi Architects' work is distinct. From the criss-cross timber structure of the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, to the organic Riverbend Library like a 'glacial erratic left behind by time', creativity is expressed by the bucketload.

And, of course, this too is evident in its models. As principal exhibitor at AiM's 'In Progress' exhibition, currently open at our London Studio (until 23 October 2026) and organised by the Architects Index of Modelmaking, run by Scott Miller at Manchester School of Architecture's B.15 Modelmaking Workshop, in partnership with European Cultural Centre (Italy) & Manchester Society of Architects, Omar Gandhi Architects showcases a model crafted for Yonge & Heath Streets, Deer Park, Toronto — anchoring the St. Clair Place redevelopment.

This is for a new civic and cultural landmark bringing together a multi-purpose theatre, event venue, gallery, flexible programme spaces, and a landscaped green roof — also housing what will potentially be a library.

Having bumped into Omar and his business partner, Jordan Rice, quite fortuitously at the opening of the 'In Progress' exhibition, we grabbed some time to chat more about why modelmaking is so central to the practice's process. Read Omar's thoughts below, and pop into Material Source Studio London any time between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday, to see the models for yourself.

How did Omar Gandhi Architects come to be?

"I grew up in Brampton, Ontario, Canada and studied at both the University of Toronto and Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. I started my practice in 2010. I wasn't ready to start my own practice but took on a variety of small unglamorous projects which kept me busy for the first year or two. I was fortunate to have been commissioned to design some small custom homes and from there have built a practice in Halifax, Toronto and Berlin."

Your work feels very symbiotic with nature, blending seamlessly with a building’s surroundings - does that form part of your approach?

"Our work tries to simultaneously build on a culture of an area, and respond to climate conditions - but with an expressive edge which tends to give our work a creature-like form. It's less about blending and more about designing it in a way that it looks as though it always existed there, interwoven with the landscape."

Playful form also seems key?

"We tend to work with clients who are open to the unknown. There is certainly a playful side to our work with is both fun, dramatic and organic. There is a wildness which is central to our work."

What role does modelmaking play in supporting your work?

"We make models through the entire process. Beginning with card, foam, or scraps of wood, there is a rawness to the early stages. As the progress continues and develops, so too do our models, both digital and physical. The most beautiful models grow from an honest process of investigation."

Do you have model makers in the house?

"We do not. We have architects, interns, and students. Historically, it's been something that everyone has participated in. We are in the process of building the core of a fabrication shop dedicated to both modelmaking, exploration and making."

How does materiality factor both in terms of models, and the actual buildings?

"There are various types of models that we process - ones for early investigation and ones for final testing. The final models have typically been built by hand, using wood. While we do utilise CNC and 3D printing in various cases, the bulk is developed by hand, slowly. The process models are usually built with materials which can easily be manipulated, edited, discarded without the pressure of being overly precious with it."

Do you have a signature creative process? Or does it differ per project?

"Our process begins with honest investigation about place, materiality, historical context, and climate. For me personally, many of the early ideas begin with sketching and modelling. We are a highly collaborative studio, so ideas come from different places and then are workshopped and developed as a team. That could mean that the original spark comes from various team members, my partners, Stephanie Hosein and Jordan Rice, or myself."

You’re principal exhibitor at AiM's 'In Progress' exhibition in London - what was the driver for supporting that particularly?

"We believe in the importance of 'making' and the value of modelmaking in particular through the process of architecture. Too often people live only in their computer screens and don't touch materials. It's central to our studio that we produce real objects and learn from them. I was fortunate to have spent some time at the University of Manchester with Scott [AiM founder] a few months ago and really enjoyed the work that the students produce. It aligned with our values as a firm."

You work closely with education providers, is modelmaking embraced in the universities?

"It varies quite drastically, actually. I was fortunate to have gone to a school (Dalhousie University) where modelmaking was integral to the process. There are other schools that are neither equipped for it nor promote the idea of making models as an integral part of the design process."

What’s next for Omar Gandhi Architects?

"We are working along a very broad spectrum, from products like furniture, lighting and scent diffusers to custom houses, retail, cultural projects, libraries and more. We are having a lot of fun producing the work that we are fortunate to have and hope to continue exploring."

Catch AiM's 'In Progress' exhibition at Material Source Studio, 120 Saffron Hill, London, until 23 October 2026. It's free to visit. No booking required. More info here.