At the 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM), held on April 8, the OAA honoured its newest Members of Long Standing—individuals who have achieved the milestone of 50 years of membership with the OAA, contributing to Ontario’s architecture profession.
Among this year’s honourees was Joseph Somfay.
Joseph Somfay immigrated to Canada in 1967 from Australia during a world tour to study high-rise buildings and urban design. Prior to this, he completed design drawings for Qantas’ 50-storey world headquarters in Sydney while working with Joseland and Gilling Architects.
Captivated by iconic structures like the Lever Building and the TD Centre, Joseph paused his tour and discovered Jack Diamond’s Master’s program in Architecture and Urban Design at the University of Toronto. He became Jack Diamond and Barton Myers’ first employee, contributing to York Square, and completed the program in 1969 while serving as a teaching assistant.
Post-graduation, Joseph taught design, energy conservation, and group design at the University of Waterloo for 17 years, helping students develop lifelong creative approaches. While teaching, he founded his own firm, pioneering passive and active solar homes and innovations like exterior basement insulation.
His firm received a Governor General’s Award in 1985 and expanded to larger projects, including university buildings and high-rise designs. After decades of practice, Joseph joined IBI in 2013, establishing a successful architectural division in their Waterloo office. Although semi-retired, his passion for architecture remains unwavering, and he continues consulting while reflecting on a career driven by creativity and innovation.
To learn about the work of other Members of Long Standing, from this year and previous, click here.