For the first time in nearly 40 years, a Windsor architect will helm the profession’s Ontario licensing association.

Settimo Vilardi, of Archon Architects Inc. in Windsor, was named president of the Ontario Association of Architects (OAA) last week for a one-year term.

“I think any president elected (from) outside the GTA, it’s kind of a big deal, only because the highest concentration of architects is in the Greater Toronto Area,” Vilardi said. The last local president of the provincial association was John Couchman in 1984.

The OAA is the provincial regulatory and licensing body for architects across the province, and also works to advocate for issues within the profession. All architects in the province are licensed through the OAA in a bid to protect the public interest with “safe and durable” architecture, Vilardi said.
Advertisement 3