President, ACDF
It’s really a question of emotion, the experience of a building. Creating architecture that elicits vivid feelings is at the heart of everything I do. In French, we call this approach to architecture ‘scénographie’ – the art of place-making, of giving three-dimensional form to ideas. As architects, we have an enormous role to play in improving the quality of people’s daily lives, and to do that we must design with and for emotion, so that every building is generous and engaging. I am very passionate about this potential for architecture.”
The son of an architect, Maxime-Alexis Frappier co-founded ACDF in 2006, six years after graduating from the Université de Montréal’s School of Architecture. One of the first projects on which he was ACDF’s lead designer, St-Germain Égouts et Aqueducs, established his approach to integrating artistic creation and practical solution: the project won a Governor General’s Award, Canada’s top honour for architectural excellence, and reinvigorated a multigenerational company. Just a few years later, Frappier’s achievements had already been recognized by the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, who gave him the 2013 Young Architect Award.
Since then, Frappier has designed a wide variety of architectural projects in Canada and around the world, many of which have earned prizes and publication. He continues to oversee all ACDF’s major design projects, developing for each a rich identity tailored to the project’s site, scope, and ambition. Frappier’s passion and presence have made him an in-demand lecturer and guest critic at architecture schools, and he is frequently invited by the media to talk about architecture. His energetic commitment to broadening an appreciation of architecture informs his work as project designer, team leader, and client partner.
