April 2013
| Business World Magazine | 115
encompassing everything from architecture
and building to contracting and interior de-
sign. Since 2007, principals of Altius have
been the force behind another enterprise
known as Sustain Design Studio, creating
a line of sustainable, prefabricated homes
(known as the “miniHome”) which has
grown in popularity in California markets.
Meanwhile, Altius has garnered cer-
tain professional popularity. The firm has
been honored by the Ontario Association
of Architects with the “Best Emerging Prac-
tice” Award, and the American Institute of
Architects has ranked them among the top
young firms “to watch”.
For his part, Smith says his business
is not only about design and building, but
serving customers who sometimes may not
fully understand the depth of service they’re
receiving. “There was a time, many years ago,
when one could walk into a GM showroom
and choose among a number of options that
they might want in a car. A week later, work-
ers on an assembly would custom build the
car so that it exactly corresponded with the
needs and wants of that customer. Today,
there is no one, no business, who does that
any more except for architects,” says Smith.
“We may be the last profession that allows
clients to dictate every aspect of what is
wanted in a project… the last vestiges of what
is true customer service.”
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