We are pleased to announce that the Vancouver City Council has appointed Principal Ana Maria Llanos (Architect AIBC, AAA, OAA, LEED AP, MAA, FRAIC) to serve as a member of the Vancouver Urban Design Panel for a two-year term.
Ana Maria has played a defining role in shaping civic and institutional architecture in British Columbia. After joining Diamond Schmitt in 2000 and contributing to major projects across Canada, she relocated to Vancouver in 2015 to establish the firm’s presence on the West Coast. Under her leadership, the Vancouver studio has grown to a team of more than 35 architects and design professionals delivering complex public and community-focused projects across the region.
Her work reflects a deeply collaborative and integrated approach, engaging clients, consultants, and community partners to create projects that are technically rigorous and socially responsive. Her portfolio includes significant public-sector work across post-secondary education, healthcare, civic, and residential sectors. She was project architect for the Emily Carr University of Art + Design and is currently leading the St. Paul’s Hospital Clinical Support and Research Centre in Vancouver, alongside major civic projects such as the Marpole-Oakridge Community Centre, Cameron Community Centre and Library, and several social housing initiatives in Vancouver, including Granville Loops and the Pacific and Hornby Housing development. Her commitment to strengthening communities and enhancing the public realm aligns closely with the Panel’s mandate to advance design excellence across the city.
On her appointment, Ana Maria states: “It is an honour to be part of the panel and to have the opportunity to contribute to the process of shaping our city. We are privileged to live in a fantastic place. I care profoundly about enhancing our built environment and creating livable communities that we are proud to live in.”
The Vancouver Urban Design Panel advises City Council and staff on major development and rezoning applications, civic projects and those of public interest, and urban design policy. Through its review of significant public and private proposals, the Panel plays a critical role in shaping quality, livability, and long-term resilience of Vancouver’s built environment.