Diane Matichuk, BLA University of Guelph 1984, began her work in the private sector followed by a 16-year municipal career at the City of Gloucester and (post amalgamation) the City of Ottawa. Diane worked closely with benefiting communities to revitalize over 100 existing parks and develop over 20 new parks, seeing each through to ultimate built expression. She then fielded her skills in Urban Design as it actively developed in the new City of Ottawa.
For a brief period, Diane worked at the Centre of Expertise in Heritage Conservation for the federal government where she developed insight on designing interventions on sensitive historical and environmental sites.
Diane has been Principal Landscape Architect for Civitas Group (Civitas Architecture Inc), an integrated Architecture and Landscape Architecture practice since 2008. Project by project, Diane pushed to broaden their range of skills in research, planning studies, heritage conservation, design, and constructability in the renewal of built landscapes and the design of new landscapes and infrastructure in urban and rural settings.
Several iconic projects include the Ottawa Courthouse Green Roof, Place de l’Université-University Square, University of Ottawa, the Rehabilitation of Ten National Historic Dams and Lockstations along the Trent-Severn Waterway, the Dominion Observatory Campus Heritage Landscape Review and Design, and the Brockville Mental Health Centre Heritage Landscape Rehabilitation Plan. Rare is the opportunity to contribute to the physical setting of the seat of Canadian government. The Parliament Hill Escarpment Stairway and Site Rehabilitation project received worthy acknowledgements including the 2018 CSLA National Award of Excellence.
Diane has also demonstrated her commitment to landscape architecture by being an active member of the Ottawa Chapter of OALA, chairing the 2010 OALA Conference in Ottawa, and being a distinguished jury member for the 2018 Royal Architectural Institute of Canada Urban Design Awards and the 2017 Canadian Association for Heritage Professional Awards. In 2017, she received the Carl Borgstrom Award for Service to the Environment.
