Amanda Motyer
M.Arch, BAS Hons, OAA, MRAIC, RHFAC Professional
Director of Inclusivity & Specifications
Who Amanda is
Amanda is a registered architect in the province of Ontario with over 10 years of experience, and a designated Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification Professional™. She served on the City of Peterborough’s Accessibility Advisory Committee for eight years, including three as Chair, and on the Built Environment Sub-Committee for six years.
Amanda lives with her partner, dog, and two cats. She loves to read, and in the summer enjoys camping, hiking, and admiring interesting rocks and mosses.
“The role we get to play in shaping the built environment gives us an almost unparalleled opportunity, but more importantly a great responsibility, to shape the world into a better place than we found it.”
Why Amanda Does it
As an architect, Amanda has been able to pursue two passions: accessible design and animal care. Amanda is deaf and a former service dog user, and this lived experience has meant that she is attuned to the ways in which architecture excludes people with disabilities and invested in making buildings and communities more inclusive and welcoming. She finds it both gratifying and humbling to be in a position where she can create meaningful change in her community.
What Amanda Does
Amanda leads the inclusive service offerings at Unity Design Studio, including directing the application of inclusive design on all of our projects. She is also responsible for developing and managing the in-house specifications, and has led various projects in the studio including the recently completed Peterborough Animal Care Centre.
Giving
To fulfill our commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility, every member of the Unity team has chosen an organization that aligns with their personal values and purpose. Unity has made a donation on behalf of each team member to their chosen organization.
Why Amanda chose: The Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides
“I have chosen to support the Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides, which is a national training school and charity that breeds, trains, and places service dogs with individuals across the country who need them. The dogs are provided at no cost to the recipients and provide them with freedom, independence, and safety. My connection to Dog Guides Canada is personal – I graduated from the Hearing Ear program with my service dog Tilley in February of 2012. For almost eight years, we walked side by side in life. Tilley was the inspiration for my Master of Architecture thesis and rightfully got to walk across the stage with me when I graduated in 2014. Tilley was a familiar face at the Unity studio. Sadly, at the time she was scheduled to officially retire, Tilley started to develop serious and life-threatening health issues and passed away. Her loss has been felt profoundly, but I will be forever grateful for the positive impact she had on my life.”