John is the founder and principal of John MacDonald Architect (JMA). The firm’s expertise includes 20 years of projects involving urban design of varying scales, with a focus on adaptive re-use projects requiring interdisciplinary approaches and collaborative associations through their early planning and approvals stages. John’s thirty years of urban design activity and expertise has been largely focused on the urban context of downtown Kitchener, Ontario. He brings leadership value and the understanding necessary to co-ordinate and navigate the complexities prevalent when designing within our urban environment. He has represented clients through hearings and approvals for committees of adjustment, heritage, and the formal municipal site plan approval processes. This includes the preparation of Urban Design Briefs, and support for zoning changes and official plan (OP) amendments.

Born in Northern Ontario, John recognizes the importance of community and is a longtime advocate for the quality of the public realm and stewardship of our environment. He is the co-founder of Kitchener’s Festival of Neighbourhoods' a community capacity-building initiative since 1994.