Costin, Hart, Johnson, Gauthier and Gomez form Canal 5 Studio

Canal 5 Studio (C5S), an architecture planning and interior design practice focused on integrating the art of architecture with the science of complex high performing building environments, opened an office in Suite 888, at One Canal Plaza. The founding five members of C5S are; Patrick Costin, AIA, LEED AP; Timothy Hart, AIA, LEED AP; Jessica Johnson, AIA, LEED AP; James Gauthier, AIA, LEED AP and Lodrys Gomez, an architectural and interior designer. All five professionals worked together in the design studio of Harriman Architects + Engineers on a number of programmatically complex buildings. "The past few years have been challenging for the building industry," said Costin, the former chair of the board of directors of Harriman, "but it has also created opportunities for new ways of working together to deliver projects. The mission of C5S is to use a more transparent and effective way of collaborating and sharing information. This helps owners design, build, and operate as efficiently as possible." C5S' approach is grounded in evidence-based design to provide a continuous feedback loop to owners on best practices for environmental and design excellence. Owners have already responded to the firm's delivery methods. New work includes renovation and expansion of a medical office complex for InterMed in Yarmouth, Maine; renovation of a medical office building for Maine Medical Center; and the transformation of an under-used urban courtyard with the addition of a restaurant pavilion for the owners of One Canal Plaza. "With Canal 5 Studio, we benefit from working with an organization that truly listens to our challenges and develops solutions that contribute to our success for the long-term," said Daniel McCormack, CEO of InterMed, a healthcare provider in Southern Maine. "Their input has been outstanding and their insight and expertise ensure that we fully consider the workflow impact of our design decisions. Ours is a positive partnership and we look forward to continued collaboration." Previously, the team played a creative role in a new medical office building for Maine Heart Surgical Associates in Portland; the John Mitchell Center for the School of Applied Science, Engineering and Technology at the University of Southern Maine in Gorham; and the adaptive reuse of a former retail building into the new corporate headquarters for MaineHealth, the largest healthcare provider in Maine.