Durham Region
Architect in Oshawa
A property can work harder without feeling more crowded. If you are considering an additional apartment, a family addition or a better business layout in Oshawa, OAN helps you define the right architectural approach and connect it to the existing building and site.
Discuss your project01A sense of place
Make room for more, while keeping the building easy to use
Oshawa identifies separate permit application types for adding a dwelling unit, residential additions and non-residential additions. These distinctions help frame the work clearly. A project adding independent living space needs a different brief from an extension to one household, even if the amount of construction looks similar.
Define the living arrangement first
Clarify who will use each space and whether it will function as an independent home. That decision affects entrances, privacy and the organization of rooms. It also helps identify the appropriate architectural and building review questions before a basement or extension is laid out.
Account for the whole site
Oshawa advises checking height, coverage, setbacks and landscaped space before beginning a project. The City also identifies site-alteration controls. A new entrance or parking arrangement should be considered with the proposed building work so the plan does not solve one problem by creating another.
Describe business use precisely
For a commercial or industrial renovation, explain the activities, staff numbers and customer movement expected in the space. An architectural layout can then respond to the operation. The existing building and any change in use should be reviewed with the relevant consultant input.
02Designed around you
What are you planning in Oshawa?
Additional apartments
Explore a comfortable independent layout with a clear entrance, practical storage and privacy, subject to the address-specific permissions and building requirements.
Family home additions
Create space for everyday living or changing household needs, with new construction integrated into a coherent plan for the original house.
Commercial and industrial alterations
Arrange work areas, support rooms and movement through the premises so the architectural design reflects how your business actually operates.
03A clear way forward
Turn your ideas into a considered design.
You do not need to arrive with all the answers. We start with what you want to achieve, then shape the architectural work around your property and priorities.
- 01 / 03
Tell us what needs to work better
Share how you will use the space, your budget priorities and your timing. Existing drawings, a survey and site photographs help us understand the starting point.
- 02 / 03
Explore the design decisions
We develop the layout and building form around your brief. Site conditions and applicable requirements help shape the options before the detail grows.
- 03 / 03
Develop coordinated drawings
Once the direction is agreed, we develop the architectural drawings within the agreed scope and coordinate with the consultants your project needs.
Before you begin
Questions about building in Oshawa
Is finishing a basement the same as adding an apartment?
No. A finished room and an independent dwelling involve different uses and design considerations. Oshawa distinguishes adding a dwelling unit in its permit system. Explain the intended living arrangement at the outset so the architectural scope is based on the correct purpose.
Can an extra unit fit without changing the outside of the house?
Sometimes, but the answer depends on the existing layout, access and building conditions. Start with measured information and the intended occupancy. The design needs to address the requirements for the complete unit, not only whether the rooms fit within the current walls.
Useful local resources
These official pages can help you prepare for a conversation. The requirements for your address and proposed work should be confirmed before the design is finalized.
- Read building permit guidance (opens in a new tab)
Review application types, zoning checks and additional approvals that may apply.
- Explore housing information (opens in a new tab)
Find the City's housing initiatives and guidance related to accessory apartments.
Planning a project in Oshawa?
Share your Oshawa address and the living or working arrangement you want to create. We can help define the architectural work needed to explore it.