Please start by introducing yourself and your role at fabric
My name is David Jacobson, I am a partner at Fabric and the Director of Project Delivery. What that means is I lead the management of the design, municipal approvals and construction of our projects with our project teams.
What originally drew you to development, and what keeps you inspired today?
I have a somewhat obsessive personality, and I like to focus on details both aesthetic and technical. For that reason I’ve always been drawn to creative pursuits that have a fair amount of structure and systems around them. For me, real estate development has to balance design, engineering, finance, culture and
politics, with the outcomes being buildings that need to last multiple generations.
It’s a pretty great way to make a living! And what keeps me inspired to keep doing this work I think is the fact that it is always challenging. Design, materials, technologies and regulation are constantly evolving and responding to changes in the economy, the environment, and in how people choose to live and work. This means there’s always something new to learn and adapt to in our project work to remain financially viable as a business.
In what ways does your training in architecture inform your role at fabric?
At Fabric we like to push the design and efficiency of our projects as far as we can. We are becoming known for completed work that contributes to neighbourhood character, that stands out and is aesthetically attractive without being trendy, and all while maintaining project budgets and schedules.
My training in architecture has always made me an effective manager of the many moving parts that go into making a project come together, while not losing sight of the essence of the design and function of what we’re trying to achieve with our hired teams.
We’ve got some cool rental projects in the pipeline—what’s one feature or design element that you’re most looking forward to working on?
We have a potential project adjacent to the elevated SkyTrain tracks in a great neighbourhood in East Van. Our big idea for this one is to design a new public space that connects to our building; an urban park and playground, around and under the tracks – these spaces are often neglected in Cities and they have such
potential to be unique and special places if executed well.
How do you structure your team and workflow to move projects forward efficiently without sacrificing design quality or community impact?
We have a project management system that provides the necessary checks and balances at the various stages of our projects to ensure we have internal alignment on our project goals and vision. We like to work with consultants that are as passionate about the work as we are, who ‘get it’. It is then up to us to
make sure we stay close to all the details on a project, keeping an eye on the vision without stifling their talents. We also work very closely with City Staff, and we make sure to keep those relationships respectful and positive throughout.
One of the best things about traveling is discovering amazing architecture and design around the world—do you have a favorite building or city that really stood out to you?
Copenhagen. It’s a city that has deliberately focused their planning around people over cars. This has resulted in a strong cycling and pedestrian network, with inviting and vibrant public spaces that are easy to navigate and comfortable to be in. Stores, restaurants and cafes all seem to thrive despite not having acres of parking out front. Medium scale apartment buildings line the main streets, and
many are backed by shared green courtyards. Danes have been known to rank amongst the happiest people on Earth, and I am certain how they have designed their cities has something to do with this.
Outside of work, what’s your favourite way to unwind and spend time on the weekend?
Anything active outdoors, preferably in dry weather, with my wife and daughters.
And dog.