Janna Levitt is a founding partner of LGA Architectural Partners and one of Canada’s most respected voices in socially conscious architecture. Raised in a Toronto home full of artists—her mother a celebrated ceramicist recognized as a “National Treasure”—Janna grew up surrounded by creativity, community, and conversation. These early influences shaped a practice rooted in care, inclusivity, and civic impact.
Janna studied Fine Arts, Political Science, and Cinema at the University of Toronto before shifting into architecture, graduating from U of T’s five-year Bachelor of Architecture program. As one of the few women in her cohort, she leaned on peer networks to navigate a challenging and often exclusionary academic environment—an experience that later informed her commitment to mentorship.
Janna met her future business and life partner, Dean Goodman, while still in school. Frustrated with conventional practice models, they launched their own firm—now LGA—grounded in collaborative values and public-serving work. Early commissions like Strong House, an innovative homeless shelter, and the Native Child and Family Services headquarters set the tone: architecture that listens, adapts, and empowers.
Under Janna’s leadership, LGA has grown intentionally to around 40 staff, with projects spanning libraries, housing, adaptive reuse, and institutional work. She’s mentored students at Waterloo, championed internal financial transparency, and helped shape a clear, long-term succession plan.
She and Dean live in a mid-block infill home they designed as a model of urban intensification and environmental care. Outside of work, Janna remains deeply engaged in the arts and maintains close relationships with clients, colleagues, and friends who—like her—believe in design as a generous, collective act.Curated Podcast Sponsors:
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