WHO WE ARE
Front Porch is a design-build company specializing in the design and construction of sustainable client-oriented residential and recreational properties. Front Porch was founded by Dave Silburn and Arlen Donnelly, in a desire to help homeowners confidently design and build custom homes that are as much about performance and function as they are about their aesthetics.
Front Porch specializes in connection and conversation, to determine what functional, sustainable spaces meet our client’s goals and aspirations.
OUR TEAM
ARLEN DONNELLY | Founding Partner
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Arlen Donnelly has a passion for helping clients create beautiful, thoughtful, sustainable homes. For more than 20 years, Arlen has contributed his abilities to a broad range of architectural projects, with a focus on single and multi-family residential design. A LEED-accredited professional, he also brings experience with projects in the care and hospitality sectors. His successes are in part due to his ability to understand his client’s expectations and ensure that project deliverables meet and exceed those expectations. With a strong technical knowledge base, Arlen provides clarity on issues of constructability and efficient design.
Prior to his current work, Arlen was an associate at Q4 Architects and led the Q4A Calgary Studio. He oversaw all business operations and provided direction to his team of 10 on the schematic design of projects through to contract administration and construction. For 10 years, he contributed to the overall leadership of the Toronto-based firm. Before Arlen’s role at Q4A, he first developed his own business designing over five hundred custom homes in various locations in North America and Asia. This was followed by his work with NORR Architects for 5 years.
In 2019 Arlen designed and built his own infill home in Calgary which put him in the role of being both the designer and homeowner client. This unique perspective allows him to understand better his client’s needs in developing their projects. Additionally, designing and building this project further reinforced his belief that the best designs benefit from a holistic approach that fully considers the relationship between all of the parts of a building.
Arlen combines his empathy and understanding of client needs with a strong intuitive approach to solving problems. Sustainability, affordability and accessibility are all important aspects of Arlen’s work. He particularly enjoys creating small homes with highly efficient designs that offer opportunities to prioritize quality over quantity and allow for simplified living for the homeowner.
DAVE SILBURN | Founding Partner
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Dave enjoys working with clients on customized design solutions to meet immediate and future flexible plans. A strategic, but practical dreamer, Dave excels at breaking down big ideas into tangible, affordable and accessible solutions. With over 20 years of experience in energy efficient, high performance housing, Dave has acted as architect, technical consultant, business development officer, construction consultant, certified energy advisor and conceptual creator of many award winning, nationally recognized energy efficient and net-zero energy homes across Canada.
As creator and former general manager of SAIT’s Green Building Technology Access Centre, Dave has worked with builders, designers, engineers, trades and well over 300 industry partners to either improve or create >450 new or existing technologies, products, prototypes for high performance buildings. At the forefront of zero carbon, zero energy technology development and residential construction, Dave and his team used research funds wisely to ensure clients across western Canada and the northern territories were leading edge without being bleeding edge.
David has also acted as Associate Director for SAIT’s Facilities Management team, implementing inaugural energy conservation measures, building management and automation controls and sustainability best practices while overseeing capital maintenance and repairs for more than 5 million square feet of commercial academic and living lab space.
Prioritizing family, community and relationships throughout the design process, Dave loves working with clients to realize their housing dreams. This passion has helped him built a strong national network of professionals to ensure each project can benefit from a holistic approach.