Patkau Architects, Vancouver, are one of the most renowned practices in Canada. Their buildings are distinguished by expressive forms that are developed from the specific context of each location. The working methods and the design process pursued by this office are based on a close analysis of the genius loci, which for Patkau Architects does not mean just the immediate built environment. It includes the regional and cultural differences that exist in North America. The contrast between urban density and the endless expanses of Canada leads to various planning situations, to which the architects respond in different ways.Detail: Some of your buildings have a strongly expressive formal language; others are more restrained. What is the reason for this?John Patkau: The special characteristics of a location form the basis of our architecture. We respond to those aspects that reinforce the place-making potential of our buildings. We filter these aspects out to help us integrate a building into its context. The architectural expression we would develop for a project in a dense urban situation would be quite different from that for a building in the country.