The architects
Barry Vance Downs (1930–2022) and Richard Archambault (1931–2010) met in 1954 at the firm of
Thompson Berwick and Pratt and Partners. They reunited to launch Downs/Archambault and Partners in 1969. The firm's early work includes the North Vancouver Civic Centre and Britannia Community Services Centre, Vancouver;
Lester Pearson College of the Pacific with
Ron Thom, high-density neighbourhoods on the
1986 Vancouver Expo lands; two campuses of
Kwantlen College, Langley, B.C.; and the Campbell River Museum, Campbell River, B.C. The firm has produced a wide variety of projects, among them,
Canada Place & the
Pan Pacific Hotel,
Concord Pacific Place, the
Yaletown Roundhouse Neighbourhood,
Library Square in Downtown Vancouver, Nicklaus North Clubhouse,
Irvin K. Barber Learning Centre with Pfeiffer Partners,
Vancouver Convention Centre West with LMN & MCMP, Coast Coal Harbour Hotel and the
River Rock Casino Resort. In 2008, the firm's name was changed to DA Architects + Planners in response to the retirement of the founding partners. In 2020, the partnership consisted of architects Mark Ehman and James Kao. In 2022 the firm became incorporated. ==Awards and recognition==