Built on a conviction.
E2 began as KR Evans 2 Design Group, founded in Calgary in 1986 by Kathy Evans. The conviction behind it was straightforward: architectural controls were being administered poorly. Guidelines existed, but they were applied inconsistently, without context, and without any real understanding of what developers and builders were trying to achieve. The result was friction where alignment should have been possible.
Kathy believed something different. If you understood the design intent deeply enough, you could administer controls in a way that protected the vision without creating unnecessary conflict. That insight became the operating principle of the practice.
The Arc
Over four decades.
Over four decades, what began as disciplined design stewardship evolved into structured governance systems. Manual reviews gave way to structured processes. Process refinement gave way to technology innovation. A regional practice became a platform with reach across Western Canada and beyond.
Randy Evans joined the practice as a Director and partner, helping anchor its growth and reinforce its values through the years of expansion. Kathy and Randy remain advisors and ambassadors to the practice today, active in supporting its legacy, its values, and the brain trust that has always defined E2.
2025 — A New Chapter
Michael Sean Young, CEO
In February 2025, Michael Sean Young became Chief Executive Officer of E2. His focus is on strengthening the role of architectural governance within the development process and advancing the systems, collaborative frameworks, and capabilities that allow communities to perform over time. The practice he leads is the same one Kathy Evans built. The work continues.
Employee Ownership
Ownership shapes behaviour.
Every employee at E2 becomes an owner. Ownership here is not symbolic. It shapes how people think, how they take responsibility, and how they protect the standards that define the practice's reputation. When people share in what they build, they build it better.