"If passion drives you, let reason hold the reins."
Benjamin Franklin
We focus on creating unique custom homes, duplexes, and renovations on individual building sites. Our projects are usually situated in areas like Vancouver's North Shore, the Sea to Sky corridor, and BC's Sunshine Coast. We use advanced CAD technology for designing and crafting Construction Drawings. Our approach is not only professional but also distinct, and we aim to make the process enjoyable for everyone participating.
AScT, CRD, Dipl T
Having designed houses on the North Shore of Vancouver, BC for the last 30 years, Joe is a registered building designer with the Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of BC (ASTTBC)
Born in Baden-Baden and raised in Gaggenau at the edge of Germany’s Black Forest, Joe Rommel developed an early appreciation for design and the quiet harmony between architecture and nature. As a teenager, he relocated to British Columbia’s West Coast, where the region’s dramatic natural setting resonated with his European sensibilities and helped shape his evolving design approach.
Joe graduated from the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) in 1982 with a Diploma in Building Technology. Early in his career, he contributed to the transformation of Vancouver’s Yaletown, helping guide its evolution from an industrial warehouse district into a dynamic community of homes, offices, and restaurants. During the 1985 recession, he expanded his experience abroad, working in Giessen, Germany, and later collaborating under the mentorship of the late Prof. Karl Dittert. Together, they designed and built a 5,000-square-foot showroom for a major European office furniture manufacturer at Houston’s Innova Design Center.
Extensive travel across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East—from Rome’s Colosseum to Guangzhou’s Canton Tower—further shaped Joe’s design philosophy and deepened his respect for architecture as a cultural expression. Returning to Canada, he founded Rommel Design Ltd., now widely recognized as one of the Vancouver area’s leading firms in custom residential design, known for blending West Coast modernism with enduring craftsmanship.
Though not a registered architect with the AIBC, Joe is a certified building designer with ASTTBC. His award-winning work—including multiple Georgie Awards and Heritage Design Awards in West and North Vancouver—reflects a career defined by thoughtful design, integrity, and a lasting commitment to excellence.