Shannon Hilchie, P.Eng

Owner and Principal, Shannon studied Structural Engineering at Dalhousie University, before becoming an associate at Blackwell Engineering. While at Blackwell, she was privileged to work on some fantastic projects, such as Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport and NFCS Headquarters (including the longhouse). After many wonderful years at Blackwell, she decided to try something new, and worked with cast steel at Cast Connex. It was fun and she loved traveling North America, dealing with some of the top Architecture and Engineering firms in the world, but she missed designing. In 2014 she decided to start her own firm, faet lab. This allowed her to focus on feature elements and high-end component design. Shannon also teaches the Structures curriculum in the Masters and Undergraduate programs at Daniels School of Architecture and Landscape design, University of Toronto

When she is not having babies, she is also completing her Masters of Tensile Membrane Structures at the Anhault University of Applied Science, at the site of Bauhaus in Germany. Where there is also lots of beer.

Origin Story

The name needed to represent what we do, and show how cool we are (obviously). While Snowshoeing to the cottage, my wonderful, sweet (and fat) mal-lab cross laid down in my path. I had to step over a Fat Lab. Since all the other spellings were taken by the music industry, we went with faet lab. Technically, it’s fæt lab, but it's hard to register that. But it worked out well.

We can design for any stage/phase/component of the industry.

Fabrication, Art, Engineering, Technology. FAET.

Nailed it!

Cost

Typically, company’s make you jump through hoops to find out estimates. I’m too lazy to answer an email in the middle of the night, so here are some rough guesses at what the structural design will cost for various items. I usually work hourly, so these are just estimates. And since there always need to be fine print: the estimates might change if the items are bigger/more complicated than normal.

• Feature Stair: $6000

• Canopy/Pergola: $5000

• Pavilion/Change rooms: $10,000

• Deck: $3000

• Guard: $2000

• Elements (feature bracing/handrails/mullions): $1500

• Landscape Elements: $800-$2500

• Foundation Elements (Flagpole/Light pole/Basketball net): $800/type on project

Selected Projects

Faet Lab

• Tommy Thompson Park Pavilion by DTAH - https://dtah.com/work/tommy-thompson-park-entrance-and-pavilion

• Feature Stair in House on Ancaster Creek by WWInc - https://www.williamsonwilliamson.com/arch/projects/house-on-ancaster-creek

• Structure and base for Cracked Wheat by Shary Boyle - http://www.sharyboyle.com/cracked-wheat/

• IQ3 Park by Janet Rosenberg & Studio -  https://jrstudio.ca/content/iq3-park

• Government Conference Centre – Feature Stairs, Guards, Handrails by Diamond Schmitt Architects and KWC Architects in Joint Venture - https://dsai.ca/projects/federal-parliamentary-building

While at Blackwell

• The Verdant Walk by North Design Office - http://www.northdesignoffice.ca/drupal/project/verdant-walk

• Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport by MJMA - http://www.mjma.ca/Portfolio/Featured-Projects/U-of-Toronto-Goldring-Centre-for-Sport and Patkau Architects - https://patkau.ca/projects/goldring/

• NCFS Headquarters by LGA - http://lga-ap.com/project/community/ncfs30college