 |
Behind the BuildAuthor: Behind the Build with Jonathan Jacobs
An in-depth #Podcast hosted by Jonathan Jacobs, interviewing Design Professionals about them, their #design practice and more... Language: en-ca Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
Listen Now...
Behind the Build: Goli Basiri - Harmen Design
Episode 11
Wednesday, 18 February, 2026
Goli Basiri is a co-founder and principal designer of Harmen Design, an architecture and interior design studio based in Oakville, Ontario, serving clients across the Greater Toronto Area. Born and raised in Mashhad, Iran, she developed an early sensitivity to the emotional impact of space, shaped by childhood experiences visiting family homes and observing how the environment influences comfort and connection.After completing a bachelor’s degree in physics in Iran in 2008 or 2009, she pursued her original ambition of architecture, earning her degree from Eastern Mediterranean University in Cyprus. In 2014, she immigrated to Canada with her family, first landing in New Brunswick before relocating to Toronto in 2015.She began her Canadian career in high end custom residential construction, coordinating job sites while completing a postgraduate program in Construction Management at George Brown College. She later worked in healthcare design and estimating, navigating building codes across multiple jurisdictions in the United States.In 2018, she and her husband, architect Kia Kazemian, founded Harmen Design. What began with small scale projects grew steadily through referrals and visibility on Instagram, which played a pivotal role in establishing credibility as newcomers to the country. Today, the firm manages approximately 15 to 20 active residential projects at various stages, with a team of six.Goli advocates for a more integrated approach between architecture and interior design, believing interiors should not be layered onto a building after the fact but considered from the earliest stages of planning. Her work reflects both technical rigor and an understanding that space carries emotion. She is also a mother to her daughter, Yara, and protects her early mornings for fitness as a daily reset before work and family life begin.Curated Podcast Sponsors:Caplan's AppliancesThe DoorsTo connect with our sponsors, email me: jonathan@waldenhomes.caBehind the Build Instagram
