Alkarim's vision is to enable the development of middle housing and gentle density at-scale in established neighborhoods across North America.
His focus is on empowering citizens, cities and the next generation of city builders to deliver diverse housing options for people of all ages, stages and wages, while accentuating walkability and access to local businesses and existing infrastructure. Hailing from Calgary, Alkarim’s dedication to enriching urban life and fostering community connections is evident in his work.
As co-founder of RNDSQR for almost a decade, Dr. Alkarim Devani and the RNDSQR team delivered close to 300 homes across middle housing developments in additional to mid-rise and commercial buildings throughout Canada. Their projects gained national and international recognition for architecture and urban design.
In 2026, Alkarim completed his Doctor of Design (DDes) at the University of Calgary. His thesis is titled: MIDDLE HOUSING AND WHAT LIVES BETWEEN.
In his new role as co-founder and CEO of mddl, Alkarim and the team are leading efforts to educate, empower, advocate for and mobilize an ecosystem across North America to support the development of middle housing in a simplified, transparent and sustainable manner. This work involves collaboration with citizen developers, municipalities and industry experts to build capacity at all levels.
Together they launched mddl U, North America’s first middle housing certificate program, in partnership with the University of Calgary, and are now launching it at UCLA with the Master of Real Estate Development program and cityLAB-UCLA.
Their our home gis tool, is deployed in cities throughout North America most recently onboarding Los Angeles, Kelowna, Burnaby and Jasper.
When not immersed in his professional endeavours, Alkarim finds joy in spending time with his family, playing golf, and being a partner in NHBR Coffee and Business & Pleasure. These community spaces not only provide him with relaxation but also enable him to stay connected and in touch with the culture of everyday people.
awards
BILD – Best Multi-Family Community Concept – CY33, 2019
Canadian Architecture - Award of Excellence - IW9, 2019
MUDA - Housing Innovation Mention - 2019
BILD – Multi-Family Builder of the Year Small Volume, 2018
BILD – Best New Design (Established Area, 1300 SF and Up) – Peaks and Plains, 2018
BILD – Best New Design (Established Area, 700 to 899 SF) – GROW Unit 303, 2018
BILD – Best Townhome Style (Established Area, Up to $579,999) – MP05, 2018
AZ Award of Merit – GROW, 2018
Nominated for Small Business Week Calgary, 2018
BILD – Best New Design (Up to 599 SF) – GROW, 2017
Architizer A+ Awards – GROW, 2017
Canadian Architect Award of Merit – GROW, 2017
American Architecture Price – GROW, 2017
Mayor’s Urban Design Award – Housing Innovation – GROW, 2017
Mayor’s Urban Design Award – Conceptual/ Theoretical Urban Design Projects (Honorable Mention) – CY33, 2017
BILD – Best New Multi-Family Design (Over 1200 SF) – MP05, 2016
BC Digital Supercluster (2024) - Housing Growth Innovation Program Co-Investment, Lot Identification Tool
Mayor's Urban Design Awards (2025) - Special Jury Mention, mddl School and mddl Lot Identification Tool
Canadian Institute of Planners' (CIP) Planning Award of Excellence (2025) - Finalist, mddl School, Lot Identification Tool, and Fast Track
NGEN Advanced Manufacturing Homebuilding Challenge (AMHC) Co-Investment (2024)
CMHC Housing Supply Challenge (2025) - Finalist
talks
D.Talks Let’s Talk About Parking
City of Calgary Community Planning - P4P Industry Panel Discussion
BuildEx Alberta - Navigating Change in Established Communities
UC Berkeley - Building Intentionally and Maximizing Collisions
UofC - Urban Strategies Guest Lecture
UofC - Westman Real School of Real Estate
CaFé WEST - RNDSQR LIFE Pechakucha
University of Calgary - Guest Lecturer (2020-2024)
Rotary Club of Calgary Downtown (August 2024)
Calgary Real Estate Forum (October 2024)
The Canadian Investor Podcast (November 2024)
AIC Lunch & Learn (November 2024)
Small Housing BC Gentle Density Summit (February 2025)
In Development Podcast (February 2025)
CUI Single Stair Sessions (March 2025)
AREF EDA Xperience (April 2025)
Ecotrust Environmental Gathering (May 2025)