The Studio

We are Habit Studio, a women-led studio committed to making the world a better place through sustainable and beautiful modern residential design.

We celebrate compassion, invite collaboration, and trust our intuition. The result is a smooth, stress-free experience and a comfortable home that feels easy to live in.

For us, sustainability is not a superficial add-on. We integrate our creativity with advanced building science and Passive House systems to ensure intelligent, beautiful, and sustainable design informs every corner of your home.

We like working with open-minded individuals who respect good design, trust our expertise, and give us the creative freedom to do our best work.

Buildings play an essential role in your overall physical and emotional wellbeing. That's why we take the time to understand you as well as your budget and timeline.

At Habit Studio, design is a conversation. We create a warm and welcoming environment where you feel comfortable expressing your needs and opinions. This ensures the design process flows steadily and easily with minimal disruptions and stress.

Group of nine people, sitting and standing, in front of a wooden wall, smiling for a photo in black and white.
Let's connect

  • Lorrie and Jude work extremely well together. They are very true to themselves, and complement each other nicely. You feel a connection with one or the other every step of the way. This allows the project to flow smoothly, and makes you feel like you're all that matters to them. We could not have done it without them.

    — Krista B.

  • Every night as we sit in our awesome new home, we reflect on how happy we are with the design. If there is one thing we got right throughout this whole process, it was working with Habit Studio.

    — Richard & Jenny

  • The Habit team’s ability to be highly collaborative while working quickly and efficiently speaks to the strengths of women professionals, as does their ability to lead with kindness and intuition. They were responsive to requests and changes in a manner that kept the process moving forward, while benefiting from the expertise and experience of the entire team.

    – Cathy W.

WE’RE ROOTED IN VALUES

Habit Studio has grown not only from our expertise and experience, but also from our values.

Modern bathroom with double vanity, large mirror, glass-enclosed shower, potted plant, window, pendant lights, and wooden ceiling details.

  • We’re in it for you. To us, design is an intimate reflection of you and how you live.

    That’s why we listen to you with an open mind, and work with you every step of the way. No fuss. No ego. Just beautiful and sustainable work.

  • To us, knowledge is pointless unless it’s shared. That’s why we involve you in every decision we make.

    We’ll work with you every step of the way to ensure you always know where we’re at, what we need to do next, and what you need to do next. You need to make hundreds of decisions throughout the design process, and we’ll guide you through every single one of them.

  • We’re straight talkers, and big believers in setting realistic expectations from the start. The process we follow is robust, and we’re upfront about any anticipated fees. That means no hidden costs or surprises.

  • It’s our responsibility to make a positive impact on the building industry’s carbon footprint. That’s why our collective mission is to create healthy and beautiful forever homes you have a deep connection with.

MEET THE TEAM

We’re a tight-knit collaborative team. We’ve got big hearts and open minds. We’re technically proficient.

And we’ll never say no to a piece of celebratory cake.

Close-up photo of a woman with wavy dark brown hair, light skin, and blue eyes, wearing a dark top, with a wooden background.

Judyann Obersi (she/her)

Co-Founder, Director of Design, Architect, NSAA, M.Arch

Jude oversees Habit Architecture, the licensed architectural practice within Habit Studio, and serves as Design Lead across the studio’s work. An award-winning architect with over 20 years of design experience in Nova Scotia, she brings sustainability, creativity, and a deep sensitivity to how space is experienced through the senses to her practice.

A Credentialed Trauma-Informed Design Practitioner, Jude's work is grounded in listening, cultural context, and an understanding of how the built environment can support safety, dignity, and belonging. She is particularly passionate about applying trauma-informed principles in housing and community settings, where design can contribute to well-being and community resilience.

A firm believer in the housing-first model, Jude sees architecture as a tool for care, dignity and social impact.

Beyond her practice, Jude is committed to advancing the profession through volunteer leadership, mentorship, and education. She serves on the Alice House Property Committee and frequently contributes as an educator and guest critic at the Dalhousie School of Architecture.

    • Licensed Architect
      (Nova Scotia Association of Architects)

    • Credentialed Trauma-informed Design Practitioner (TiD-B)

    • Lieutenant Governor’s Citation Award for the Sandy Cove Residence

  • See: expansive oceans

    Hear: Indie Rock and Latino Music

    Feel: An old worn-out thick cozy cashmere cardigan

    Taste: Basque cheesecake

    Smell: Freesia and pear

  • “Judy is just a great person, and I feel she'll always be somebody we feel close to. She’s very warm, and was always available to answer our questions. Judy was just as excited about the home as we were. It was almost like it was her own house. She would come to the site during the build and take pictures and say; “Can you imagine looking out the window seeing that greenery?” We fed off her excitement!”

    — Kim G. & Eric M.

Close-up of a smiling woman with curly hair, wearing large glasses and pearl earrings, dressed in a dark top against a wooden background.

Lorrie Rand (she/her)

Co-Founder, Director of Sustainability, Certified Passive House Designer

Lorrie has an almost magic ability to keep going when things get tough. She powers through challenges with persistence and ease. Her unmatched mental stamina is useful for solving puzzles. It’s one reason she’s so great at retrofit projects. She genuinely enjoys figuring out how to unite complex and conflicting requirements.

Pragmatic and sensitive, Lorrie’s motivation is to make things better for people—spatially, functionally, and emotionally. She believes a comfortable, beautiful and healthy home can be life-altering for those inhabiting it. And when it comes to green buildings and building science, Lorrie is a self-confessed nerd. She generously shares her knowledge, and is actively involved in teaching and mentoring students, colleagues and builders.

Spending time in nature not only helps Lorrie rest and recharge, but also acts as an important reminder about what’s important in life. As she says, “I don’t think we’ll ever run out of lessons from nature.”

    • Bachelor of Environmental Design Studies (BEDS)

    • Certified Passive House Designer (CPHD)

    • Certified Passive House Tradesperson (CPHT)

  • See: Dreamy landscapes by artist and friend Sara McCullough

    Hear: Rain falling, wind in the trees, a good storm

    Feel: Flannel sheets and hand-knitted socks

    Taste: My grandmother’s Christmas pudding

    Smell: Balsam fir, tomato plants, line dried laundry, new babies, and beeswax

  • “Lorrie grew up 10 minutes from our place in Nova Scotia. So she really knows the feel of the area. (It's a strange area in Nova Scotia. We're on the water, but it's a farming community.) But Lorrie is familiar with the community, the rhythm of life, and what it's like to live here. Her insights and understanding were really valuable when deciding on materials, etc.”

    — Cathy W.

Close-up of a smiling woman with dark wavy hair wearing a beige button-up top, standing in front of a wooden background.

Isabelle (Biz) Gosselin (she/her)

  • Isabelle Gosselin is a project manager at Habit Studio and a student in the RAIC Syllabus program, working toward architectural licensure. She holds a diploma in Drafting–Architectural from Nova Scotia Community College and brings over a decade of experience in team management and project coordination across fieldwork, student governance, and architectural settings.

    At Habit, she manages projects from early design through construction and leads the development of internal systems and BIM workflows. Isabelle’s approach is shaped by her drafting background and a practical understanding of how effective tools, clear structure, and consistent communication support the delivery of thoughtful, well-executed buildings.

  • See: Snowy mornings, a calm sea on the horizon

    Hear: Birds chirping after a storm

    Feel: Soft dog ears, warm sand

    Taste: A briny seafood bite

    Smell: Lilacs, woodworking shops, fresh bread

Close-up photograph of a smiling woman with wavy brown hair, wearing a black top, with a blurred background.

Lee Cameron Surrette (she/her)

  • Lee Cameron Surrette is a Certified Passive House Designer and holds a Masters of Architecture from Dalhousie University. She is an environmental advocate, promoting the integrity of craft and sustainable building practices.

    Lee incorporates light, texture and comfort into each of her projects and continually tries to improve the relationship between the built environment and nature. Lee has worked in Siena, studied in Paris and is now part of the design team at Habit Studio, in Halifax.

  • See: Design harmonizing with nature

    Hear: Seagulls and foghorns

    Feel: Cool room and a heavy blanket

    Taste: Simple seasonal ingredients, black licorice rolled in salted caramel

    Smell: Citrus, sea salt and sheets on the line

A woman with curly hair and earrings smiling at the camera, wearing a beige jacket, standing against a wooden background.

Jennifer Smith (she/her)

  • Jennifer Smith is a graduate of Nova Scotia Community College’s Drafting-Architecture program. It was video gaming that, in part, charted the path for her professional life. Jennifer spent hours playing The Sims purely for the enjoyment of it, and quickly realized she wanted a career that would allow her to turn digital designs into real life.

    Jennifer specializes in life-like 3D renderings, giving our clients a much better sense of what their home will ultimately look like. Innately, Jen is both creative and analytical—her advanced skills in drafting and modelling allows her to engage both sides of the mind.

  • See: A leafy path through the calm woods

    Hear: The quiet during a snowfall

    Feel: Bed at the end of the day

    Taste: Earl grey vanilla tea

    Smell: Rockets (the halloween candy)

Close-up of a man with grayish-brown, wavy hair and blue eyes, wearing a buttoned-up beige shirt, in front of a wooden background.

Brent Schmidt (he/him)

  • Brent is a graduate of the Master of Architecture program from Dalhousie University and a certified Passive House Builder. He has a background working in construction trades and as a social support worker in transitional housing.  
    Brent is passionate about design that seeks to be aesthetically compelling, environmentally conscious and socially meaningful. He is looking forward to continuing to learn and work towards being a licensed architect as a part of the Habit Studio team. 

  • See: form and texture

    Hear: waves

    Feel: warm sand

    Taste: family recipes

    Smell: a spring time walk in the woods

A dog with glasses and a tie sits on a wooden deck covered in fallen leaves, with a lattice fence and foliage in the background.

Locke (he/him)

  • Locke specializes in all things food and people. He is our official treat tester and mood lightener. While he may sleep most of the day, he’ll greet all our guests with his big brown eyes and a wagging tail.

  • See: The smiling face of a soon-to-be friend

    Hear: Background noise of my people close by

    Feel: Cold, soft surfaces

    Taste: Cheese and fish

    Smell: The stronger, the better

Close-up of a woman with dark hair, wearing pearl earrings and a beige jacket, smiling and looking at the camera, with a wooden wall background.

Jen Davis (she/her)

Close-up of a woman with brown hair, earrings, wearing a black turtleneck, smiling in front of a wooden background.

Erin Gair (she/her)

  • See: Blue sky after a snowstorm

    Hear: Ocean waves crashing

    Feel: Warm sun on a cold day

    Taste: Coffe & chocolate

    Smell: Lavender

Every project starts with a conversation.

LET'S TALK