Who We Are

Where Vision Meets Precision in Modern Architecture

Our Story

Started back in 2011, we weren't your typical buttoned-up architecture firm from day one. The whole thing kicked off in a cramped workspace above a coffee shop on Granville – just three of us, a bunch of sketches, and way too much caffeine. We'd spend hours arguing about roof angles and material choices, sometimes getting a bit too heated about thermal bridging details.

These days we've got a proper studio space, but honestly? We still operate with that same scrappy energy. The Vancouver skyline's changed a lot since we started, and we like to think we've had a hand in pushing it toward something more thoughtful. Every project we take on has to answer one question: will this make the city better, or are we just adding more square footage?

We're not trying to reinvent the wheel here – just making buildings that work with nature instead of against it, spaces that people actually want to be in, and designs that'll still look right in twenty years.

How We Actually Work

Design Philosophy

Look, we're not gonna pretend every project is some groundbreaking masterpiece. Most of our work comes down to listening properly – and I mean really listening – to what a space needs to do. Sometimes that means ultra-modern glass and steel, other times it's about respecting what's already there and working with it.

Sustainability isn't a buzzword we throw around for marketing points. It's baked into everything because, frankly, we've got no choice anymore. Every material decision, every orientation choice, every mechanical system – they all add up. We've learned the hard way that you can't slap some solar panels on a poorly designed building and call it green.

Our Approach

We start every project by getting our boots on the ground – literally walking the site at different times of day, checking how light moves, where the wind comes from, what the neighbors are doing. You'd be surprised how much you miss from behind a computer screen.

Then comes the messy part: tons of sketches, 3D models, arguments about proportion and materials. We involve clients way more than they probably expect. After all, they're the ones who'll live or work in these spaces. We've had clients catch issues we totally missed, and that collaboration usually leads to better outcomes than us just dictating from on high.

Meet the Team

Alexandra Thryalquinth

Principal Architect

Alex started this whole operation after getting fed up with big corporate firms that cared more about billable hours than actual design. She's got this uncanny ability to look at a site and immediately see what it wants to become. Registered architect with over 15 years under her belt, she handles the big-picture stuff while somehow remembering every tiny detail of every active project.

Marcus Raven

Director of Sustainable Design

Marcus is the one who'll tell you exactly why your material choice is gonna cause problems in five years. He came from an engineering background, which means he actually understands how buildings perform in the real world, not just on paper. LEED AP certified, but he'll be the first to say certifications don't mean much if the fundamentals aren't solid.

Priya Chandrasekhar

Senior Project Architect

Priya keeps the trains running on time around here. She's the bridge between our wild initial concepts and actual buildable structures. Her background in heritage restoration means she's got serious respect for existing buildings and knows how to blend old with new without it looking forced. When contractors say something can't be done, she's usually the one who figures out how to do it anyway.

David Ko

Urban Planning Lead

Dave thinks about how buildings fit into neighborhoods, not just how they look standing alone. He's spent years dealing with city planning departments and community consultations, so he knows how to navigate the political side of architecture. His background in urban design means our projects actually contribute to the streetscape instead of just existing in isolation.

Sofia Mercer

Interior Architecture Specialist

Sofia makes sure the insides of our buildings work as well as the outsides look. She's got this talent for spatial flow that you either have or you don't – can walk through a rough space and immediately know where the furniture should go, how people will move through it. She's saved us from more than a few designs that looked great in renders but would've been awkward to actually use.

James Okonkwo

Technical Director

James is the detail guy who makes sure our ambitious designs don't leak, crack, or fall down. He's been doing technical drawings and building envelope consulting for over a decade. When we're pushing boundaries with a design, he's the voice of reason asking "but how do we actually build this?" – usually followed by him figuring out exactly how to build it.

What Drives Us

Every project we take on has to pass what we call the "breakfast test" – could we sit down over breakfast in ten years and still feel good about what we built? That means considering how buildings age, how they impact their surroundings, whether they're actually solving problems or just creating new ones.

Vancouver's changing fast, and not all of it's for the better. We're trying to do our part in making sure new development adds something valuable to the city's character instead of erasing it. Sometimes that means fighting for smaller, more thoughtful projects over massive glass towers. Sometimes it means convincing clients that the extra cost of better insulation or smarter orientation will pay off.

Let's Work Together

We're always up for interesting projects, whether that's a custom home, a commercial building, or something that doesn't fit neatly into categories. First meetings are pretty informal – usually just coffee and conversation about what you're trying to accomplish. No hard sell, no pressure, just seeing if we're a good fit for each other.

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