Our Story
Where passion for design meets real-world environmental responsibility
Honestly? I stumbled into sustainable architecture by accident back in 2009. Was working on a renovation project in Kitsilano and the client asked if we could salvage the old timber beams instead of tossing them. That got me thinking...
Fast forward through a masters at UBC and about fifteen years of trial-and-error, and here we are. Started this studio in 2015 with just me, a laptop, and way too much coffee. Now we're a team of twelve passionate folks who genuinely care about making buildings that don't trash the planet.
I grew up in Victoria, spent summers helping my uncle renovate old heritage homes. That's where I learned that buildings have stories - they're not just steel and concrete. Every project we take on, I'm thinking about the people who'll live or work there twenty, fifty, maybe a hundred years from now.
These days when I'm not sketching designs or arguing with engineers (in a friendly way, mostly), you'll find me hiking the North Shore trails or volunteering with Vancouver's affordable housing initiatives. Architecture isn't just my job - it's how I think we can actually make cities better.
Look, we're not gonna claim we've got all the answers. Sustainable architecture is messy, complicated, and changes faster than Vancouver's weather. But that's what makes it interesting, right?
We've turned down projects where clients wanted sustainable "aesthetics" without actual environmental performance. If we say a building's green, we can back it up with data, certifications, and real measurements. Period.
A building can have the lowest carbon footprint in the world, but if nobody wants to be in it? That's just expensive art. We design spaces where people actually thrive - better air quality, natural light, acoustics that don't drive you nuts.
We work with BC craftspeople, source materials regionally when possible, and design for our specific climate. Cookie-cutter solutions from other cities? Not our thing. Vancouver's got unique challenges and we embrace them.
"Every project teaches us something new. Last month we learned that hemlock timber from a demolished warehouse could be repurposed into stunning feature walls. Next week? Who knows. That's the beauty of this work - it keeps evolving."
- Marcus, probably after too much coffee
Not gonna lie, these feel pretty great. But what matters more is the impact each project had.
For the Granville Island adaptive reuse project that turned an old industrial space into a net-zero community hub. That one was a beast to engineer but totally worth it.
Our Strathcona residential complex achieved LEED Platinum. Forty units of affordable housing that actually perform better than code requirements.
For restoring the old Davie Street theatre while integrating modern sustainability tech. Kept the soul, upgraded the systems.
Still can't believe this one. Got recognized for our approach to integrating Indigenous design principles in contemporary architecture.
Our Whistler eco-lodge project caught international attention. Turns out people worldwide care about skiing and sustainability.
This was huge for us. Validated that our energy-efficient designs weren't just theory - they actually worked in practice.
Started with a dream, a desk at a co-working space, and determination to prove sustainable design doesn't have to cost the earth (literally or financially).
We're twelve people now - architects, designers, sustainability consultants, and one amazing office manager who keeps us all from descending into chaos. Everyone here chose to work in sustainable design because they care, not because it's trendy.
Flexible hours, dog-friendly office, mandatory Friday afternoon walks, and we actually mean it when we say work-life balance matters.
Weekly design reviews where junior staff can challenge senior decisions. Best ideas come from anywhere, not just the corner office.
Let's talk about your project over coffee. No pressure, just conversation.
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