Who We Actually Are

Not your typical suit-and-tie firm. We're the folks who show up to site meetings in hiking boots and get genuinely excited about solar panel arrays.

How This Started

Look, we didn't start out planning to build an architecture firm. Back in 2011, three of us were grabbing coffee after a particularly frustrating city council meeting where another mixed-use project got approved without any meaningful green standards. Someone said "we could do better" and, well... here we are.

Started in a converted warehouse space near Granville Island (because of course we did), working nights and weekends while juggling day jobs. Our first real project was a residential renovation for a friend who trusted us enough to let us experiment with reclaimed materials and passive heating. When their energy bills dropped by 60%, we figured we were onto something.

Fast forward to now, and we've got a proper studio, a team that actually knows what they're doing, and a portfolio of projects we're genuinely proud of. Still get that same buzz though when a client sees their space for the first time.

Sarah Chen

Co-Founder & Lead Designer

Spent five years in Copenhagen studying Nordic design before bringing that sensibility back home. Has an unhealthy obsession with natural light and will fight you about window placement. Her dog Miso comes to the office most days and has opinions about every design decision.

Random fact: Climbed Mount Baker last summer and sketched building concepts at the summit.

Marcus O'Brien

Co-Founder & Sustainability Director

Former environmental engineer who got tired of just consulting and wanted to actually build stuff. Can tell you the embodied carbon of pretty much any building material off the top of his head. Rides his bike to every site visit, even in February.

Random fact: Built his own off-grid cabin on Vancouver Island using only salvaged materials.

David Tanaka

Co-Founder & Operations

The guy who actually makes sure we get paid and don't blow the budget on fancy sustainable materials (happens more than you'd think). Former project manager who got seduced by the design side. Still keeps us grounded when we get too carried away with experimental concepts.

Random fact: Makes a mean espresso and judges other firms by their office coffee quality.

Our Journey in Green Building

Not gonna lie, we've learned most of this stuff the hard way.

2011 - The Warehouse Days

First Steps into Sustainable Design

Started with that first renovation project. Salvaged 80% of materials from demolition sites around Vancouver. Learned real quick that reclaimed Douglas fir is gorgeous but also incredibly heavy to haul up three flights of stairs.

2014 - Our First LEED Project

Achieved Gold Certification

Commercial office space in Gastown. The paperwork nearly killed us - seriously, the documentation requirements are intense. But watching that building use 40% less energy than code requirements made every late night worth it. Client's tenant retention went through the roof too.

2017 - Carbon-Neutral Milestone

First Net-Zero Energy Building

Residential project in Kitsilano that actually produces more energy than it uses. Took us nine months longer than planned because we kept tweaking the passive solar design. Homeowner's utility company now sends them checks instead of bills. Yeah, that feels pretty good.

2019 - Living Building Challenge

Petal Certification Achievement

Took on the toughest green building standard out there for a community center project. Had to source every single material based on its environmental impact. Failed the first audit, learned a ton, and eventually got certified. Marcus cried a little when the results came in.

2021 - Mass Timber Innovation

BC's Largest CLT Structure

Five-story mixed-use building using cross-laminated timber. Sequestered about 1,200 tons of CO2 and went up in half the time of conventional construction. Changed how we think about urban density and sustainability. Plus, it just smells amazing inside - like being in a cedar forest.

2024 - What We're Working On Now

Pushing Boundaries Further

Currently designing three net-zero projects simultaneously, experimenting with mycelium-based insulation (yes, mushrooms), and partnering with local First Nations on cultural center that integrates traditional design principles with modern sustainability. It's ambitious, maybe a bit crazy, but that's kind of our thing now.

The Numbers Don't Lie

Look, we're not big on tooting our own horn, but after 13 years of doing this work, some metrics are worth sharing. These aren't projections or estimates - this is actual measured performance from completed projects.

42

Projects Delivered

68%

Avg Energy Reduction

8.2M

Tons CO2 Offset

15

Green Certifications

How We Actually Work

Forget the stuffy architecture firm stereotype. Our process is more collaborative workshop than ivory tower. We start every project with what we call "coffee and chaos" sessions - just sitting down with clients, sketching on napkins, talking through what actually matters to them.

Then comes the fun part where we geek out on building science, run energy models, and figure out how to make sustainability not just viable but exciting. We do a lot of physical modeling too - there's something about holding a scaled version of your building that a computer render just can't match.

Throughout construction, we're on-site constantly. Not in a micromanaging way, but because things always come up and we'd rather solve problems in person than through fifty email chains. Plus, contractors appreciate when architects actually understand how things get built.

Let's Talk About Your Project