Who We Are
Crafting Tomorrow's Spaces with Nature's Wisdom
Crafting Tomorrow's Spaces with Nature's Wisdom
Started back in 2009 when three of us were sitting in a cramped cafe on Queen West, sketching ideas on napkins and arguing about whether buildings could actually breathe. We were young, slightly naive, and totally convinced that architecture needed to stop fighting nature and start dancing with it instead.
Fast forward and we're still on Queen West - just with better coffee and a proper drafting table. What hasn't changed? That same fire to design spaces that don't just exist in the environment but actually contribute to it. Our early projects were small - a renovated warehouse here, a sustainable home there - but each one taught us something new about balancing human needs with ecological responsibility.
These days, we've grown into a team of passionate designers, engineers, and dreamers who all share that original vision. We're not about creating monuments to ego. We're here to craft buildings that'll make sense fifty years from now.
Every line we draw, every material we spec - it all needs to earn its place. We're not fans of decoration for decoration's sake. If it's there, it's doing something meaningful.
We don't conquer sites, we collaborate with them. Sun patterns, wind flow, existing ecosystems - these aren't obstacles, they're our co-designers.
Three architects, one vision, and way too much coffee. Founded Onyx Thalquindar with our first project - converting an old textile factory into live-work lofts. Learned more about adaptive reuse in six months than we did in years of school.
Completed our first LEED Platinum residential project in Rosedale. The clients took a chance on some pretty experimental passive heating concepts, and honestly, it worked better than we'd hoped. That project put us on the map for sustainable design.
Won our first major commercial bid - a mixed-use development in Liberty Village. Twenty thousand square feet of retail, office, and residential space designed around a central green courtyard. It's still one of our favorite projects because it really brought community together.
Started working on heritage restoration projects. Turned out our sustainable approach translated perfectly to preserving historic buildings - same respect for what's already there, same careful attention to materials and craftsmanship.
Received the Ontario Association of Architects Award for Design Excellence. More importantly though, we expanded the team and opened up opportunities to mentor young architects who care about this stuff as much as we do.
Working on some of our most ambitious projects yet - from net-zero office buildings to a complete neighborhood revitalization plan. The challenge keeps getting bigger, but so does our capability to meet it. We're just getting started.
Lead Architect & Co-Founder
The one who keeps us grounded when designs get too wild. Has an uncanny ability to see structural solutions nobody else spots.
Urban Planning Director
Former city planner who got tired of saying no to good ideas. Now he creates the ideas that get approved.
Sustainability & Green Building Lead
She'll challenge every material choice until it meets her environmental standards. Projects are better for it, even if we grumble sometimes.
Design Director & Co-Founder
The dreamer of the group. Sketches compulsively and sees potential in the most challenging sites. Usually right, annoyingly.
Your building, your vision. We're here to make it real, not impose our ego on your project. That said, we'll push back if something won't work - but we'll explain why.
We don't do green washing. Every sustainable feature we recommend pays for itself - either in energy savings, durability, or quality of life. No gimmicks.
We design within your means from day one. Nothing worse than falling in love with a concept you can't afford to build. We're upfront about costs and trade-offs.
We're designing for decades, not just for the ribbon cutting. Materials, systems, layouts - everything's chosen to age well and adapt to changing needs.
Whether you've got detailed plans or just a rough idea, we'd love to hear about it. Coffee's on us.