Who We Are
Real people, real passion, real architecture
Look, we started this studio back in 2011 because we were tired of seeing the same cookie-cutter buildings go up everywhere. Vancouver's an amazing city, and it deserved better than what was happening.
The name "Haven Quintaris" came from a late-night brainstorming session - we wanted something that spoke to creating refuges, real sanctuaries where people could actually live and work without feeling disconnected from the world around them.
We've grown from just two of us working out of a shared office space to a team of twelve, but honestly? We still operate like we did on day one - lots of coffee, lots of sketching, and zero tolerance for designs that don't make sense for the people who'll use them.
Forget the fancy jargon - here's what you'll get when you work with us
Seriously. We spend more time in our first meetings listening than talking. Your space, your needs, your budget - that's where good design starts, not with our egos.
We bake it into everything. Not because it's trendy, but because building stuff that wastes energy and resources in 2024 is just lazy architecture. Plus, your utility bills will thank us.
Got a weird lot? Tough bylaws? Limited budget? Good. We love that stuff. Constraints force creativity, and that's where the interesting solutions show up.
You'll know what we're doing and why. No surprise fees, no mysterious "design decisions" - we walk you through everything because it's your building, not ours.
We know Vancouver's neighborhoods, climate quirks, and permit processes inside-out. That local expertise saves you time and headaches - trust us on this one.
We design for how you'll use the space in 20 years, not just today. Life changes, and your building should be able to adapt without needing a total overhaul.
There's this quote we keep on the studio wall: "Architecture should speak of its time and place, but yearn for timelessness." That's from Frank Gehry, and yeah, it's a bit poetic, but it captures what we're after.
We're not here to chase trends or win awards (though we've snagged a few, which is nice). We're here to create spaces that work beautifully, feel right, and don't cost the earth - literally and figuratively.
Every project starts with the site, the climate, and the people who'll inhabit it. Nature's already figured out most of the hard stuff - ventilation, thermal mass, light - so we work with it rather than against it. Sounds simple, but you'd be surprised how often this gets overlooked.
The folks who'll actually be working on your project
Founding Principal & Lead Architect
Sarah's the one who'll probably challenge your initial ideas - not to be difficult, but because she's spent 20+ years figuring out what actually works. She studied at UBC and worked in Copenhagen for five years, which is where she got obsessed with sustainable design.
She's got this knack for seeing possibilities in spaces that other architects write off. That awkward corner lot? She'll turn it into the best feature of your building.
When she's not at the drafting table, you'll find her hiking the North Shore trails or volunteering with Vancouver's green building council.
Founding Principal & Technical Director
Marcus handles the technical side that makes Sarah's visions actually buildable. He's a structural engineer by training and picked up his architecture degree because he got frustrated explaining to architects what was and wasn't possible.
He's the go-to person for complex renovations and restorations - there's not a building code or heritage regulation in BC he doesn't know backwards and forwards. Clients love him because he explains complicated stuff without making you feel dumb.
Outside work, he restores vintage motorcycles and somehow finds time to teach part-time at BCIT.
Senior Designer & Interior Space Planning
Jade joined us three years ago from Toronto, and honestly, we don't know how we managed without her. She's got this incredible ability to understand how people actually move through and use spaces.
Her background in environmental psychology means she thinks about things like natural light patterns, acoustic comfort, and sight lines in ways that just make sense once you see them in action.
She's also our in-house plant expert and has convinced most of our clients to incorporate way more greenery than they initially planned - and they always thank her later.
The Rest of Our Crew
We've got four junior architects, two project managers, an administrative coordinator who basically runs the place, and a rotating cast of interns from local universities.
Everyone here actually likes each other, which isn't always the case in architecture firms. We do team lunches every Friday, and yeah, we argue about designs constantly - but that's how we end up with better solutions.
Come by the office sometime. We'll show you around and probably rope you into judging one of our design debates over coffee.
We're rooted here for a reason. This city sits between ocean and mountains, has a climate that can go from sunny to pouring in twenty minutes, and is trying to figure out how to grow sustainably while keeping its character.
Those challenges make it an incredible place to practice architecture. We get to work with everything from heritage Craftsman homes to cutting-edge commercial towers, often on the same block.
Plus, the coffee's excellent and the hiking's unbeatable. Not gonna lie, that factors into it too.
Let's grab a coffee and talk about your project. First consultation's always free, and there's no pressure - sometimes we're not the right fit, and that's totally okay.