About Us | Fayndralith Quinth Architecture

Our Story Isn't a Straight Line

Look, we started this whole thing back in 2011 because honestly? We were tired of seeing the same cookie-cutter developments going up everywhere. Toronto was losing its character, one bland condo at a time. That's when the three of us – yeah, we'll get to introductions in a sec – decided there had to be a better way.

Turns out, merging old-school craftsmanship with modern sustainability isn't just possible, it's actually where the magic happens. We've spent over a decade now proving that you don't have to demolish history to build for the future. Sometimes the best foundation's already there, just waiting for someone to see its potential.

These days, we're known for taking on the "tricky" projects – heritage buildings that everyone else says are too far gone, urban spaces that seem impossible to work with, clients who want both cutting-edge sustainability AND respect for architectural tradition. That's our sweet spot.

The People Making It Happen

Elena Fayndralith

Principal Architect & Heritage Specialist

Elena's the one who'll spend three days in dusty archives just to find the original blueprints from 1887. She trained at Waterloo and then did a stint in Edinburgh restoring Georgian buildings – which basically means she knows more about limestone and load-bearing walls than anyone you've ever met. She's got this uncanny ability to walk into a crumbling Victorian and see exactly what it wants to become.

Outside the office? She's probably at estate sales hunting for architectural salvage or teaching weekend workshops on traditional masonry techniques. Yeah, she's that person.

Marcus Quinth

Design Director & Urban Planning Lead

Marcus is the guy who can somehow make a 200-unit residential project feel intimate and human-scaled. He cut his teeth doing urban infill projects in Vancouver before moving here, and he's got this philosophy that cities should be for people first, cars a distant second. He's also our go-to for anything involving municipal bureaucracy – the man's got patience for zoning committees that the rest of us honestly lack.

He bikes to work year-round (yes, even in February) and has somehow convinced half the team to do the same. His current obsession? Adaptive reuse of industrial buildings. Don't get him started unless you've got an hour to spare.

Sophia Chen

Sustainability Director & LEED Consultant

Sophia joined us five years back and basically revolutionized how we think about environmental performance. She's got her Master's in Building Science from Ryerson (sorry, TMU now) and she's certified in about a dozen green building standards. What's cool about Sophia is she doesn't do sustainability as a checklist – she actually understands the science behind passive solar, thermal bridging, all that stuff.

She's also the reason our office composts, has a living wall, and why we measure our carbon footprint on every project. Some firms talk about sustainability; Sophia makes us actually do it. She grows most of her own vegetables and makes killer kimchi, which she trades for coffee from the roastery downstairs.

Dev Patel

Senior Architect & Interior Specialist

Dev's the detail guy. While the rest of us are thinking about massing and site plans, he's already three steps ahead figuring out how the light's gonna hit the kitchen counter at 4pm in November. He trained in Mumbai before doing his Canadian accreditation, and he brings this whole different perspective on how people actually use spaces – not just how they look in renderings.

He's particularly amazing with residential projects where the client's not quite sure what they want. Somehow he asks the right questions and pulls it out of them. Also makes the best chai in the office, which has become a 3pm ritual whether you want it or not.

The Rest of the Crew

Behind these four, we've got a team of twelve incredibly talented folks – junior architects, designers, project coordinators, our office manager who basically keeps everything from falling apart (thanks, Rachel), and a couple of interns who honestly put the rest of us to shame with their Revit skills.

We're not huge and we don't want to be. Staying mid-sized means we can actually be involved in every project, know every client by name, and maintain the quality control that made people start calling us in the first place.

Want to Join Us?

We're always looking for talented people who care about good design.

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How We Actually Work

Listen First, Design Second

We don't show up with preconceived ideas. Every site's different, every client's different, every context is unique. So yeah, our initial meetings tend to run long because we're actually trying to understand what you need, not just sell you on our aesthetic.

Collaborate, Don't Dictate

It's your building, your space, your investment. We bring expertise and ideas, but the best projects happen when there's real back-and-forth. Also, we work closely with engineers, contractors, and consultants from day one – not as an afterthought.

Sustainability by Default

We don't wait for you to ask about green features – we build them into every proposal from the start. Sometimes that's high-tech systems, sometimes it's just smart orientation and good windows. Whatever makes sense for the project and budget.

Stay Involved Through Construction

We don't just hand over drawings and disappear. Site visits, contractor coordination, dealing with the inevitable surprises that come up – we're there. Because a design's only as good as what actually gets built.

Come Visit the Studio

We're in a converted warehouse space on Queen West – which yeah, we renovated ourselves and turned into a bit of a showcase for what's possible with heritage industrial buildings. There's exposed brick, reclaimed timber beams, a green roof, and way too many plants courtesy of Sophia.

Coffee's always on, and if you catch us on a Friday afternoon, there might be beer. We love talking about architecture, so feel free to drop by if you're in the neighborhood. Just maybe shoot us an email first so we're not all out at site visits.

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