The Beginning
Look, I'm not gonna pretend we started in some fancy glass tower. Back in 2008, it was basically me, Gildareth, sketching restoration plans in a cramped Parkdale apartment with terrible lighting. Had this obsession with old buildings - the kind most developers wanted to tear down.
Grew up in Cabbagetown watching heritage homes get gutted for condos. Something about that just didn't sit right, y'know? These buildings have stories, layers of history you can't replicate with new construction. But they also needed to work for how people actually live today.
So that became our thing - respecting what came before while making it functional for now. Not always easy, and yeah, sometimes clients think we're stubborn. But when you see a 1920s warehouse transformed into a net-zero office space, preserving those original timber beams and brick... that's the sweet spot right there.
Gildareth Venquinth
Principal Architect & Founder
M.Arch, OAA, LEED AP BD+C
120+
Projects Completed
15
Years Experience
We've grown since those apartment days - got a solid team of twelve now, all passionate about this intersection of old and new. Still in Toronto, still doing what we love.
Milestones & Recognition
2023
Ontario Heritage Award
Honestly didn't expect this one. The jury recognized our work on the Distillery District adaptive reuse project. That was a tough job - original 1860s stone walls, strict heritage guidelines, but the client wanted modern loft spaces.
2021
LEED Platinum - First Heritage Project
People said it couldn't be done - getting Platinum certification on a heritage restoration. Took three years and way too many late nights, but we proved that century-old buildings can meet cutting-edge environmental standards.
2019
Expanded to Commercial Projects
Started getting calls from commercial clients who'd seen our residential work. First big one was converting an old print shop into office space. Kept the character, added geothermal heating. Game changer for us.
2016
Toronto Urban Design Award
Won for a residential project in Leslieville - took a row of 1880s workers' cottages and made 'em work for modern families. Solar panels hidden behind heritage rooflines, that sort of thing.
2014
First Major Heritage Restoration
Landed the contract to restore a Victorian mansion in Rosedale. Was terrified honestly - huge responsibility. But we nailed it, and word spread fast after that.
2011
Incorporated the Firm
Finally made it official. Got our first real office space on Queen West - nothing fancy but it beat working from home. Hired two junior architects who actually believed in the vision.
2008
The Beginning
Started taking on small renovation projects. Mostly helping homeowners who wanted to respect their home's history but needed modern functionality. Built everything from there.
Our Approach
We're not precious about it - heritage doesn't mean freezing buildings in time. It means understanding what makes a structure significant and finding creative ways to honor that while meeting today's needs.
Every project's different. Sometimes we're restoring original features, sometimes we're creating bold contrasts between old and new. The constant? We actually listen to what the building's telling us.
