About Us - Stellar Quintavis Architecture

Our Philosophy

How We Think About Design

Look, architecture shouldn't be some mysterious art form that only insiders understand. We believe good design is about listening more than talking. It's figuring out how people actually live and work, not imposing some grand vision that looks cool in a magazine but feels weird in real life.

Every project starts with questions, not answers. What's your daily routine? How do you want to feel when you walk through the door? What drives you nuts about your current space? From there, we craft something that fits you - not the other way around.

And yeah, sustainability isn't some optional add-on for us. It's baked into everything we do because frankly, designing buildings that waste energy in 2024 is just lazy architecture.

Our Journey

It's been quite a ride getting here

2016

The Beginning

Started in a cramped co-working space with three partners, a shared desk, and way too much coffee. We had more ideas than clients, but we knew Toronto needed architects who actually cared about sustainable design without the pretentious attitude.

2018

First Big Break

Landed a mid-sized commercial project that let us prove sustainable design could actually pencil out financially. The client took a chance on us, and we delivered a building that cut energy costs by 40%. Word started spreading.

2020

Growing Pains

Moved to our Adelaide Street studio and expanded the team. Pandemic hit, and like everyone else, we figured out how to collaborate remotely. Honestly, it made us better listeners and clearer communicators with clients.

2022

Recognition & Expansion

Won our first OAA award for residential design. Added specialists in interior space planning and green building consulting. Started getting calls from clients specifically looking for sustainable solutions, not just tolerating them.

2024

Today

We're a team of 14 now, working on projects across Ontario. Still in the same studio, still drinking too much coffee, still obsessed with creating buildings that work beautifully for the people using them every day.

Meet The Team

The folks who make it all happen

Sarah Chen

Principal Architect, OAA, LEED AP

M.Arch, University of Toronto

Co-founded the firm after getting tired of seeing sustainable design treated like an expensive luxury. Sarah's the one who keeps us grounded in practical solutions while pushing for innovation. She's got this knack for finding elegant answers to tricky site constraints.

Marcus Thompson

Principal Architect, OAA

M.Arch, McGill University

Marcus handles most of our commercial projects and honestly, nobody navigates building codes quite like he does. Before Stellar Quintavis, he spent years at a big corporate firm and decided there had to be a better way to do things. His background makes us credible with larger clients.

Priya Malhotra

Senior Designer, OAA, ARIDO

B.Arch, Ryerson University

Priya leads our residential work and interior planning. She's amazing at translating what clients are struggling to articulate into actual design. Also runs our project coordination, which is why things don't fall through the cracks around here.

David Park

Sustainability Consultant, LEED AP BD+C

M.Eng, University of Waterloo

David's our green building specialist and he knows energy modeling inside out. He joined us from the consulting world and brings serious technical chops. When clients question if sustainable features are worth it, David pulls out the data that makes it crystal clear.

Jessica Kowalski

Project Manager, PMP

B.A.Sc, University of British Columbia

Jessica manages construction administration and keeps our projects on schedule and budget. She's the one contractors actually want to work with because she gets the field realities. Her organizational skills are honestly a little intimidating.

James Liu

Designer, OAA Intern

M.Arch, Carleton University

James is one of our rising stars, working toward licensure while handling a lot of our technical drawings and 3D modeling. He's super detail-oriented and brings fresh perspectives from his recent grad studies. Also happens to be our in-house tech guru.

What Drives Us

We're not saving the world one building at a time - that's too much pressure. But we do think that every project is a chance to make things a bit better. Better for the people using the space, better for the environment, better for the neighborhood it sits in.

Architecture's got this reputation for being all about ego and grand statements. That's not us. We get excited when a client tells us their space actually works the way they hoped. When a building performs better than projected. When contractors say our drawings made sense. That's the stuff that keeps us going.

We're based in Toronto but we work throughout Ontario. If you're looking for architects who'll actually listen and who care about doing things right, let's talk.

Get In Touch