About Us | Frostalith Quinth Architecture Studio

How We Got Here

Look, starting an architecture firm in Vancouver wasn't exactly the safest bet back in 2011. But after spending years working for big studios that treated winter like an enemy to fight, we'd had enough.

Our founder, Elena Frostalith, grew up in northern Manitoba where winter isn't just a season - it's a lifestyle. She watched too many southern-designed buildings fail miserably in real Canadian winters. Cracked foundations, ice dams, heating bills that'd make you weep... you know the drill.

So we started Frostalith Quinth with a simple idea: what if we designed buildings that worked WITH winter instead of against it? What if we stopped pretending we live in California and actually embraced where we are?

Turns out, a lot of people were thinking the same thing. Now we've got a team of twelve passionate folks who genuinely love what frozen landscapes can teach us about design.

Meet the Team

Each of us brings something different to the table, but we all share an obsession with making winter architecture work better.

Elena Frostalith

Founder & Principal Architect

15 years fighting with (and for) winter. Elena's spent more time in Arctic research stations than most polar bears. She's got this weird ability to predict exactly where ice will form on a building.

Marcus Quinth

Co-Founder & Sustainability Lead

Former mechanical engineer who got tired of fixing other architects' thermal mistakes. Marcus can tell you the R-value of basically anything and actually enjoys reading building code updates.

Sarah Chen

Senior Designer

Vancouver native who studied in Norway because she wanted to learn from the pros. Sarah's residential designs have this uncanny way of feeling cozy even when they're minimalist.

Thomas Whitehorse

Indigenous Design Consultant

Brings traditional Cree building knowledge that's been working in harsh climates for centuries. Thomas keeps us honest about what "sustainable" really means.

Isabelle Mercier

Project Manager

Grew up in Quebec City's old town, knows every trick for making old buildings work in modern winters. She's the one who keeps our projects from spiraling into "wouldn't it be cool if..." territory.

Dev Sharma

Technical Director

BIM wizard who can model snow loads in his sleep. Dev's the reason our buildings actually get built the way we draw them, which is rarer than you'd think.

What We Actually Believe

Winter isn't the problem

It's a design parameter. We're tired of buildings that apologize for being in Canada. Let's make spaces that celebrate it.

Sustainable means local

Importing some trendy material from across the planet isn't sustainable, no matter what the brochure says. We use what works here.

Beauty and function aren't opposites

The most beautiful buildings we know are the ones that work perfectly for their environment. Form follows climate around here.

Clients know their space better than we do

We're not here to impose some grand vision. We listen first, design second. Your building should feel like yours, not ours.

The Studio Space

We practice what we preach. Our office in downtown Vancouver is a retrofitted 1960s space that we redesigned to show what's possible with existing buildings and cold-climate principles.

Triple-glazed windows that everyone said were "overkill" for Vancouver? They cut our heating by 60%. Thermal mass floors? They regulate temperature naturally. The green roof? It's actually a test bed for different cold-hardy plants we recommend to clients.

Plus, it's got a pretty decent view of the mountains, which never hurts when you're stuck on a detail at 7pm.

Ready to Work Together?

We're always up for tackling interesting projects. Whether you've got a full site or just an idea that won't leave you alone, let's talk.

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