About Us - Aetherial Forge Architecture | Vancouver's Sustainable Design Studio

How We Got Here

Look, I'll be honest - when we started Aetherial Forge, we had more ambition than sense. Three architects fresh out of grad school, convinced we could do things differently. We'd spend hours arguing over sustainability metrics while eating takeout at 2 AM.

But here's the thing... we actually meant it. While other studios were slapping "green" labels on conventional designs, we were nerding out over passive solar orientation and local material sourcing. Our first client took a chance on us for a residential project in Kitsilano, and somehow we didn't screw it up.

Thirteen years later, we've designed over 200 projects across BC. We've messed up, learned hard lessons, and figured out what actually works when you're trying to create spaces that don't just look good but actually function for real people living real lives.

The Journey So Far

Milestones that shaped who we are today

2012 - The Beginning

Founded by three UBC grads who couldn't agree on anything except that architecture needed to change. Set up shop in Gastown with one drafting table and way too much coffee.

2015 - First Big Break

Won the municipal competition for the False Creek community center. Nearly killed us (the deadlines were brutal), but proved we could handle commercial projects without losing our sustainability focus.

2018 - Expansion & Recognition

Moved to our current West Pender space (actual windows!). Got our first LEED Platinum certification and realized passive house standards weren't just theoretical nonsense.

2021 - Urban Planning Focus

Started working on larger-scale urban development projects. Turns out sustainable principles scale up pretty well when you actually commit to them.

2023 - Heritage Preservation

Took on our first heritage restoration in Strathcona. Learned that honoring the past and building for the future aren't mutually exclusive - they're actually best friends.

2025 - Today

Team of 15 passionate weirdos who care way too much about thermal bridging and embodied carbon. Still arguing about details at 2 AM, but now we've got better snacks.

The Humans Behind the Blueprints

We're just regular people who happen to obsess over building things the right way

Maya Chen

Principal Architect & Co-Founder

The one who keeps us from designing buildings that look cool but leak like sieves. Maya's got this uncanny ability to spot problems before they happen - probably from growing up helping her dad renovate houses in Richmond. She'll argue for hours about window placement, and honestly, she's usually right.

"Details aren't details - they're the whole damn point."

James Kowalski

Principal Architect & Co-Founder

Our sustainability nerd-in-chief. James can tell you the embodied carbon of basically any building material off the top of his head. Used to work in conventional architecture and had what he calls his "existential crisis moment" - now he's making up for lost time.

"If it's not sustainable, we're just building tomorrow's problems."

Sarah Nguyen

Principal Architect & Co-Founder

The people person who somehow convinced clients to trust three unknown architects back in 2012. Sarah's got this gift for translating architectural jargon into actual human language. She's saved us from ourselves more times than I can count.

"Buildings should serve people, not the other way around."

Marcus Thompson

Senior Urban Planner

Joined us in 2019 after getting fed up with sprawl-focused planning. Marcus thinks in neighborhoods, not just buildings. He's the one who'll point out that your brilliant design means people gotta drive everywhere - then he'll show you how to fix it.

"Good urban planning is invisible - you just feel it working."

Elena Rodriguez

Lead Interior Designer

The one who makes sure our sustainable buildings don't feel like living in a science experiment. Elena's background in heritage restoration gives her this amazing sense of how spaces should feel, not just look. She fights us constantly on our minimalist tendencies - and makes everything better.

"Comfort isn't optional - it's the whole point."

David Park

Senior Project Architect

The detail guy who actually reads building codes for fun (we're worried about him). David's the one who catches the stuff that would've become expensive problems six months into construction. Former structural engineer, so he thinks about buildings like they're puzzles to solve.

"Measure twice, design thrice, build once."

What We Actually Believe

We think buildings should be honest - no fake facades, no greenwashing, no pretending that conventional construction is somehow sustainable if you just add solar panels. We believe in using local materials when possible, designing for actual human behavior (not idealized versions), and building things that'll last more than 30 years.

Yeah, we're probably a bit too intense about it. But honestly? The planet's on fire and the housing crisis is real. If we're gonna spend our days making buildings, they better be doing some good.

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