About Us - Embervyn Thalquinth Architecture

Marcus Embervyn

Founder & Principal Architect

How We Got Here

Look, I'm not gonna feed you some perfect origin story. Truth is, this whole thing started because I was tired of seeing buildings that looked amazing in magazines but were basically environmental disasters waiting to happen.

Back in 2011, fresh out of UBC with more idealism than sense, I was working for this big corporate firm. They'd slap solar panels on a building and call it sustainable while ignoring everything else. It felt... wrong, y'know? Like we were lying to ourselves.

So I quit. Rented a tiny office space on West Georgia Street - couldn't even afford proper furniture for the first year - and decided I'd do it differently or not at all. My mom thought I'd lost my mind.

2011

The Beginning

Founded the studio with one drafting table, a laptop, and way too much coffee. First project was my friend's garage conversion - he paid me in pizza and let me experiment with passive cooling systems. That garage is still one of my favorite works.

2014

First Big Break

Landed the Kitsilano Community Center renovation. They took a chance on us when bigger firms wouldn't touch it - the budget was tight and the heritage restrictions were brutal. We made it work though, and it got featured in Canadian Architect. Suddenly people were returning our calls.

2016

LEED Accreditation

Became LEED certified professionals - not because it's trendy but because we needed the technical knowledge to back up what we were preaching. Spent six months deep-diving into building science. My partner said I'd become insufferable at dinner parties, talking about thermal bridging.

2018

Team Expansion

Finally hired our first full-time employees - three brilliant minds who were just as obsessed with sustainable design as I was. We moved to Suite 402, which felt like a palace compared to where we'd been. Started taking on commercial projects, which was terrifying and exciting.

2020

AIBC Recognition

Won the Architectural Institute of British Columbia's Innovation Award for the Marine Drive residential complex. That one nearly broke us - the client kept changing their mind and we went over-budget on our end trying to get the details right. Worth it though.

2022

Heritage Focus

Started specializing in heritage building restoration after falling in love with a 1920s warehouse project in Gastown. There's something about breathing new life into old structures while respecting their stories - it's like archaeology meets architecture.

2024

Today

We're a team of twelve now, working on projects across BC. Still in the same Suite 402 office - we've just expanded into the suite next door. Every project still gets the same obsessive attention we gave to that first garage conversion. Some things don't need to change.

What We Actually Believe

No corporate speak, just real talk

Sustainability Isn't Optional

It's 2024. We can't keep designing buildings like the planet has infinite resources. Every choice - from materials to orientation to mechanical systems - either helps or hurts. There's no neutral anymore.

Client Education Matters

We're not just here to draw pretty pictures. Part of our job is helping clients understand why certain decisions matter. Sometimes that means having uncomfortable conversations about budget vs. long-term value.

Old Buildings Deserve Respect

Heritage structures have stories embedded in their walls. Our job isn't to erase those stories but to add new chapters. Plus, the most sustainable building is often the one that's already standing.

Collaboration Over Ego

The best projects happen when everyone - architects, engineers, contractors, clients - checks their ego at the door. We've learned more from construction crews than any textbook could teach us.

The Team Behind the Work

We're twelve people who genuinely care about what we do. Some of us have been here since the early days, others joined last year. What binds us isn't just skillset - it's this shared frustration with mediocre, environmentally careless architecture.

Our senior architect Sarah's been with us since 2018 and can spot a thermal bridge from across the room. David, our heritage specialist, knows more about Vancouver's building history than the city archives. And Priya, our newest team member, keeps us honest about incorporating traditional sustainable practices from around the world.

We argue a lot - in a good way. Every project gets picked apart in our weekly reviews. Sometimes those meetings get heated. But that's how we make sure we're actually pushing ourselves and not just coasting on past successes.

Let's Talk About Your Project

Where We're Headed

Honestly? We're trying to figure out how to do more with less environmental impact. Climate change isn't slowing down, and neither can we. We're experimenting with new materials, pushing for stricter internal standards, and trying to prove that sustainable architecture doesn't have to cost a fortune.

We're also working on making our processes more transparent. Starting next quarter, we'll be publishing the carbon footprint of each project - the good, the bad, and the "we tried but the client wouldn't budge." Accountability matters.

If that sounds like the kind of approach you're looking for, we should probably chat. Fair warning though - we'll ask tough questions and won't just tell you what you want to hear.