About Us - Frostlyn Realm Architecture

Started in a cramped office above a coffee shop back in 2011, Frostlyn Realm wasn't exactly what you'd call a smooth launch. Three of us huddled around one drafting table, arguing about insulation values and whether triple-pane windows were overkill (they're not, by the way). We'd spent years working for bigger firms, watching gorgeous designs crumble under Canada's brutal climate realities.

The thing is, northern climate architecture isn't just about throwing more insulation at a problem. It's understanding how snow loads actually work, how ice dams form at 2 AM when it's -30 outside, and why your client's heating bill shouldn't cost more than their mortgage. We've learned this stuff the hard way—through midnight calls about frozen pipes and that one time a snow drift literally blocked someone's front door for three days.

These days we're a team of 17, still obsessing over details that most folks never notice. But that's kinda the point—good architecture shouldn't announce itself. It should just work, year after year, winter after winter.

Our Journey

Milestones that shaped who we are

2011

The Beginning

Three architects, one vision, and way too much coffee. Founded Frostlyn Realm above that coffee shop on Granville Street. First project? A 900 sq ft cabin that taught us everything about what NOT to do.

2014

Going Commercial

Landed our first commercial gig—a small office complex in Whistler. Learned real quick that commercial clients have... let's say, different priorities than residential folks. But we nailed the energy efficiency targets.

2017

Award Recognition

Won the BC Sustainable Design Award for the Pemberton Eco-Lodge. Honestly didn't think we'd win—the competition was fierce. That project put us on the map and validated everything we'd been preaching about climate-responsive design.

2020

Heritage Focus

Started our heritage restoration division after falling in love with a 1920s warehouse downtown. Turns out old buildings and new efficiency standards can actually get along pretty well when you know what you're doing.

2025

Today

Team of 17 passionate designers, engineers, and project managers. Over 200 completed projects across BC and beyond. Still learning something new with every build, still obsessing over thermal bridges at 3 AM.

Meet the Team

The people making it happen

Sarah Chen

Principal Architect

One of the original three. Sarah's the one who keeps us grounded when we get too caught up in fancy design ideas. Spent six winters in Yukon before moving to Vancouver, so she knows cold. Really knows it.

Marcus Oladipo

Senior Design Lead

Marcus joined us in 2015 after getting fed up with cookie-cutter commercial work. He's got this uncanny ability to look at a site and just know what belongs there. Also makes the best jollof rice—our office potlucks peaked when he arrived.

Emma Thorvaldson

Sustainability Director

Emma's the reason our energy models actually match reality. She's got a PhD in building science and isn't afraid to tell you when your design idea is thermodynamically impossible. We need that honesty around here.

Raj Patel

Project Manager

Third founding member. Raj handles the stuff nobody else wants to—budgets, schedules, contractor negotiations. He's saved more projects from going sideways than anyone'll ever know. Low-key hero of the operation.

Claire Dubois

Landscape Architect

Claire's basically a plant whisperer who happens to understand snow load calculations. She joined us in 2018 and completely transformed how we think about outdoor spaces. Turns out gardens can actually survive Canadian winters.

Tom MacLeod

Heritage Specialist

Tom's the guy who can tell you everything about a building's history by looking at the nail patterns. Leads our heritage division and has this gift for making 100-year-old structures work with modern building codes. Magic, basically.

Our Story