Who We Are
Stories, faces, and the philosophy that drives us
Back in 2012, a couple of us were sitting in a cramped coffee shop on Granville, sketching on napkins and wondering why so many Vancouver buildings seemed to forget where they came from. You know that feeling when new developments just... erase the neighbourhood's character?
We figured there had to be a way to build stuff that actually respected the land, the history, and didn't cost the earth (literally). That conversation turned into Halrion Legends - a studio that's kinda obsessed with making buildings that feel right, not just look fancy in magazine spreads.
Thirteen years later, we're still having those conversations. Just with better coffee and actual blueprints instead of napkins.
Three architects, one shared frustration. We founded Halrion Legends in a 600 sq ft office above a dim sum restaurant. The smell of dumplings still reminds me of our first renderings. Took on mostly residential renos - small projects where we could test our ideas about mixing old and new without huge risk.
Landed the Gastown Heritage restoration project - an 1889 warehouse that everyone thought should be gutted. We convinced the owners to keep the exposed brick, original timber beams, and that weird loading dock that became a killer entrance feature. Won our first design award and suddenly people were returning our calls.
Moved to West Hastings and doubled our team. Started getting serious about the sustainability side - not just slapping solar panels on roofs but really thinking about material sourcing, lifecycle costs, and how buildings breathe. Also learned that managing people is way harder than managing projects.
COVID hit and we thought we were toast. Turns out people stuck at home started really caring about their spaces. Got busy with home offices, outdoor structures, and adaptive reuse projects. Learned to do site visits over video calls - not ideal, but we made it work.
We're a team of 14 now, working on everything from single-family homes to commercial towers. Still in that West Hastings office (bigger suite though). Still arguing about the best way to honour a building's past while giving it a future. Still believing that good architecture shouldn't have to choose between beautiful and responsible.
Not mission statements or corporate blah-blah. Just the stuff we remind ourselves when projects get tough.
Every structure takes something from the earth. We're kinda obsessed with making sure they give something back - whether that's energy efficiency, rainwater management, or just being a place people actually wanna be around.
Old buildings have stories. Sometimes those stories should be preserved, sometimes reinterpreted, but never just erased because "new is better." Some of our best work happens when we're figuring out how to keep what matters.
Doesn't matter how gorgeous the renders look if the space doesn't work for the humans using it. We spend a lot of time asking "how will someone actually live/work/move through this?" Sometimes the answer changes everything.
A building that works perfectly in downtown Vancouver might be totally wrong for Kitsilano. We're not about imposing a signature look - we're about figuring out what fits the site, the climate, the neighbourhood vibe.
If it's wood, let it look like wood. If it's concrete, own it. We're not into fake finishes or pretending something is what it isn't. There's beauty in showing materials for what they actually are.
We don't show up with "the answer" on day one. Best projects happen when clients push back, contractors suggest alternatives, and we're all willing to rethink stuff. Collaboration beats ego every time.
We're architects, sure, but we're also hikers, parents, weekend carpenters, and terrible gardeners. Here's who's actually drawing those lines.
Founding Principal
The one who started those coffee shop conversations. Twenty years in the field, with a thing for heritage buildings and passive solar design. Lives in a 1920s craftsman she's been renovating for a decade. Probably won't ever finish and that's fine. Rides her bike to site visits year-round because she's stubborn like that.
Design Director
Originally from Toronto, moved west for the mountains and stayed for the design scene. Handles our commercial projects and anything with tricky structural challenges. Has an unhealthy obsession with Japanese joinery and keeps trying to sneak it into projects. Makes the best models - both digital and those old-school cardboard ones.
Sustainability Lead
Came to us from an engineering background, which means she actually understands building physics and can call out our BS when we're being too optimistic about performance specs. Runs our material research and vendor relationships. Keeps a detailed spreadsheet of embodied carbon for basically everything. Yes, it's intense.
Senior Architect
The guy who turns our sketches into actual buildable documents. Spent years working for a big corporate firm before joining us, so he knows all the boring-but-critical stuff about codes, permits, and construction admin. Keeps us out of trouble. Also makes killer playlists for the office.
Ten more talented folks who handle everything from technical drawings to client coordination to making sure we actually have pens that work. They're the reason anything gets done around here. We're lucky to have 'em.
If this all sounds like your kind of approach - where we sweat the details, respect what came before, and actually give a damn about how buildings impact people and planet - let's talk.
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