Our Story

Where Innovation Meets Natural Harmony

So here's the thing - we didn't start Zephyr at Quintale because we wanted another cookie-cutter design firm in Vancouver. Honestly, there's enough of those already. We started this because we were tired of watching buildings go up that just... didn't think about tomorrow.

Back in 2015, our founders were working at separate firms, grabbing coffee at the same spot on Granville, complaining about the same stuff. Why does sustainable design always have to look like it's trying too hard? Why can't we just build things that work WITH the environment instead of against it? And why does everyone act like you've gotta choose between beautiful and responsible?

That's when it clicked. We didn't need permission. We just needed to do it differently.

What We Actually Believe

Buildings Should Breathe

Not literally, but kinda? We design spaces that feel alive. Natural light that shifts throughout the day, airflow that makes sense, materials that age gracefully instead of falling apart. Your space should feel connected to what's happening outside, not sealed off from it.

No Greenwashing BS

We're not here to slap some solar panels on a roof and call it sustainable. Real environmental design means thinking about everything - where materials come from, how the building performs over decades, what happens when it eventually needs to come down. It's deeper work, and yeah, it takes longer.

People First, Always

Look, we love a good design award as much as anyone. But if the people using the space every day aren't happy, we've failed. We spend a lot of time just listening - how you move, what frustrates you, what you wish your current space could do. Then we design around that.

The People Behind It

Sarah Quintale

Co-Founder & Principal Architect

M.Arch from UBC, LEED AP BD+C
15+ years residential & mixed-use
Certified Passive House Designer

Marcus Chen

Co-Founder & Design Director

M.Arch from McGill, LEED AP
12+ years commercial & institutional
Living Building Challenge Advocate

"We met arguing about material choices at a green building conference. Sarah thought I was being too idealistic. I thought she was too focused on budgets. Turns out we were both right, and that tension is what makes our work stronger."

"Eight years later, we've got a team of twelve amazing people who challenge us daily. Our studio feels more like a workshop than an office - there's always someone sketching, debating, or testing out a new material sample. That energy? That's what we bring to your project."

87+

Projects completed across BC

LEED certified buildings delivered

98%

Client satisfaction rate

How We Work With You

Every project's different, but our approach stays consistent. We listen more than we talk (at least at first), we're honest about what's possible and what's not, and we stay involved from concept through construction. No vanishing acts after the design phase.

See Our Process

Our Studio Space

We practice what we preach. Our Granville Street office is a renovated 1970s space that we retrofitted to meet Passive House standards. Natural cross-ventilation, reclaimed Douglas fir throughout, and more plants than we probably need.

It's not fancy, but it works beautifully. Come visit and see what we mean by buildings that breathe.

Book a Studio Visit