About Us - Tandralven Forge Quint Architecture

Our Story, Honestly Told

Look, we didn't start out wanting to be just another architecture firm churning out glass boxes. Back in 2008, three of us - fresh out of school and maybe a bit naive - shared this weird obsession with old factories and how they could tell new stories.

We set up shop in a converted warehouse space on Queen West (yeah, we practice what we preach). The name? It's actually a mash-up of our founding partners' family histories - Scandinavian roots mixed with Canadian grit. We liked how "forge" captured what we do: taking raw ideas and shaping them into something that'll last.

Seventeen years later, we've worked on over 200 projects across Canada. Some massive industrial complexes, some century-old buildings that needed serious love. What hasn't changed is our approach - we still think the best buildings respect where they came from while pushing toward where we need to go.

Our team's grown to 34 people now, and honestly, they're way smarter than we were starting out. But we've kept that same energy - restless, curious, and convinced that sustainable design doesn't have to be boring.

How We Actually Work

Context First

Every site's got a story - soil conditions, neighborhood quirks, that weird wind pattern. We dig into all of it before sketching anything.

Built to Last

We're not designing for Instagram. Our buildings need to work hard for decades, adapt when needed, and not cost a fortune to maintain.

Real Collaboration

We'll argue with you - respectfully - if we think something won't work. But we also listen. Your project, our expertise, better results.

Honest Innovation

New tech is cool when it solves actual problems. We've used parametric design and mass timber when it made sense, not just to show off.

Timeline - Where We've Been

2008 - The Beginning

Three architects, one shared studio space, and way too much coffee. First project was a small heritage home restoration in Cabbagetown. We learned more from that one job than four years of school.

2012 - First Big Break

Won the competition for the Junction Brewery Complex conversion. 45,000 square feet of 1920s industrial space into mixed-use. That project put us on the map and confirmed our direction.

2016 - Going Green (For Real)

Achieved our first LEED Platinum certification on the Waterfront Innovation Hub. Started integrating passive house principles into everything we touched. No going back after that.

2019 - Expanding the Team

Hit 25 staff members. Opened our structural engineering division because we were tired of miscommunication with external engineers. Now we can iterate faster and catch problems earlier.

2022 - Award Recognition

Governor General's Medal for the Distillery District Heritage Restoration. Honestly didn't expect it, but it validated years of arguing that old buildings deserve sophisticated solutions.

2025 - Where We Are Now

34 people, projects across six provinces, and still learning every day. Currently obsessed with mass timber construction and figuring out how to retrofit 1960s brutalist buildings without destroying what made them interesting.

The People Behind the Blueprints

We're a weird mix of engineers, artists, history nerds, and problem-solvers

Sarah Tandralven

Principal Architect, Heritage Specialist

Grew up in a 1890s farmhouse her parents were constantly fixing. Got obsessed with why old buildings fail and how to save them. She's the one who'll spend hours in archives researching original construction methods.

Marcus Forge

Principal Architect, Industrial Design Lead

Former structural engineer who switched to architecture after realizing he cared more about how buildings felt than just whether they'd stand up. Brings a nuts-and-bolts practicality that keeps our designs buildable.

Jennifer Quint

Principal Architect, Sustainability Director

Did her thesis on adaptive reuse in post-industrial cities. She's the conscience of the firm - won't let us take shortcuts on environmental performance. Also somehow manages to make building science actually interesting.

David Chen

Senior Structural Engineer

Heads up our in-house engineering team. Loves the challenge of working with existing structures and figuring out creative ways to reinforce without overwhelming the original character. Weekend hobby is restoring old tools.

Rachel Morrison

Project Manager, Urban Development

Former city planner who got tired of bureaucracy and joined us to actually build things. She navigates zoning codes like a pro and knows every inspector in Toronto by name. Invaluable for complex urban projects.

James Wellington

Senior Associate, Design Technology

The one who dragged us into the 21st century with BIM and computational design. But he's pragmatic about it - technology serves the design, not the other way around. Also makes a mean espresso.

Why We Do This Work

Here's the thing - buildings outlast pretty much everything else we make. They shape how people live, work, and move through their days for generations. That's a big responsibility.

We're convinced that the best path forward isn't always tearing down and starting fresh. Sometimes it's about understanding what's already there, respecting the craft that went into it, and finding ways to make it work for today's needs.

The industrial and heritage buildings we work with - they've got bones. Solid construction, generous proportions, and a kind of honesty you don't see much anymore. Our job is to carry that forward while solving modern problems like energy efficiency, accessibility, and changing uses.

Yeah, it's harder than starting from scratch. Takes more research, more creativity, more patience. But when you see a 100-year-old factory humming with new life, or watch people discovering details in a restored heritage building - that's why we show up every day.

Want to Work with Us?

We're always up for a challenge - especially if it involves old buildings, complex sites, or ambitious sustainability goals.

Let's Talk About Your Project