Who We Really Are
Crafting Tomorrow's Spaces with Timeless Vision
Look, we're not gonna feed you the usual line about "passion for excellence" or whatever. Truth is, Valor Quinthorin started in 2011 because we were tired of seeing cookie-cutter buildings go up everywhere without anyone asking the hard questions.
We'd been working at different firms around Toronto, watching good design get watered down by short-term thinking. So we figured - why not do things our way? Started small with a residential renovation in Leslieville. The client wanted something sustainable but didn't wanna sacrifice style. That project taught us you can actually have both if you're willing to dig deeper.
Fast forward to now, we've done everything from ground-up commercial builds to heritage restorations. The thread that connects all our work? We're kinda obsessed with making sure whatever we design doesn't just look good today but makes sense fifty years from now.
Let's Talk About Your ProjectNot mission statements or corporate speak. Just the stuff we genuinely care about when we're sketching late at night.
Every project we take on, we're asking ourselves how we can reduce the environmental footprint. Sometimes it's passive solar orientation, sometimes it's reclaimed materials. But honestly, it's more than just checking green building boxes - it's rethinking how buildings interact with their environment from day one.
We've learned the hard way that the best projects happen when clients feel comfortable pushing back on our ideas. You know your space better than we do. We know how to translate that into something buildable. The magic happens somewhere in between those conversations.
There's this tendency in architecture to chase trends. We're more interested in creating spaces that still feel right in twenty years. That means focusing on proportions, natural light, and materials that develop character over time rather than falling apart.
Whether we're working in downtown Toronto or a rural Ontario setting, we spend time understanding the neighborhood, the history, the light quality. A building shouldn't just land somewhere like a spaceship - it should feel like it belongs there, even if it looks nothing like what's around it.
We've sat through enough presentations full of buzzwords to know they don't mean much. Here's how we actually work:
First meetings are mostly us asking questions and taking notes. We can't design something meaningful if we don't understand what you're actually trying to achieve.
Before anything gets modeled in 3D, we're working through ideas on paper. It's faster, more flexible, and honestly helps us think through problems better.
Every design decision comes with compromises. We lay those out clearly so you can make informed choices rather than being surprised later.
Each one taught us something different. Hover over to see what made them special.
We're a crew of twelve - mix of architects, designers, and project coordinators. Everyone here has their own thing they geek out about. Sarah's obsessed with building envelope details. Marcus can't stop talking about adaptive reuse. Jen somehow knows every heritage bylaw in the GTA.
What's cool about our studio is we don't have that hierarchical thing where junior folks just do grunt work. If you've got a good idea, it doesn't matter if you started last month or ten years ago. Best ideas win.
We're also not the type to work insane hours and brag about it. Yeah, deadline weeks get intense, but generally we believe you do better work when you've got a life outside the office. Plus, half our best ideas come from stuff we see when we're not thinking about architecture.
Projects Completed
Team Members
Years Running
Whether you're just starting to think about it or you've got full plans drawn up, let's chat. We're pretty low-key in initial conversations - no pressure, just figuring out if we're a good fit.