Our Team - Crystallith Quinthor Architecture

Since 2008

Elena Quinthor

Founding Principal & Lead Design Architect

Look, I didn't start this firm to design cookie-cutter buildings. After spending 8 years at some of Toronto's biggest practices, I kept thinking - where's the soul in all this glass and steel? That's when the crystal concept hit me during a trip to Iceland, watching light refract through ice formations.

Got my M.Arch from University of Toronto, registered with OAA since 2010. But honestly? The real education came from messing up a few small projects early on and learning what NOT to do. These days I split my time between sketching initial concepts - still prefer pencil on paper, call me old-school - and making sure our team's wild ideas can actually, you know, stand up and pass building codes.

When I'm not here, you'll find me hunting down vintage furniture pieces or attempting to keep my rooftop garden alive. Specialties include residential architecture that doesn't look like everyone else's place, and somehow convincing clients that yes, natural light really IS that important.

OAA Licensed LEED AP BD+C M.Arch U of T 15+ Years Experience

Joined 2012

Marcus Chen

Senior Architect & Commercial Projects Director

I'll be straight with you - I came to architecture through the back door. Started out in structural engineering, spent three years doing calculations that would make your eyes glaze over. Then realized I cared more about WHY we were building things than just making sure they wouldn't fall down.

Went back to school at Waterloo for architecture, joined Elena's crew about 12 years ago when we were still working out of a converted warehouse space with questionable heating. Now I handle most of our commercial work - office buildings, mixed-use developments, that sort of thing. The engineering background helps when contractors try to tell me something can't be done. Usually it can, they just haven't figured out how yet.

My approach? Strip away the unnecessary stuff. Buildings should be honest about what they are. Also big on adaptive reuse - why demolish when you can transform? Outside work, I'm that guy who bikes everywhere year-round (yes, even in January) and probably talks too much about urban planning at parties.

OAA Registered P.Eng Ontario M.Arch Waterloo Commercial Specialist

Joined 2015

Sophia Ramos

Interior Architecture Lead & Space Planning Specialist

So here's the thing about interior architecture - it's NOT just picking out pretty colors and throw pillows. Though I do have opinions about both. I came from a fine arts background originally, spent way too many years in galleries before realizing I wanted to create spaces people actually lived in, not just looked at.

Got my interior design credentials from Ryerson, but honestly learned just as much working on heritage restoration projects in Montreal. There's something about working with buildings that have history - you can't just bulldoze through with your ego. You gotta listen to what the space is telling you.

My focus here is making sure the insides of our buildings work as hard as the outsides look good. Flow matters. Light matters. How you FEEL when you walk into a room? That matters most. I geek out over spatial sequences and sightlines, probably sketch floor plans in my sleep. When not obsessing over millwork details, I'm refinishing furniture I find at estate sales or trying new restaurants - research, obviously.

ARIDO Certified NCIDQ Qualified Heritage Specialist 9 Years Experience

Joined 2019

James Kowalski

Sustainability Consultant & Building Performance Analyst

I'm the guy who asks annoying questions like "but what's the embodied carbon in that material?" Sorry, not sorry. Got into green building because I grew up in northern Ontario and watched climate change mess with the landscape in real time. Figured I should probably do something about it instead of just complaining on social media.

Did my undergrad in environmental studies, then pivoted to building science at Ryerson. Worked with a few energy modeling firms before Elena hired me to basically be the team's conscience about sustainability. Which means I'm always the one saying "can we make this more efficient?" in design meetings. The team only throws things at me occasionally.

My job's making sure our buildings don't just look cool but actually perform - lower energy use, better air quality, materials that won't end up haunting us in 20 years. Really into passive house principles and honestly get way too excited about thermal bridging details. Outside the office, I'm usually trail running or tinkering with my off-grid cabin project up north. Yeah, I'm that person.

LEED AP BD+C CPHC Certified Building Science Energy Modeling

Joined 2020

Priya Desai

Visualization Director & Digital Design Specialist

Full disclosure - I almost went into game design. Spent my teens building elaborate virtual worlds, then realized I could use those same skills to help people visualize real spaces before they're built. Architecture seemed like the grown-up version of what I was already doing for fun.

Studied architectural visualization at Humber, picked up a bunch of certifications in various 3D software packages that honestly keep changing every year. Joined the team right before everything went remote in 2020, which was wild timing but also kinda perfect since I was already comfortable working in digital space.

What I do is translate everyone else's sketches and ideas into images that make clients go "oh THAT'S what you meant!" Also handle all our VR walkthroughs - there's nothing like letting someone actually experience a space before we pour the foundation. Big believer that technology should serve design, not the other way around. When I'm offline, I'm probably rock climbing or attempting to keep my sourdough starter alive. Both require patience I'm still developing.

Revit Expert 3ds Max Specialist VR/AR Integration BIM Coordinator

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We're always up for interesting projects and occasionally looking for talented folks to join our crew. No corporate speak required - just bring your skills and a good attitude.

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