Who We Are

Crafting Tomorrow's Spaces with Timeless Vision

Our story didn't start in a boardroom

It started over coffee and sketch pads back in 2009. Three designers who couldn't stop asking "what if?" when everyone else said "that's how it's done." We were tired of seeing Toronto's neighborhoods lose their character to generic glass boxes.

Yeah, we're about sustainable design and all that—but not because it's trendy. It's just common sense, really. Buildings should work with their environment, not fight against it. They should age well, adapt over time, and actually make people feel something when they walk through the door.

Our studio workspace

How We Work

Less PowerPoint, more conversations

We've never been fans of the whole "architect as genius on a pedestal" thing. Good design comes from listening—like, actually listening—to what people need, what the site's telling us, what the neighborhood's vibe is.

Our process is pretty collaborative. You'll see rough sketches before polished renderings. We'll talk through options over site visits, not just email chains. And if something isn't working? We'll say so, pivot, and figure it out together.

What Drives Us

Call it our philosophy if you want, but really it's just what keeps us excited to come to work

Context Matters

Every site has a story—the way light hits at 4pm, how neighbors move through the street, what's been there before. We're not dropping the same solution everywhere. That'd be lazy, honestly.

Long-Term Thinking

Buildings outlive trends. We design for 50 years from now, not just next season's Instagram posts. Materials that'll age gracefully, spaces that can evolve as needs change, systems that won't be obsolete in a decade.

Human-Centered

Sounds obvious, but you'd be surprised. We're designing for how people actually live and work—not some idealized version. Mudrooms get messy. Meeting spaces need good acoustics. Details matter.

The People Behind the Plans

Our founding partners who started this whole thing

Elena Mythral

Elena Mythral

Founding Partner

She's the one who'll catch a detail everyone else missed and somehow make the impossible work within budget. Started out restoring heritage buildings—taught her that good design never goes out of style.

David Quintaris

David Quintaris

Founding Partner

Urban planning geek who thinks about neighborhoods the way others think about individual buildings. He's constantly asking how a project fits into the bigger picture—transit, green space, community flow.

Sarah Chen

Sarah Chen

Founding Partner

Sustainability expert before it was cool. She's got a sixth sense for passive solar design and can talk building envelopes for hours. Also somehow keeps track of every deadline and budget—we'd be lost without her.

Plus about 20 more talented folks

Designers, planners, technical coordinators, and project managers who make everything actually happen. Some have been with us since year one, others just joined last month. What they've got in common? They actually give a damn about the work.

"We're not trying to win awards—though we've won a few. We're trying to make places where people actually want to be. That's the measure that matters."

— The MQ Team

Let's talk about your project

Whether you've got detailed plans or just an idea you're mulling over, we'd love to hear about it. Coffee's on us.

Get In Touch See Our Work