About Us - Ignostral Venquinth Architecture

Our Story's Kind of Unconventional

Back in 2012, our founder was sitting in a soulless glass tower thinking "there's gotta be a better way to do this." Started sketching ideas on napkins during lunch breaks, collaborating with engineers who actually cared about energy performance, and slowly built something different.

Fast forward to today — we've grown into a team of 12 passionate designers, planners, and sustainability nerds working out of Queen West. We've completed over 140 projects across Ontario, and honestly? We're just getting warmed up.

What drives us every morning:

Creating spaces that don't just exist but actually improve people's daily lives while respecting the environment. Sounds idealistic? Maybe. But we've seen it work.

Meet the Crew

Every project's different, every client's unique. That's why we've built a team with diverse skills and perspectives. Hover over to see what each person brings to the table.

Marina Keppler

Principal Architect

Marina Keppler

M.Arch, LEED AP BD+C, OAA

15 years crafting buildings that actually perform. Obsessed with passive solar design and convinced that every project can hit net-zero if you're creative enough. Spent 3 years in Copenhagen learning from the Scandinavians before bringing that knowledge back home.

Specializes in commercial retrofits & sustainable residential

David Okonkwo

Senior Project Manager

David Okonkwo

M.Arch, PMP, LEED Green Associate

The guy who keeps everything from falling apart. Worked on mega-projects in Dubai before realizing he missed the human scale of Toronto neighborhoods. Now he's all about making sure timelines make sense and budgets don't spiral. Also makes the best coffee in the office.

Expert in complex commercial builds & timeline optimization

Sophie Tran

Lead Interior Designer

Sophie Tran

B.ID, ARIDO, NCIDQ Certified

Believes interiors shouldn't feel like an afterthought. She's the one pushing us to think about how light moves through a room at 4pm in February, or why that hallway feels awkward. Trained in Vancouver, worked in NYC, came back because she missed real seasons and Tim Hortons.

Masters spatial flow & sustainable material selection

James Kowalski

3D Visualization Specialist

James Kowalski

B.Arch, Revit & Rhino Expert

The wizard behind those photorealistic renders clients love. Started as a gamer designing virtual worlds, now he's designing real ones. Can turn a sketch into a 3D walkthrough faster than most people can finish their coffee. Also our go-to person when tech inevitably breaks.

Cutting-edge visualization & parametric design

Priya Malhotra

Sustainability Consultant

Priya Malhotra

M.Eng Environmental, LEED AP, WELL AP

She's the conscience of every project. If there's a greener way to do something, Priya's already researched it. Former environmental engineer who got tired of just measuring problems and wanted to actually solve them. Won't let us spec materials without checking their full lifecycle impact.

Energy modeling & green building certification guru

Marcus Chen

Residential Design Lead

Marcus Chen

M.Arch, OAA, Heritage Conservation Cert.

Grew up in a century home that his parents renovated badly — that's what got him into this. Now he's obsessed with making old homes work for modern life without destroying what made them special. Can spot original trim from across a room and knows every heritage bylaw by heart.

Heritage integration & custom residential projects

How We Actually Work

Look, we're not gonna pretend every project follows some perfect flowchart. Real architecture is messy, iterative, and full of surprises. But here's what you can count on:

We Listen First

No cookie-cutter solutions. We spend real time understanding how you actually live or work, not how we think you should.

We Sketch A Lot

Before any fancy 3D stuff, we work through ideas together. Sometimes the best solutions come from doodling on trace paper over coffee.

We're Honest About Costs

Nobody likes budget surprises. We check in with contractors early and often so you know what's actually feasible.

We Stick Around

Construction's where designs meet reality. We're on-site regularly making sure things get built the way they were meant to be.

What Matters to Us

Beyond the blueprints and building codes, here's what we actually care about:

Real Sustainability

Not just slapping solar panels on roofs and calling it green. We're talking passive design, material lifecycle analysis, and buildings that'll still perform in 50 years. Climate change isn't someone else's problem.

Human-Centered Spaces

Buildings should make life better, not just look good in photos. We design for how people actually move, work, and relax — including the messy, imperfect reality of daily life.

Local Context

Toronto's got its own vibe, its own climate, its own history. We're not copying trends from LA or London — we're designing for here, with materials and methods that make sense for Ontario.

Continuous Learning

Building technology changes fast. We're constantly testing new materials, attending conferences, and yeah — sometimes learning from our mistakes. That's how you get better.

Budget Realism

Dream big but stay grounded. We'll push for the best possible design within your actual budget, not some fantasy number. Good architecture doesn't always mean expensive architecture.

Honest Communication

If something's not working, we'll tell you. If there's a better way, we'll suggest it. No architectural jargon or ego — just straight talk about what'll actually work for your project.

Why Toronto?

We could've set up shop anywhere, but there's something special about this city. The mix of old and new, the diverse neighborhoods, the push for density that still respects livability — it's an architect's playground.

Plus, Toronto's getting serious about sustainability. The Green Standard, the Climate Action Plan — there's real momentum here. We wanted to be part of that transformation, not just watch it happen from somewhere else.