About Us - Mystraloria Architecture Studio

The Origin Story (Without the Fluff)

Look, we didn't start Mystraloria because we had some grand vision handed down from the architecture gods. Three of us were working at different firms around Vancouver back in 2018, getting frustrated with cookie-cutter designs that looked good on paper but didn't really connect with how people actually live.

We'd meet at this dive bar on Granville every Thursday, sketching ideas on napkins and complaining about missed opportunities. One night someone said "why don't we just do it ourselves?" and honestly, it seemed like a terrible idea at the time.

But here we are. Seven years later, we've designed over 80 projects across BC, and yeah, we're pretty proud of that. What keeps us going isn't awards or magazine features - it's when clients send us photos of their kids doing homework in a space we designed, or when a business owner tells us their team actually wants to come into the office now.

We're not perfect, but we give a damn about getting it right.

How We Got Here

2018

The Basement Days

Three architects, one borrowed desk, and a dream that mostly involved not going bankrupt. Our first project was a garage conversion in East Van that we're still oddly proud of.

2020

Moved to Actual Office Space

Got our first real studio on West Pender. Also navigated the whole pandemic thing - turned out designing flexible home-office spaces was suddenly very relevant. Who knew?

2022

Sustainability Certification

Got serious about sustainable design. Not just the trendy stuff - we're talking real energy modeling, lifecycle assessments, the whole nine yards. Changed how we approach every single project.

2024

BC Architecture Excellence Award

Won for the Kitsilano Community Hub project. Honestly didn't think we'd get it, but apparently the jury liked that we prioritized accessibility and community input over flashy design moves.

2025

Today & Tomorrow

Team of 12 now. Working on projects from heritage restorations to net-zero commercial builds. Still figuring things out, still making mistakes, still learning.

Meet the Folks Behind the Designs

No corporate headshots or fake smiles here. These are the actual people you'll work with.

Sarah Chen

Co-Founder & Lead Architect

Spent 8 years at a massive firm before realizing she wanted to actually talk to clients. Obsessed with natural light and won't shut up about it. Makes the best decisions at 2am, which is concerning but effective.

Marcus Rodriguez

Co-Founder & Sustainability Lead

The guy who'll tell you if your design idea is wasteful (in the nicest way possible). Former carpenter, so he actually knows how buildings go together. Can calculate thermal bridging in his head, which is either impressive or sad.

Priya Kapoor

Co-Founder & Interior Design Director

Has an uncanny ability to know exactly what you want before you do. Specializes in making small spaces feel huge. Maintains a collection of fabric swatches that would make hoarders jealous. Worth it though.

James Wu

Senior Architect

Joined us fresh out of grad school in 2020 and basically grew up here. Scary good with parametric modeling. Still drinks energy drinks like a student though. Working on that.

Elena Mavrova

Heritage Restoration Specialist

Brought 15 years of experience preserving old buildings when she joined in 2023. Gets genuinely emotional about original moldings. Taught us all to slow down and respect what came before.

Dev Sharma

Project Manager

The person who keeps everything from falling apart. Former engineer who switched to architecture because "buildings should be more than just calculations." Somehow keeps track of 15 projects at once without losing his mind.

What Actually Drives Us

We're not gonna feed you lines about "passion for excellence" or "commitment to innovation." That stuff's meaningless.

What gets us out of bed is solving real problems. Like figuring out how to fit a growing family into a 1200 sq ft house without it feeling cramped. Or designing an office where people don't immediately want to work from home. Or restoring a 100-year-old building without erasing what makes it special.

We believe every project - whether it's a $50k renovation or a multi-million dollar development - deserves thoughtful design. Not trendy design. Not Instagram-bait design. Just good, honest architecture that works for the people using it.

Honest Timelines

We won't promise miracles. We'll tell you what's actually doable.

Real Collaboration

Your input isn't a formality. We actually want to hear it.

Sustainable by Default

Not an upsell. Just how we work now.

No BS Pricing

Clear proposals. No hidden fees. No surprises.

Ready to Work Together?

Let's talk about your project over coffee. We're listeners first, designers second.

Get In Touch