About Us - Xylona Rethven Quinth Architects

Our Journey So Far

2011 - The Beginning

Three of us rented a tiny space above a coffee shop on King Street. Perfect location honestly, 'cause we lived on espresso those first two years. Our first project was renovating a friend's garage into a studio apartment - not glamorous but we learned everything about working with what you've got.

2014 - First Big Break

Got hired to design a community center in Scarborough. Client wanted sustainable but didn't wanna break the bank. We figured out how to use reclaimed materials and passive solar design - came in under budget and won a local award. That's when things started picking up.

2017 - Growing Pains

Moved to Queen Street West and hired our first full-time staff. Started getting residential clients who wanted modern homes that didn't look like sterile boxes. We were all about bringing nature into the design - big windows, natural materials, green roofs when we could swing it.

2020 - Pandemic Pivot

Like everyone else, we had to rethink everything. Started focusing more on adaptive reuse projects - turning old buildings into something new instead of tearing 'em down. Turns out there's tons of beautiful heritage buildings that just need some creative thinking.

2023 - Today

We're a team of 12 now, working on everything from single-family homes to urban planning projects. Still in the same Queen Street space, still drinking way too much coffee, still obsessed with making buildings that work with nature instead of against it.

Meet The Team

Marina Xylona

Founding Partner / Lead Designer

Marina's the one who'll fight city hall for a green roof permit at 3am. Graduated from U of T, spent a few years in Vancouver learning about west coast sustainable design. She's got this thing about natural light - every project has to maximize it somehow. Outside work? Grows vegetables on her balcony and complains they don't get enough sun.

Thomas Rethven

Founding Partner / Technical Director

Tom's the numbers guy who makes sure our wild ideas actually stand up. Studied structural engineering before switching to architecture - best decision ever, he says. He's obsessed with heritage buildings and spends weekends photographing old warehouses. Got us into restoration work 'cause he couldn't stand seeing beautiful brick buildings get demolished.

Alex Quinth

Founding Partner / Urban Planning

Alex thinks in city blocks, not just buildings. Did their masters in urban planning at Ryerson and immediately started bugging us about how buildings interact with neighborhoods. They're the reason we think about pedestrian flow and bike lanes now. Commutes by bike year-round and has strong opinions about Toronto's cycling infrastructure.

Sarah Chen

Senior Interior Designer - Makes spaces feel like home, not showrooms. Previously worked on hotel projects downtown.

Marcus Williams

Project Manager - Keeps everyone on schedule and somehow makes contractors like us. Former site supervisor who switched sides.

Priya Patel

Sustainability Consultant - Calculates carbon footprints in her sleep. Joined us after finishing her PhD in environmental design.

David Kowalski

Junior Architect - Fresh grad who's way better at 3D modeling than the rest of us. Still brings that new-architect enthusiasm.

How We Actually Work

Forget the formal presentation stuff. We start every project with coffee and conversation - what do you actually need, what's your budget really look like, what drives you nuts about your current space. We sketch ideas right there, often on whatever's handy.

Then comes the research phase where we dig into everything - building codes, neighborhood context, sun angles, existing conditions if it's a reno. Tom usually finds something interesting about the site history that ends up influencing the design.

Design development's where it gets fun. We iterate constantly, showing you options and getting feedback. Marina's great at taking vague ideas and making them concrete. We use 3D models now (thanks David) but still keep physical models around - they just hit different.

Construction phase is where Marcus shines. He's on-site regularly, solving problems before they become disasters. We've learned that staying involved through construction makes everything turn out better.

Let's Talk About Your Project

What We Believe In

Nature Knows Best

We're not trying to dominate nature with our buildings - we're trying to work with it. Natural ventilation, daylighting, materials that age gracefully. Buildings should feel like they belong where they are.

Less Waste, More Life

Every building we design, we think about its whole life cycle. Can we reuse something that's already there? Will this material last? Can it be recycled later? It's not just about being green - it's about being smart.

Context Matters

A building doesn't exist in a vacuum. It's part of a street, a neighborhood, a city. We spend time understanding what's around our sites and how our project can contribute to the community, not just sit there.

People First

At the end of the day, someone's gotta use these spaces. We design for actual humans - how they move, what they need, how they live. Beautiful's great, but functional's non-negotiable.