Who We Are

We're not your typical firm

Look, there's a ton of architecture studios in Vancouver. But here's the thing - we got obsessed with volcanic stone about seven years back, and honestly? Haven't looked back since. Started when our founder took a trip to Iceland and couldn't stop thinking about how lava rock just... exists. No pretense, no faking it. Just pure geological honesty.

The Obsidian Philosophy

We work with volcanic stone 'cause it tells you what it wants to be. Sounds weird? Maybe. But when you're dealing with material that's literally been through hell (or at least the earth's mantle), you learn to respect its character. It's got this raw integrity that just doesn't play nice with cookie-cutter design.

Our crew's made up of folks who'd rather be on a job site than stuck in endless meetings. We've got engineers who actually get excited about load-bearing walls, designers who sketch on napkins, and project managers who somehow keep us all on track. Been working together long enough that we finish each other's... architectural details.

What drives us

Our approach to projects

First meeting's always casual - coffee, site walk, whatever works. We're trying to figure out what you actually want, not what you think architects wanna hear. Then comes the fun part where we start sketching possibilities. Some clients love this phase, others find it chaotic. Both reactions are totally fair.

We don't do "signature styles" - you know, where every building looks like it came from the same mold. Each site's different, each client's different, each budget's... definitely different. What we DO bring to every project is this weird obsession with how materials age, how light moves through spaces, and whether something actually makes sense to build.

The technical stuff? Yeah, we're solid there - structural integrity, building codes, energy efficiency, all that crucial boring stuff that keeps buildings standing and inspectors happy. But we try not to lead with that because, let's be real, nobody dreams about code compliance. They dream about spaces that feel right.

Why volcanic stone?

People ask us this constantly. Here's the thing - volcanic stone's been around longer than... well, longer than pretty much everything. It's survived actual volcanic eruptions, ice ages, and geological chaos we can't even imagine. When you build with it, you're working with something that has zero interest in trends or fashion.

Plus it's got this texture that changes with the light. Morning sun hits it differently than afternoon shadows. Rain makes it darker, almost black. Snow creates these insane contrasts. It's like the material's alive, responding to whatever nature throws at it. Can't get that with synthetic stuff.

And yeah, sourcing local volcanic stone in BC means we're not shipping materials halfway across the planet. The environmental math just works better. Practical and beautiful - that's kinda our whole deal.