Our Story Started With Frozen Fingers & Big Dreams

Building up north isn't for the faint of heart - and honestly, that's what drew us in.

2008

Started out as a two-person operation in a cramped Vancouver office. Helena Frosthali and Marcus Onquinth met on a frigid construction site in Whitehorse - she was fixing terrible insulation specs, he was redesigning a roof that couldn't handle snow loads. Figured we'd make a good team.

2012

Our first major break came with a residential project in Yellowknife. The client wanted something that didn't look like a bunker but could handle -45°C winters. We delivered, and word spread fast in northern communities.

2015

Expanded into commercial work after designing a community center in Iqaluit that actually worked with the environment instead of fighting it. Suddenly we weren't just architects - we were becoming the go-to folks for anything involving extreme cold.

2018

Brought on a team of engineers and specialists who actually get what it's like working in the territories. No more explaining why standard building codes don't cut it when you're dealing with permafrost and six months of darkness.

2023

Now we're a crew of 23 dedicated professionals. We've completed over 140 projects across Canada's north and we're still learning something new with every build. The cold keeps us humble, but it also keeps pushing us to do better.

Why We Do This

Look, most architecture firms wouldn't touch northern projects with a ten-foot pole. Too complicated, too cold, too many unknowns. But that's exactly what makes it interesting.

We've spent years learning how buildings breathe in sub-zero temps, how to work with communities who know their environment better than any textbook, and how to design structures that'll last generations - not just survive a few harsh winters.

"Every project up north teaches you something. Sometimes it's about thermal bridging, sometimes it's about respecting traditional knowledge. But it's always humbling."

- Helena Frosthali, Co-Founder

140+

Projects Completed

Years Experience

-52°C

Coldest Project Site

Team Members

What Drives Us

These aren't corporate buzzwords - they're lessons we've learned the hard way on jobsites across the territories.

Respect The Environment

The Arctic doesn't care about your timeline or your ego. We design with nature, not against it. That means understanding wind patterns, snow accumulation, permafrost behavior - all the stuff that makes or breaks a building up north.

Listen To Communities

Local knowledge beats southern assumptions every single time. We've learned more from elders and local builders than we ever did in architecture school. If someone who's lived through forty winters tells you something, you listen.

Build For The Long Haul

Quick fixes don't work when it's -40 outside. We design buildings that'll serve communities for decades, not just pass inspection. That means over-engineering where it matters and using materials that can handle the abuse.

Keep Learning

Climate change is rewriting the rules for northern construction. Permafrost is shifting, weather patterns are changing. What worked five years ago might not work today. We stay curious, we stay humble, and we keep adapting.