Our Story

Crafting Ethereal Spaces Where Nature Meets Innovation

Studio workspace

Who We Really Are

Look, we're not gonna pretend we started in some garage with a dream and a pencil. Frostveil Realm came together back in 2018 when a few of us got tired of seeing cookie-cutter buildings that ignored everything around them. We'd worked at bigger firms, done the corporate thing, but something was missing.

What pulled us together was this shared obsession with how Nordic design just gets it right - that balance between form and function, between human needs and environmental reality. We've spent years studying old Scandinavian building techniques, traveling through Norway and Sweden, sketching in the cold, and honestly just falling in love with how those spaces feel.

Now we're based in Vancouver, which honestly couldn't be a better fit. The Pacific Northwest has that same relationship with nature, that same need for buildings that work with the rain, the mountains, the light. We've done residential projects, commercial spaces, heritage restorations - pretty much anything where we can blend sustainability with that ethereal quality we're always chasing.

The People Behind The Plans

We're a small crew, which means you'll actually talk to the person designing your space - not some intern three levels down.

Elena Nordstrom

Elena Nordstrom

Principal Architect & Co-Founder

Elena spent 8 years at big Toronto firms before she'd had enough of designing soulless glass boxes. She's got this weird ability to walk into a space and just see what it wants to become. Her master's thesis on biophilic design principles in Nordic architecture still gets referenced, but don't bring it up unless you've got an hour to spare.

Marcus Chen

Marcus Chen

Sustainability Director & Co-Founder

Marcus is our tech guy and sustainability nerd. He's constantly testing new materials, running energy simulations, and honestly getting way too excited about insulation specs. Before Frostveil, he worked on LEED Platinum projects across BC and won't let you forget that passive house standards aren't just trendy - they actually work.

Astrid Larsen

Astrid Larsen

Interior & Spatial Designer

Actually from Norway, so she keeps us honest when we're getting too "inspired by" Nordic design. Astrid handles all our interior space planning and has an almost supernatural sense for lighting.

David Okonkwo

David Okonkwo

Landscape Integration Specialist

David makes sure our buildings actually belong where they're built. He's got a background in environmental science and landscape architecture, plus he's really good at convincing clients that native plants are cooler than lawns.

Sophie Tremaine

Sophie Tremaine

Heritage Restoration Lead

Sophie's the one we call when a project involves anything built before 1970. She's passionate about preserving character while making old buildings actually livable for modern life. Her attention to detail is borderline obsessive.

What Drives Us

It's not complicated, really. We think buildings should enhance life, not just contain it. They should respond to their environment instead of fighting it. And yeah, they should be beautiful in that understated way - the kind of beautiful that grows on you rather than screaming for attention.

We're also pretty stubborn about sustainability. Not the greenwashing kind - the actual measurable reduction in energy use, water consumption, material waste. Marcus runs the numbers on everything, and if it doesn't make environmental sense, we'll find another way.

28+

Completed projects since we started this thing

100%

Of our designs incorporate passive sustainability principles

6

Industry awards we're actually proud of

47%

Average energy reduction in our residential projects

Want To Work Together?

We're pretty selective about projects because we'd rather do fewer things well than spread ourselves too thin. But if you're thinking about a space that needs that Nordic-inspired, sustainability-focused approach, let's talk.

Get In Touch