Need to renovate a commercial space in Markham? Open a new clinic or retail store? Convert an old building into something new? We handle the design, the permits, and the coordination with the City of Markham so you can focus on your business.
We’re licensed by the Ontario Association of Architects (OAA) and carry full professional liability insurance. Our office is in Thornhill, about 10 minutes from Downtown Markham.
We work with business owners, landlords, and tenants across Markham and York Region. Our projects include store fit-outs, medical clinics, retail conversions, industrial building upgrades, and change of use permits.
We prepare complete drawing packages, submit them to the City of Markham, and respond to any questions from the permit reviewers. If your project needs a variance, we represent you at the Committee of Adjustment hearing.
Every project we design is different. We look at how your business actually works, what the zoning allows, and what the Ontario Building Code requires. Then we design around those realities instead of fighting them later.
What this means for you: We figure out the code and zoning issues before you start construction, not halfway through when it costs more to fix.
Step 1: We Check If Your Project Is Feasible
We look at the zoning, what uses are allowed, parking requirements, and whether you’ll need a variance or Site Plan Approval. For Markham projects, we check against the City’s Official Plan and zoning by-laws
Step 2: We Show You Layout Options
You get multiple concepts with cost considerations. This lets you weigh trade-offs before we move into detailed drawings.
Step 3: We Create Detailed Drawings
We finalize the architecture and coordinate with the mechanical, electrical, structural, and fire protection engineers. We check everything internally before submitting so there are no conflicts between systems.
Step 4: We Handle Permits and Approvals
We submit to the City of Markham, respond to reviewer comments, and go to Committee of Adjustment hearings if you need a variance. Typical Markham permit review takes 4-8 weeks for straightforward interior work. Site Plan Approval or variances add time, usually 3-6 months depending on complexity.
Step 5: We Support Construction
We visit the site, answer contractor questions, and help you through to final occupancy.
The project: Convert two small retail units into a 1,130 square foot cosmetic clinic with a minor surgery room.
The challenge: The Ministry of Health requires procedure rooms to have direct outdoor access for emergency response. The space was tight and the building had existing constraints.
What we did: We designed a layout that fit multiple treatment rooms plus a compliant surgery room with discreet ambulance access. We coordinated ventilation for infection control and made sure everything met Ministry standards. The finished clinic looks like a modern spa but functions as a proper medical facility.
The project: Redesign the front facade of a 150,000 square foot industrial building on 8 acres.
The challenge: The existing facade was almost 40 years old and didn’t represent the company’s advanced manufacturing anymore. Plus, they wanted to expand onto adjacent land in the future, so the design needed to work with that later phase.
What we did: We designed a new front with bold geometric shapes, a glass entry, and the company’s brand colors. The structural approach keeps costs reasonable while creating visual impact. The design connects to a planned Phase Two expansion. We’re currently preparing for the City of Markham PAC meeting.
We’ve completed tenant fit-outs, medical clinics, retail conversions, and mixed-use projects across the GTA. Here are a few:
Clinical Office Building – Scarborough: A 7-storey, 32,000 square foot medical building for dental and optical clinics. We coordinated the architectural, structural, mechanical, and civil drawings to meet healthcare and accessibility standards.
Richmond Hill Bakery and Cafe – Downtown Richmond Hill: A 2,217 square foot heritage building converted from a house to a commercial bakery. We handled Site Plan Approval and heritage review while preserving the historic exterior.
Montessori Daycare – Newmarket: A 4,700 square foot heritage building converted to a childcare facility. We worked with the heritage committee and met Ministry of Education requirements.
Dog Grooming and Retail – Downtown Toronto: A 1,460 square foot tenant improvement inside a condo building. The space sits above a 24-hour supermarket, so we had to solve acoustic and plumbing challenges without disrupting building operations.
We work with business owners across Markham and nearby areas:
Downtown Markham, Unionville, Cornell, Milliken, Thornhill, Buttonville, Cachet, Berczy Village, Markham Village, Highway 7 Corridor, Enterprise Boulevard, Commerce Valley, Woodbine Corridor
We also serve the broader GTA: Richmond Hill, Vaughan, Stouffville, Newmarket, Aurora, Scarborough, North York, Toronto, Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, Mississauga, Brampton.
Every member of our team has advanced education in architecture and design
M.Arch Architect, OAA
Principal
M.Arch.BCIN
Principal
M.Arch.BCIN
Principal
