Quan Thai

Quan is a licensed architect and educator. He founded Never Only Architecture Inc. in 2022, a Toronto-based studio that strives to develop innovative architectural responses through socially, environmentally, and technologically informed design. His practice builds on ten years of experience working on high-profile conceptual and built work across North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. His interests and expertise in practice and academia span from the scale of community planning and engagement to the detail and materiality of interiors and furniture design.

Quan earned his Bachelor of Architectural Studies at the University of Waterloo School of Architecture (‘13), followed by his Master of Architecture at McGill University (‘15). During his graduate studies, Quan won first place in a design competition for his rethinking of industrial lands to foster sustainable and regenerative communities through urban agricultural research in Montreal’s Pointe-Saint-Charles. Subsequently, he presented his work at sustainability symposiums that spoke to innovative urban strategies for self-sustaining communities.

Most recently, Quan designed and led “Ontario Place: Narrating Past, Present, and Potential” (‘23), an exhibition that brought together the voices of students, academics, urban activists, and the general public to reconcile the narrative of Ontario Place’s position as a public asset. The exhibition received funding from the School of Cities Small Programs Grant and the Ontario Association of Architects Public Awareness Award for his dissemination of research to enrich the conversation of public engagement within larger city-building initiatives. 

Prior to founding Never Only, Quan built his experience working at offices in Toronto, Montreal, and New York City.  This included SvN Architects + Planners, Superkul, Atelier Barda and WORKac, where he led and contributed to numerous well published projects including a thoughtful addition and renovation to a Tudor-style home, as well as an international music company’s new headquarters. Quan served as Assistant Professor at the School of Interior Design at Toronto Metropolitan University during the 2021-2022 academic year and continues to lecture at the School of Interior Design, as well as the Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design at the University of Toronto.