What Cover Architectural Collaborative does

Cover Architectural Collaborative Inc. (DBA Cover Architecture) is a privately held architecture firm headquartered at 1-96 Baker Street in Nelson, British Columbia, Canada, founded in 2019. The firm provides comprehensive architectural services across residential, commercial, institutional, healthcare, government/municipal, community/cultural, and Indigenous-led projects, with a primary segment focus on community-oriented work. Service offerings include core architectural design, feasibility studies, heritage restoration, and project management, delivered using standard BIM platforms (Revit, AutoCAD), supplemented by two specialized consulting lines: Passive House consulting (using in-house certified Passive House consultants) and Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification (RHFAC) consulting.

The firm's technical differentiation centers on sustainable and high-performance design, with demonstrated capabilities in Passive House certification, mass timber and Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) construction (notably in partnership with regional manufacturer Kalesnikoff), BC Energy Step Code 4 and Zero Carbon Step Code EL-4 compliance, and universal/inclusive design. Notable credentials include delivery of the world's first Certified Passive House automotive dealership (Red Deer Subaru) and Canada's first institutional mass timber Passive House building (Castlegar Chamber of Commerce). The firm also maintains a formalized Indigenous Engagement Committee (established May 2021) and has completed multiple commissions for Indigenous clients including the Yaqan Nuʔkiy (Lower Kootenay Band) and the Seven Nations Soaring Eagles Healing Centre.

Commercially, Cover operates on a project-based professional services fee model with no publicly disclosed pricing; revenue is generated through direct client engagement rather than intermediaries. The 17-person team is led by three principal architects (Joanie Madore, Narelle Sookorukoff, Rob Stacey) and includes a senior consultant architect, senior technologists, architects, technologists, an intern architect, and an office manager. Geographic reach is concentrated in the Kootenay region of British Columbia (Nelson, Castlegar, Nakusp, Creston, Rossland, Revelstoke, Cranbrook) with selected projects extending into Alberta and the Okanagan (Kelowna). Go-to-market is community- and relationship-led, supported by a project portfolio website and word-of-mouth referrals, with no formal external marketing function.

Name

Cover Architectural Collaborative

Legal name

Cover Architectural Collaborative Inc.

Website

https://coverac.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cover Architectural Collaborative is a Nelson, BC-based architecture firm delivering sustainable, Passive House, and mass timber design across residential, institutional, healthcare, government, and Indigenous community projects throughout the Kootenay region and select Alberta and Okanagan commissions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Design Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Architectural Services (541310), Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Accessibility & Universal Design Consulting (HSABAJAB), Community Engagement & Participatory Planning (BPAHAKAO), Architectural Reconfiguration & Structural Alterations (HSAPAEAB)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Passive house consulting
• Mass timber architecture
• Accessibility consulting
• Heritage restoration

Headquarters

HQ city

Nelson

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Architectural Design Services: Professional architectural services including design, planning, feasibility studies, heritage restoration, accessibility consulting, and project management for residential, commercial, institutional, healthcare, and community projects. Revenue is generated through project-based fees for design and consulting services.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Cover Architectural Collaborative is a Nelson, BC-based architecture firm that delivers full architectural design services alongside specialized consulting in Passive House and net-zero energy design, accessibility certification, heritage restoration, feasibility studies, and Indigenous community engagement. The firm serves government, healthcare, educational, non-profit, and private developer clients, with particular depth in sustainable construction methods such as mass timber.

Product overview

Cover Architectural Collaborative is an architecture firm based in Nelson, BC that provides comprehensive architectural services. The firm operates as a single unified practice offering architecture and design services across multiple sectors (commercial, healthcare, housing, community, and educational), supplemented by specialized consulting services including Passive House consulting and Accessibility consulting. Projects range from new construction to adaptive reuse renovations, with particular expertise in sustainable design, inclusive design, and heritage conservation. The firm's offerings are delivered as integrated professional services rather than as separate product modules or software platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architectural Design Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Passive House certification guarantees 80% to 100% reduction in energy use compared to Building Code construction
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Michele A Sam ConsultingminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 May 2021Michele A Sam Consulting facilitated the first workshop in a series of seminars aimed to increase Cover's team's capacity for meaningful engagement practices with Indigenous Peoples. The series covered introductions, historical context, lived experiences, and calls to action.
• KalesnikoffcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with local CLT and timber manufacturer Kalesnikoff for the Castlegar Chamber of Commerce project. The mixed-use mass timber building utilized high-efficiency and ecologically responsible materials from this local supplier, supporting the firm's commitment to sustainable design and local sourcing.
• Stand ArchitecturalminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCover served as architectural consultant through design and tender phases for the Castlegar Chamber of Commerce, with Stand Architectural providing construction administration services during the build phase.
• Scott BuilderscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign-build collaboration with Scott Builders for the Elkford Municipal Hall project. Scott Builders served as the construction partner while Cover provided architectural design services.
• KMBR ArchitectsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProject partnership with KMBR Architects for the Cranbrook City Hall Council Chamber renovation. Cover led the design work on this heritage renovation project.
• Louis Fortier DesignminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Louis Fortier Graphic Design for Landmark 7 Offices and Powick Office Renovation projects. Louis Fortier provided graphic design services including custom signage, wayfinding elements, and environmental graphics inspired by local flora and natural landscapes.
• Covet InteriorsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerInterior design collaboration with Covet Interiors for the Baldface Lodge office renovation, bringing the unique qualities of the Baldface brand to the space.
• Cierra & Mike MediaminorOthersCollaboration with local photographers Cierra & Mike Media to bring Kootenay landscapes into communal spaces of Selkirk College Silver King Student Housing through featured photography.
• Tamarack MediaminorOthersCollaboration with local photographers Tamarack Media to bring Kootenay landscapes into communal spaces of Selkirk College Castlegar Student Housing.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Architecture49: One of Canada's largest architecture firms with deep public-sector, civic, and Indigenous community project portfolios. Overlaps with Cover on government, healthcare, and community work but operates nationally at much greater scale.
• Perkins&Will: Global architecture practice with strong sustainability leadership and Canadian offices in Toronto, Vancouver, and Ottawa. Competes for the same institutional, healthcare, and civic clients but from a much larger international platform.
• Revery Architecture: Vancouver-based firm (formerly Bing Thom Architects) known for civic, cultural, and community projects. Comparable on community-oriented institutional work in BC, though with significantly larger scale and international recognition.
• Diamond Schmitt Architects: Toronto-based national firm with portfolios in healthcare, education, and civic buildings. Comparable on institutional client mix and sustainability focus, with a substantially larger footprint.
• DIALOG: Large Canadian interdisciplinary design firm with offices across Western Canada, including healthcare, education, civic, and community work. Overlaps with Cover on sustainability and institutional sectors but operates at much greater scale.

Emerging players

• lanefab Design/Build: Vancouver-area firm focused on sustainable, mass timber, and Passive House residential and small commercial projects. Comparable on sustainability specialization and BC base, though smaller and more residential-focused.

Direct peers

• Mcfarlane Biggar Architects + Interiors: Vancouver-based firm of similar scale with a strong portfolio in community, civic, and Indigenous-engagement projects. Closely comparable on practice size, sector mix, and emphasis on socially rooted design.
• S2 Architecture: Vancouver-based architectural firm with comparable size and focus on sustainable design and community-oriented projects. Directly comparable as a BC boutique practice delivering high-performance buildings for institutional and residential clients.
• Patkau Architects: Long-established Vancouver firm recognized for high-performance, material-driven, sustainable design. Comparable on design philosophy and portfolio quality, though larger and more internationally renowned than Cover.

Others

• Kalesnikoff: BC-based mass timber and CLT manufacturer that is a strategic supply partner to Cover on projects such as the Castlegar Chamber of Commerce. Adjacent ecosystem participant rather than a competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cover-architecture

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cover Architectural Collaborative