About
It's a rare privilege to create tailored spaces that support the well-being of those who spend time in them, one we delight in.
Clay is the embodiment of our friendship, our lifestyle, our design aesthetic, and our joy. We are clay, personified. We seek to share this through our practice and create spaces that spark the intangible feeling of home.
Spaces have stories and get richer over time. The threads that weave the tapestry are the people that spend time in them and the memories they make along the way. Our role as architects is to create the backdrop for these stories, designing spaces that embolden life.
Our design aesthetic is warm and subtly sophisticated, one that takes contemporary inspiration from across eras and ages gracefully, blending nostalgia with innovation to create spaces that are both reflective and visionary. We believe timeless architecture simultaneously reveals its age and remains as compelling and relevant as it was on day one.
We are remarkable listeners. Our approach to design begins by listening to our clients and their sites. This allows us to find unique opportunities specific to each commission and gives us the full confidence of understanding the needs of our clients. We work with a calm and knowledgeable approach and believe the experience of the design process is as important as that of the finished space.
First collaborating in architecture school, we have been moving in parallel ever since. Clay grew from a shared sense of purpose, a desire to practice in a way that feels personal, intentional, and true to who we are.
If our partnership was a Venn diagram, our intersection would be larger than our complementing individual sets. This tells us what we already know about ourselves: our whole is greater than the sum of our parts.
It's a rare privilege to create tailored spaces that support the well-being of those who spend time in them, one we delight in.
Clay is the embodiment of our relationship, our lifestyle, our design aesthetic, and our joy. We are clay, personified. We seek to share this through our practice and create spaces that spark the intangible feeling of home.
If our partnership was a Venn diagram, our intersection would be larger than our complementing individual sets. This tells us what we already know about ourselves, that our whole is greater than the sum of our parts. First collaborating in architecture school, we have run our lives in tandem ever since. We are remarkable listeners. Our approach to design begins by listening to our clients and their sites. This allows us to find unique opportunities specific to each commission and gives us the full confidence of understanding the needs of our clients. We work with a calm and knowledgeable approach and believe the experience of the design process is as important as that of the finished space. Our design aesthetic is warm and subtly sophisticated, one that takes contemporary inspiration from across eras and ages gracefully, blending nostalgia with innovation to create spaces that are both reflective and visionary. We believe timeless architecture simultaneously reveals its age and remains as compelling and relevant as it was on day one. Spaces have stories and get richer over time. The threads that weave the tapestry are the people that spend time in them and the memories they make along the way. Our role as architects is to create the backdrop for these stories, designing spaces that embolden life.
Vanessa Konn
Principal
Architect AIBC, MArch, BFA
For Vanessa, it's all about the joy of discovery.
Her welcoming and curious nature creates fast and trusted connections. Vanessa’s care for personal connections rings true in her work and she considers the impact in architecture to live in the spaces where people come together.
Thriving in the sweet spot of driving an initial concept into a thoughtful and functional design, Vanessa listens closely to understand and define each commission's unique requirements. Her background in the visual arts, combined with a meticulous attention to detail, characterizes her distinctive blend of creativity with technical precision. She has a gift for bringing clarity to complexity—building consensus, resolving challenges, and keeping even the most layered projects moving forward. Vanessa's professional experience is diverse, allowing her to bring a nuanced perspective to every project, regardless of its scale.
Outside the studio, Vanessa finds balance in movement and stillness, whether through a good workout or getting lost in a book. Her favorite place to recharge is her family cabin on Vancouver Island, where she spends as much time as possible with her husband and two boys.
"There is maybe nothing more satisfying than starting to see the bones of a design solution to a complex ask. The moment when architecture begins to provide an interpretation of how an abstract list of needs fits into the world as physical space is pure delight."
Her welcoming and curious nature creates fast and trusted connections. Vanessa’s care for personal connections rings true in her work and she considers the impact in architecture to live in the spaces where people come together. Thriving in the sweet spot of driving an initial concept into a thoughtful and functional design, Vanessa listens closely to understand and define each commission's unique requirements. Her background in the visual arts, combined with a meticulous attention to detail, characterizes her distinctive blend of creativity with technical precision. She has a gift for bringing clarity to complexity—building consensus, resolving challenges, and keeping even the most layered projects moving forward. Vanessa's professional experience is diverse, allowing her to bring a nuanced perspective to every project, regardless of its scale. Vanessa spent ten years of her career at hcma architecture + design where she developed into the role of Director of Community Projects. At hcma, her portfolio included leading the interior design of LOT 185 Café and Wine Bar, Fast + Epp’s Vancouver headquarters and Concept Lab, and hcma’s Edmonton office. She co-led the design of Harry Jerome Community Recreation Centre, a World Architecture Festival award winner, and Hollyburn Country Club renovation. Beyond built work, Vanessa contributed to VanSplash and On Water, broader urban strategies that shape Vancouver’s approach to aquatics, recreation, and waterfront access. Outside the studio, Vanessa finds balance in movement and stillness, whether through a good workout or getting lost in a book. Her favorite place to recharge is her family cabin on Vancouver Island, where she spends as much time as possible with her husband and two boys.
Jessika MacDonald
Principal
Architect AIBC, MArch, BScArch
Jessika loves solving a good problem.
With a methodical and people-focused approach, she weaves function with design sensitivity, creating spaces that are a true reflection of her clients. Her work is rooted in empathy, with a strong emphasis on longevity, inclusivity, and spaces that meet people where they are. Whether designing private homes or public gathering spaces, Jessika brings a quiet thoughtfulness that results in places that feel deeply considered and genuinely welcoming.
Outside of her professional practice, Jessika is most often recharging on the North Shore, running the seawall with her two young children in tow. Her deep connection to place grounds her design philosophy, creating environments that feel rooted, generous, and truly lived in.
“The overwhelming joy that hits me when I walk onto a job site and realise ‘this is what I pictured in my head and now it’s a thing, and it’s fabulous.'”
With a methodical and people-focused approach, she weaves function with design sensitivity, creating spaces that are a true reflection of her clients. Her work is rooted in empathy, with a strong emphasis on longevity, inclusivity, and spaces that meet people where they are. Whether designing private homes or public gathering spaces, Jessika brings a quiet thoughtfulness that results in places that feel deeply considered and genuinely welcoming. During nearly eleven years at hcma architecture + design, Jessika held the roles of Director of Project Delivery and Architectural Director of Inclusive Design. She co-led the award-winning Clayton Community Centre, North America’s first Passive House certified community centre, along with multi-generational Harmony House, designed to meet the standards of the Living Building Challenge. Outside traditional design work, she shaped accessibility and inclusion strategies across the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island, developing guidelines and best practices that continue to influence the built environment. Outside of her professional practice, Jessika is most often recharging on the North Shore, running the seawall with her two young children in tow. Her deep connection to place grounds her design philosophy, creating environments that feel rooted, generous, and truly lived in.
About
It's a rare privilege to create tailored spaces that support the well-being of those who spend time in them, one we delight in.
Clay is the embodiment of our friendship, our lifestyle, our design aesthetic, and our joy. We are clay, personified. We seek to share this through our practice and create spaces that spark the intangible feeling of home.
Spaces have stories and get richer over time. The threads that weave the tapestry are the people that spend time in them and the memories they make along the way. Our role as architects is to create the backdrop for these stories, designing spaces that embolden life. Our design aesthetic is warm and subtly sophisticated, one that takes contemporary inspiration from across eras and ages gracefully, blending nostalgia with innovation to create spaces that are both reflective and visionary. We believe timeless architecture simultaneously reveals its age and remains as compelling and relevant as it was on day one. We are remarkable listeners. Our approach to design begins by listening to our clients and their sites. This allows us to find unique opportunities specific to each commission and gives us the full confidence of understanding the needs of our clients. We work with a calm and knowledgeable approach and believe the experience of the design process is as important as that of the finished space.
First collaborating in architecture school, we have been moving in parallel ever since. Clay grew from a shared sense of purpose, a desire to practice in a way that feels personal, intentional, and true to who we are. If our partnership was a Venn diagram, our intersection would be larger than our complementing individual sets. This tells us what we already know about ourselves: our whole is greater than the sum of our parts.