Forgather Studio is an architecture and branding practice in Newfoundland and Labrador.

We work in heritage conservation: design, identity, and accessibility on one contract. A building that keeps its doors open, and a story that brings people in.

Studio

Forgather signifies the act of bringing people together around a place they care about. We chose it because a group holds knowledge greater than any person holds alone. Getting everyone in the room is not a courtesy. It is how the best ideas emerge.

Newfoundland Architects and Design Studio Badge

Manifesto

Our practice is founded on the principles of curiosity, understanding, and humility. We believe the next generation of architecture must connect with people’s core values to deliver a project with lasting community impact.

Five studio principles at Forgather:

  1. Choose the path of curiosity.

  2. Align actions with values.

  3. Nurture community and collaboration.

  4. Focus on quality over quantity.

  5. Share our expertise with the world.

“I started Forgather to work with the people who will use the space in the room, the reasoning visible, and every decision traceable back to something a client said out loud.”

—Matt C Reynolds

We want to see people succeed. Most of the groups we work with are attempting something difficult for reasons that matter to them. Our job is helping them work out what is important and then hold onto it while the pressure of a project tries to talk them out of it.

Meet the Founder

Matt C. Reynolds

NLAA, RGD, RHFAC Professional

Matt is an Architect, Registered Graphic Designer, and Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certified Professional who brings a holistic, collaborative approach to design. He is the founder of Forgather Studio and has a decade of experience working across the disciplines of architecture, heritage conservation, branding, and interpretive design.

Matt is Board Chair of the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland & Labrador, and a member of the Preservation Committee and the Built Heritage Experts Panel for the City of St. John’s. He has worked for award winning design firms across Canada including ERA Architects (Toronto), Fathom Studio, DSRA, and FBM Architecture (Halifax), and holds a Master of Architecture from Dalhousie University.

Outreach

  • The Newfoundland and Labrador Youth Heritage Forum gathers post-secondary students, recent graduates, and emerging professionals for a day focused on professional development, skill-building workshops, and networking.

  • This program connects emerging designers with Certified RGDs to mentor and support them by addressing questions and concerns, sharing their experiences getting Certified, and providing guidance throughout the process.

  • This two-week intensive design and build course is a chance for Dalhousie School of Architecture students to gain hands-on construction experience. It takes place in the last two weeks of July, and raises public awareness of architecture and community involvement.

Our aim is to lead the way in offering Pro Bono services in the field of architecture and design. With the goal of aligning actions with values, we actively share our time, resources, and expertise to a range of mentorship, community, and conservation organizations.

Recognition

Brands to Buildings: How to Think like an Architect
Association of Registered Graphic Designers (RGD), 2025

A Day in the Life: Matt C Reynolds
Association of Registered Graphic Designers (RGD), April 2020

Bonavista Coffee Company
New Work by Provisional RGDs, Association of Registered Graphic Designers (RGD), March 2020

Bonavista Coffee Company
Fonts in Use, November 2019

The Faroe Islands: Ethnographic Methods in Architecture
Fonts in Use, September 2018