In a city known for shiny new builds, Calgary’s Mera Studio Architects is telling a different story. Whether it’s a cozy home or a bustling restaurant—like Fortuna’s Row, once a bare concrete shell, now a warm, Latin-inspired oasis of rattan, handmade tile and woven leather—all of Mera’s projects share the same beating heart: a reverence for the past. The result is that each one feels steeped in history. “We approach every project similarly,” says Mera co-founder Tara Marshall. “From big-picture concept to the tiniest detail.”

Marshall first crossed paths with fellow co-founder Meghan Bannon at a now-defunct firm, where the pair bonded over fast-paced hospitality projects and a shared ambition. “We just worked really well together,” says Bannon. “We were hardworking moms who wanted to build something of our own.”

Photo by Nathan Elson

That spirit of collaboration carries through everything they do—including the Maple Leaf House, a 1960s Calgary home that earned the duo a 2025 Western Living Design 25 award. With a dumbwaiter, a classic rumpus room and its namesake maple-leaf-shaped layout, the house had long lingered on Bannon’s real estate radar. So when a friend of Marshall’s bought it and brought Mera on board, it felt like fate.

“We were all over it,” says Marshall. “People so often strip these homes of all their character.” But this one had been lovingly preserved by its original owner—a woman in her 90s who made the sale contingent on keeping features like the handmade stair railings built by her late husband. Luckily, the new owners felt the same. “They didn’t want to gut it,” adds Bannon. “They wanted to keep what made the place iconic.”

Instead of a full overhaul, Mera gently brought the home into the present—refreshing the kitchen, dining room and entryway; merging two smaller bedrooms into a roomy primary suite; lifting the tired carpet; and choosing new finishes that honour the home’s original style. Even the travertine-like wall panels stayed. “There’s just so much depth to them,” says Bannon.

Sunken Treasure
In the Maple Leaf House, Mera Studio Architects brings new life to a 1960s sunken living room with warm wood panelling, exposed beams and sculptural greenery—mid-century soul, beautifully preserved.
Photo by Colin Way

Their design-forward thinking also led to the Very Very Shop, a retail concept nestled inside their studio. Originally created to streamline sourcing for clients, it’s now a Friday pop-in destination (and online shop) for “interior objects for non-conformists,” which include things like Iziko vases, Nunca wood sculptures, Meraki hand soaps and Very Very Shop merch—and it also doubles as a creative hub for artist showcases and other happenings. “Calgary doesn’t have a ton of design events,” says Marshall. “This was a way to bring people together in a space that feels inspiring.”

Latin Revival
Woven-back chairs and dramatic rattan pendants transform a once-bare concrete shell into Fortuna’s Row, a vibrant cantina in Calgary’s East Village. Photo by Colin Way

Mera is putting the finishing touches on a heritage Art Deco home renovation and Banff’s Kenrick Hotel—the team’s first boutique hotel, complete with pool and spa—and has just launched its first product design: the Mera sound sconce, a sculptural speaker with dimmable lighting created in collaboration with Leon Speakers. “It was a fun challenge, four years in the making,” says Bannon. The experience sparked a new goal—their own furniture line. “We already design so many custom pieces,” adds Marshall. “It feels like the natural next step.”

They actually named the sconce before adopting the moniker for their studio, too. “We liked that it sounded feminine but strong,” says Bannon. Only later did someone point out it was a near-perfect mashup of their names. A fitting coincidence—for a duo that’s redefining the past, together.

This story was originally published in the May/June 2025 print issue of Western Living magazine.

 

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