Diverse expertise drives better outcomes.

Zach is responsible for the health and well-being of the firm and its people. He is a fierce advocate for transparency, trust, equity, and design excellence in all aspects. He believes, through design, we have the ability to work smarter, learn better, connect deeper, and live healthier while creating a robust and prosperous future for our communities.

Zach was the 2019 Young Architect of the Year for AIA Grand Rapids, a member of the 2019, 2022, and 2023 Grand Rapids Business Journal’s “40 Under 40”, and sat on the 2022 AIA National Task Force on the Framework for Design Excellence. He sits on multiple non-profit and community boards and is passionate about connecting the community to the power of architecture. Zach earned both his Master of Architecture and his Bachelor of Science in Architecture from Lawrence Technological University and is a graduate of Harvard Business School with a focus on finance.

Zach is a proud product of Grand Rapids Public Schools and die-hard Westsider. You can find him, his wife, Anna, and their three daughters enjoying time with family, visiting the lake, and splash pad at Millennium Park throughout the year. He also loves to golf and listen to music, usually while golfing.

Jeni is a global designer with 16+ years of experience in the field. She graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and received her Master of Architecture from the University of Nevada. Her career started through a work exchange program where she worked for a small firm in Croatia. She then found her way to Nevada, thanks to connections from past internships, taking root in the city that never sleeps. 

Over the years, Jeni has been fortunate to have great mentors who have opened doors and shared opportunities with her to grow in her role as an architect. She attributes her success to encouragement and support that has helped guide her in her career. Though Jeni has a passion for design excellence, she finds herself excited about technical architecture and project management also! One of her favorite aspects of architecture is the challenge of bringing teams together to achieve client dreams. She excels in coordinating large projects that involve multiple stakeholders - it really does take a village!

In her past life, Jeni must have been a  travel agent. She fills her free time with trip planning for family and friends, renovating her camper van, and exploring new places and spaces. If there’s a place you want to visit, reach out to Jeni - she may already have a Google Map created with all the must-see spots!

As a Licensed Architect and Project Manager, Nick creates an environment for belonging and authentic exploration, marrying beauty and building science to best capture the true expression of a community and its people. His career spans multiple continents, design typologies, and scales, giving him a unique lens through which to observe and ask questions. Nick takes an empathetic approach to design excellence, guiding the project team to deeply understand our client’s aspirations and how they define successful outcomes. He then aligns design ideals, expectations, schedules, and budgets so everyone feels heard and has an opportunity to contribute.

Nick is deeply-rooted in the Grand Rapids community serving on nonprofit Boards, Business Associations, and he participated in the Center for Community Leadership. He earned both his Bachelor of Science and Master of Architecture from Lawrence Technological University.

Nick, his wife, Kathryn, and their three sons are very close and spend much of their time together on adventures. They love to cook, travel, and be outside. In addition to family activities, Nick spends time centering himself meditating, playing and coaching sports, and birdwatching when exploring Michigan’s great outdoors!

Marques’ path to architecture hasn’t been linear, unlike the lines he draws for design. He first trained as an electrician, following his father’s footsteps, and made his way to cabinet-making and drafting structural steel. After discovering architecture through adjacent fields, Marques received his Bachelor of Architecture and Bachelor of Construction Management from Lawerence Technological University. He later received his Master of Architecture with a focus on Urban Design from the University of Maryland. Marques prides himself on having professional experience at every scale of the built environment from door knobs to entire cities.

His design philosophy is rooted in the work of urban activist Jane Jacobs. Her advocacy for quality buildings that create quality equitable public spaces influences the design work Marques does today. In his 14 years as a professional, Marques has committed to giving back. He currently serves on several National boards including Form Based Code Institute, The Congress for the New Urbanism, and Incremental Development Alliance.

Second to urban design, Marques has a love for cooking. You can often find him in the kitchen cooking up something delicious. He loves to cook as it reminds him of architecture, creating something out of a few parts.

Aaron cultivates our design thinking and works to ensure our projects are consistently excellent for all of our clients. As an empathetic leader with many years of major project responsibility, he translates complex design ideas into simple, elegant, and enduring architectural outcomes that center people, planet, and place. As an Architect, he is a passionate problem solver, creative thinker, and skilled communicator that develops highly-innovative, effective, and integrated design solutions. Often, our projects require a deep understanding of the social, cultural, financial, and psychological implications that ripple into the community for generations to come, and Aaron is great at identifying, acknowledging, and embracing these considerations in our design proposals.

Aaron, his wife, Laura, and their family can be found on the sidelines of sports fields, enjoying a Lake Michigan beach, traveling, and sharing new experiences together.

Andrew believes passionately in the ability of architects to lead our world toward a brighter, environmentally sound, and just future. In addition to striving for great design, he applies the fundamentals of building physics and sustainability to all of our projects. This role in our firm is critical in championing the commitment to integrated design practices, sustainable business practices, and industry-leading research across a very diverse body of project types. After many years of successful practice and commitment to the industry, Andrew was awarded the 2020 Young Architect of the Year for AIA Grand Rapids. He is Living Future Accredited through the International Living Future Institute and represents Pure Architects in roles on various local, regional, and national professional boards. Andrew earned both his Master of Architecture and Bachelor of Science in Architecture from Lawrence Technological University.

Andrew enjoys life with his wife, Katie, and their three daughters, eight chickens, one dog, and one cat. When he is not working to improve our built environment, or reading about it, he is likely living out his love of Star Wars!

Emily supports the Pure team through her attention to detail and her thoughtful approach to serving others. She loves working with people and helps to create spaces where everyone feels welcome, heard, and valued. She grew up in a construction family building homes, including their own, embracing the impact and influence architecture and design have on her life. She loves learning, so if you invite her to your home, she’s going to want a tour of everything, closets and all!

Prior to Pure Architects, Emily led the management of multiple businesses, their staff, and spatial functions. She has a deep understanding of business logistics, planning, and management of people, things, and policies. She graduated from Grand Valley State University with a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality and Tourism Management.

In her free time, you can find Emily spending time with her husband, Tyler, and their dog, Luna. She enjoys traveling, camping, hiking, and you can typically find her listening to true crime podcasts, but you definitely won’t find her watching any scary movies!

Julia combines her people skills and her marketing background to help Pure grow with intention. Her love for community and desire to be better aligns with Pure’s mission to be a catalyst for change. Her ingenuity and attention to detail helps her stay on top of Pure’s fast growth. She received her Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing with a minor in Advertising and Public Relations from Grand Valley State University.

At one point in her life Julia wanted to be an interior designer and having grown up helping her dad with renovation projects, being at Pure almost feels like fate. She’s most inspired by charming spaces that showcase their character and appreciates when design meets function.

Her favorite office snack is Terra Bagels’ togarashi with veggie cream cheese and her ideal Saturday includes crafting, craft beer, her pup Foster, and a good book. If she wasn’t busy making marketing magic happen, she’d be pursuing her dream job of being Celine Dion’s opening act.

Brooke uses her attention to detail and love for color-coding systems to help keep projects on task and organized.  With five years of construction and rental property management experience, Brooke knows how to seamlessly work with our partners to ensure our clients are taken care of. She finds inspiration in meaningful design and loves it when spaces have a story to tell (if walls could talk!). Brooke graduated from Central Michigan with a Bachelor of Applied Arts in Sports Management and a Master of Science in Administration with a focus on Project Management.

When not helping our Project Leads stay organized, Brooke likes to unwind with a good book, spend time on the water, or hang out with her husband, Greg, and their pup, Ginny. She also enjoys being active, especially with her fellow Pure team members on the soccer field - GOOOO PURE!

Like many of his architectural heroes, Bryce is interested in design that draws on history and the use of rhetoric. He credits Louis Kahn, Mario Botta, and Terunobu Fujimori as being inspirations for his own work. Bryce received his Bachelor of Science in Mathematics & Interdisciplinary Physics from the University of Michigan in 2015 and his Master of Architecture in 2019 from Taubman College of Architecture & Urban Planning.

He is a talented, detail-oriented architect who spent four years in Chicago working on exciting commercial and institutional projects at a variety of scales throughout the big city and beyond. He found himself missing West Michigan and decided to bring his experience and his family back home.

Bryce can often be found outdoors doing some of his favorite things like reading, drawing, and hiking. Since being back in the Mitten, he’s enjoyed getting reacquainted with the Lakeshore’s trails and exploring them with his wife and son.

Lydia is a talented designer who loves story and meaning behind her work. She has always been a fan of Eileen Gray, an iconic architect and furniture designer during the modernist movement, who Lydia credits as her main inspiration. She also has a passion for projects that focus on local and community impacts, challenging how we as designers can better design for the people that occupy the spaces we create.

After graduating with a Bachelor of Interior Architecture from Lawrence Technological University, Lydia received her Master of Architecture. She has a holistic perspective on the built environment where she leverages both her interior and exterior expertise - creating spaces that consider all aspects of a design-build.

Lydia isn’t creative only in the office. She loves to spend her free time knitting, quilting, crocheting, and baking. You can also find her on the golf course or curled up with a good book while snacking on some dill pickle cashews.

Karl is a design mastermind with nearly forty years of architectural experience. His vast knowledge comes from working for some of the most prestigious firms in the country and leading many complex projects. You can see iconic influences in his design as he draws inspiration from visionary heroes Le Corbusier, Alvar Aalto, Zaha Hadid, Kieren Timberlake, and Pablo Picasso (to name a few). Karl received his formal architectural education at the University of Michigan, College of Architecture and Urban Planning, and took Health Care Planning courses at Harvard GSD.

A unique trait of Karl’s and one of the reasons he is valuable to the Pure team is his ability to work on all types of projects. His experience ranges from sports facilities to residential to education to laboratories to healthcare. A complicated renovation doesn’t make him sweat, in fact, he welcomes it! Karl holds value in project understanding and makes sure he’s aligned with client vision + goals from the start. He enjoys a team collaborative environment to reach these goals, which often makes complicated projects seem like a walk in the park.

When Karl’s not sketching out a design plan, he can be found traveling, on the water in a sailboat, or watching a PBS Masterpiece show.

Ciera is a well-rounded licensed architect with experience in custom residential, commercial, and education design. Her vast expertise gives her a thoughtful edge in design - showcasing a unique perspective on how spaces are used. Ciera received both her Bachelor of Science in Architecture and Master of Architecture from the University of Michigan.

Ciera is a true ace in and out of the workplace. She has a passion for mentoring, which has led her to work closely with ACE Mentoring for several years to help high school students discover the beauty of architecture and advocate for representation in this field, with a goal of making it more accessible to women and people of color. Ciera helped found the Milwaukee chapter and currently serves on the West Michigan chapter’s board.

In her free time, Ciera can be found tending to her garden, cooking up a new recipe with her husband, Jeff, and their daughter, or enjoying her go-to brunch order of a breakfast bowl and bloody mary!

Phil is a licensed architect who enjoys leading the team through tough problems. He is a fierce advocate for improving our industry for emerging professionals, designing for healthy and high-quality spaces that are beautiful and well-coordinated. Phil is constantly in pursuit of growing our collective knowledge while intentionally making space for the team to learn with him. Phil is a critical part of our team, bringing a thoughtful approach to our work, a passion for growth, and a design accountability to our clients. Phil earned both his Bachelor of Science in Architecture and Master of Architecture from Lawrence Technological University.

Phil, his wife Carrie, and their three children have roots in southeast Grand Rapids and enjoy being outdoors, engaging their community, and adventuring together.

Long is a multi-faceted architect with a strong background in education and multi-family spaces. He graduated from Lawrence Technological University in 2008 with his Bachelor’s in Architecture and in 2013 with his Master’s in Architecture. Long finds beauty in the simplicity of design, holding value in function and form.

During his career, Long took a role at Grand Rapids Public Schools (GRPS) as Director of Design, Construction, and Renovation in the Facilities Department. He led the district’s site and improvement efforts. After a few years of focusing his efforts on GRPS buildings, he felt called back to design. Long now uses his perspective from that highly dedicated role to help give first-class client experiences.

Traveling and spending time with family are some of his favorite ways to spend time outside of work. Don’t be surprised if you see him en route to a wrestling or mixed martial arts match, with family in tow of course!

Often inspired by people, nature, cities, and even her commute to the office, Anna believes Jeanne Gang said it best: “Good ideas come from everywhere. It’s more important to recognize a good idea than to author it.” 

Anna is an experienced architect with a career that has allowed her to learn and teach design. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art from Calvin College and a Master of Architecture from the University of Cincinnati. She kickstarted her career abroad in South Korea and found herself growing her skills in Chicago, Cincinnati, Boston, and Syracuse, NY. In New York, she had the opportunity to teach and create design courses for Syracuse University. She eventually found her way back to Michigan, where she and her husband put down roots.

You may spot Anna outside of the office gardening, camping, morel hunting, or plotting to build a sauna, but you won’t find her watching Forest Gump.

Hayden is a passionate and life-long learner. Her ability to dig deep into a new topic and meaningfully relate it back to her work positions her well in our practice. She was recently involved in a year-long project partnering with Corewell Health and the Michigan Health Endowment Fund to evaluate how design affects independent pharmacy operations and access to healthcare services among rural communities in Michigan. As part of her thesis, she conducted independent research in New York and Massachusetts to understand the cultural and spatial decay of coastal cities in the wake of the looming carbon crisis. Hayden received her Bachelor of Science in Interior Design from Michigan State University and received her Master of Architecture from Kendall College of Art and Design as part of Ferris State University. Hayden plans to pursue licensure, and jokes that if higher education was free, she would never leave! Maybe later in life, she will return to teach aspiring architects.

Hayden and her partner, Alex, are proud, new owners of an Airstream and a 1966 Mustang Fastback, both of which they plan to renovate over the next few years and are very excited to get both on the road! She has two cats, Bug and Ziggy, and they are just as much her shadows as she is theirs. She loves sharing cat photos and videos with her coworkers!

Quent, “Q”, leverages his imagination, interests, and lived experiences in our work. He is very socially conscious and this awareness has led him towards human-centered endeavors. He has a strong sense of duty to people and the planet and some of his ever-growing passions in the industry include mixed-use development, sustainable design, environmentally just materials, and connecting humans to nature. Q earned his Master of Architecture from Kendall College of Art and Design at Ferris State University, his Bachelor of Science in Biology and Allied Health Sciences from Grand Valley State University, and is an active Second Lieutenant and Platoon Leader for the 1433rd Engineering Company in the Michigan Army National Guard. He is a life-long learner and has Licensure and LEED Certification on the horizon.

Outside of the office, and Army, Q enjoys traveling with his wife, Erin. His other longtime love is sports, specifically playing basketball. He likes biking and once even swallowed a live goldfish for a fundraiser; not at the same time as riding a bike though, don’t worry!

Libby is a Designer and Visualizer driven to contribute to the creation of spaces that promote social equity through intentional and thoughtful architectural outcomes. She is passionate about sustainable, beautiful, and walkable experiences for everyone and feels compelled to deliver long-lasting, contextually relevant projects. Libby’s empathetic approach to design deeply resonates with clients as it is rooted in her lived perspective and unique ability to communicate with clients through powerful visuals. Libby earned both her Bachelor and Master of Architectural Design and Urbanism from Notre Dame. She studied in Rome, Italy, before practicing in San Francisco and Los Angeles, California. Since moving back to Michigan, she’s taken multiple trips back to Europe. These experiences make her a life-long student of the industry and inspire her to create opportunities to bring others along in the design process.

Outside of the office, you can find Libby, her husband, Peter, and their dog Banjo out on a hike, reading comic books, knitting, and enjoying a craft brew while laughing too hard together!

Carmen is a smoooooth operator! She focuses on collaboration and communication and uses her experience working with various clients and teams to facilitate seamless operations. Carmen’s background in various industries such as banking and mortgage closing, construction and geothermal purchasing, and hospitality has shaped her into the service star she is today! She loves to interact with clients, vendors, and team members to ensure efficiency and clarity on a day-to-day basis. 

In her free time, Carmen loves to cozy up with a good book or whip up her favorite recipe to enjoy with her husband and daughter. She’s also a creative at heart, stretching her creativity through embroidery and tattoo design. Carmen truly is a Jill of all trades filling roles of a licensed cosmetologist and an ordained minister!

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Brian is a licensed architect with well over twenty years of experience working on prominent architectural projects throughout the region. He is a fierce advocate for improving our industry for emerging professionals, designing for safer transit options, and keeping high-quality design accessible to everyone. He has a long history of serving on professional and non-profit boards including the American Institute of Architects, the City of Grand Rapids, Garfield Park Neighborhood Association, and Kendall College of Art and Design. He was the Advocacy Director for Grand Rapids Bicycle Coalition and a trail coordinator for the West Michigan Mountain Bike Associations with a mission of providing a unique riding experience that accommodates bikers of all ages and ability levels. For all of these reasons, Brian was AIA Grand Rapids’ 2019 Young Architect of the Year. Brian earned both his Bachelor of Science in Architecture and Master of Architecture from Lawrence Technological University.

Brian, his wife, and their two adopted boys have roots in southeast Grand Rapids and enjoy being outdoors, specifically biking, camping, paddle boarding, kayaking, and rock climbing, to name a few. His award winning home is a reflection of his commitment to the practice of sustainable architecture. Brian is also a self-proclaimed nerd, but lucky for us, he is our nerd!

Niki is a Lawerence Tech University alum, where she received her Bachelor's Degree in Fine Art. She later earned her Master's in Architecture from the University of British Columbia.  During her studies, Niki visited Mexico City to research and sketch their water infrastructure and related urban scale networks. Her schooling also took her to Berlin to study art subcultures around graffiti art. These experiences have helped shape her perspective as an architect, linking systems and art together.

Working in our Detroit office, she has goals of focusing on craft and material fusion alongside sustainable furniture creation. From graphic representation to architectural innovation to urban-scale research, Niki has been on a journey of increasing scale. Through this journey, she has found herself back to the idea of craft and detail and is reminded that small things often make the largest impact.

In her life outside of work, Niki finds joy in biking in the City of Detroit, attending techno events, and fixing up her Honda CT 90 1965.

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Steve is a highly experienced architect with over 30 years in the field of architecture, specializing in high-level planning, design services, and community engagement. He has been recognized for his impact on the profession of architecture, recently being awarded the Impact Award by AIA Southwest Michigan.

Steve is also a sought-after national speaker for his knowledge of design at various conferences, including the AIA Healthcare Facility Conference, the ASU Construction in Indian Country Conference, and the ASHE PDC Summit. His passion for architecture in Native lands has allowed him to work across the country, designing inclusive spaces for underserved communities.

Receiving both his Bachelor's and Master of Architecture from the University of Michigan, Steve is a lifetime learner. He uses his lived experience to understand the client’s perspective and help inform design.

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Kirk is a Detroit native and assists in leading the Detroit Studio. He manages our projects and pursuits in Southeast Michigan. He brings a robust, culturally competent perspective to our team. His educational and professional experiences abroad afford him opportunities to infuse those insights into the design process everyday. He is fluent in Spanish, creating space for us to meet clients and communities where they are. Kirk believes that architects serve a larger purpose in the design and construction process and he constantly pushes everyone to be their best self. Kirk attended the University of Michigan’s Taubman College of Architecture to earn his Bachelor Degree and went on to earn his Master of Architecture at University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras’ School of Architecture.

Kirk is also a professor at the University of Detroit Mercy bringing his passion to connect and inspire young people to his everyday experiences.

Blaine strives to really get to know our clients. He believes that when we understand their passions and how they will measure success, it helps us better process information and develop effective design solutions. He is constantly in pursuit of understanding the story of how we live each day and how it is distinctly influenced by the spaces we inhabit. Clients trust him to develop design strategies through this process and, in-turn, he becomes increasingly intentional, conscious, and reflective in each attempt. Over the last ten years, including time abroad practicing in Australia, he developed a strong understanding of how cultural, social, and economic conditions create opportunities for architects to be thoughtful in their work. Blaine received his Bachelor of Science in Architecture from Lawrence Technological University and is on the path to Licensure.

Blaine enjoys traveling, specifically around Europe, which is where he met his wife, Vesna. For him, sitting still is not an option! When he is in the States, he enjoys river kayaking trips, hiking, camping, and watching Formula One and Manchester United.

Mira is an Architectural Designer with a strong passion for social justice, accessibility, and environmental sustainability. These values have helped shape her career journey and inspire her to use design tools for meaningful impact. She has learned that effective design begins with listening, making it essential to creative solutions centered around human experience.

The University of Michigan is Mira’s alma mater where she received her Bachelor of Science in Architecture degree. The intersection of history and architecture has always intrigued Mira and drives her desire to explore examples of this relationship in the cities she visits. Her travel experiences have deepened her appreciation for the role of place in shaping both collective and individual identities.

When not designing, Mira likes to spend her time with family and friends traveling, dancing, or making use of Michigan’s great outdoors. She also loves to take on her husband, Caleb, in a strategic board game.

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