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 national designer with 18+ 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 began through a work exchange program where she worked for a small firm in Croatia. She then found her way to Nevada, 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 as an architect. Though Jeni has a passion for design excellence, she also loves technical architecture and project management.  One of her favorite aspects of architecture is listening and understanding the needs of building users  and utilizing that information to create the best possible solution. She excels in coordinating large projects that involve multiple stakeholders - it really does take a village!

Jeni spends her free time planning trips 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 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 and business associations, and as a participant 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!

With two decades of diverse architectural practiceexperience, Aaron cultivates our design thinking and working to ensure ourprojects are consistently excellent for all our clients. He translates complexdesign ideas into simple, elegant, and enduring architectural outcomes thatcenter occupant well-being, environmental health, and authenticity.

As an Architect and designer, he is a passionate and curious problem solver,creative thinker, and skilled communicator that delivers design results.

Today, designing requires a deep understanding of the social, cultural, financial, environmental and psychological context in which our work is created. Aaron excels at identifying, acknowledging, embracing, and manifesting these considerations in our work.

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

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Bio to come.

Emily supports the Pure team through her attention to detail and her thoughtful approach to serving others. She loves working with people and creating spaces where everyone feels welcomed, heard, and valued. She grew up in a construction family building homes, including their own, embracing the impact that architecture and design have on her life.

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 and a minor in Business.

In her free time, you can find Emily spending time with her husband Tyler and their son Harrison, who keeps life full of energy and perspective. She enjoys traveling, hiking, listening to audiobooks, and putting love into her family's custom-built home, where the projects never seem to end. Come fall, you'll find her cozied up with her family, cheering on the Lions.

Alexis is a versatile marketing professional with 15+ years of experience.  With a background in construction and a passion for design and inclusivity, she found the Pure office to be a perfect fit.  After earning her BA in Sociology and Writing from Grand Valley State University, Alexis spent many years working for a construction manager, where she gained an understanding of the creativity and intention behind crafting the built environment.  She has also served on the West Michigan Minority Contractors board, acted as a mentor for Construction Allies in Action, and volunteered for a variety of community organizations including the Fair Housing Association, Friends of Grand Rapids Parks, and the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts.

In her free time, Alexis can be found enjoying the Michigan outdoors with her husband, three kids, and many pets. She also designs and illustrates book covers for horror fiction and young adult novels.  

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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 components.

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 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!

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.

Nate’s passion for architecture emerged at a young age, when house plan magazines replaced comics and video games were switched out with design programs. Initially inspired by residential architecture visionaries like Frank Lloyd Wright and Greene and Greene, his journey has evolved across 13+ years in the industry to embrace a diverse portfolio of commercial projects.

As a designer who embodies our values of empathy and accountability, Nate approaches each project with unwavering client focus, ensuring stakeholder perspectives remain central throughout the design process. Nate brings his values-driven approach to every project, informed by both his Master of Architecture and Bachelor's degree from Judson University. Beyond the drawing board, Nate embraces well-being through quality time with his family — whether at car shows, enjoying lakeside activities, or participating in sports.

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!

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!

Anna is easily inspired and believes Jeanne Gang said it best: “Good ideas come from everywhere. It’s more important to recognize a good idea than to author it.”

An experienced architect with international experience, a passion for fine art, and a philosophical approach to design; Anna views architecture as an act of connection - between people, their environment, and the communities they inhabit. She aims to make the design process as meaningful for her clients as the built result.

With a B.A. in Studio Art from Calvin University and a Master of Architecture from the University of Cincinnati, she began her career in South Korea and worked in Chicago, Cincinnati, Boston, and Syracuse before settling back home in Grand Rapids.

When she’s not designing, Anna enjoys gardening, morel hunting, and spending time outdoors in all seasons with her husband and three children.

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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.

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!

Elijah is an architectural designer with a deep passion for design within the urban landscape. He finds creating spaces that enhance the daily lives of their users to be a fulfilling career path. Elijah was drawn to Pure because its core values align with his personal values, and he found a great fit within the company culture.

While earning his M.Arch from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Elijah conducted international research on housing in Tanzania and Thailand.He also had the opportunity to present his work from his travels to Thailand at the ARCC Conference in Denmark. These experiences reinforced his philosophy that people are central to every part of design.

In his free time, Elijah enjoys spending as much time outdoors as possible, whether camping, hiking, or near a body of water. He cherishes time with his partner, Megan, and his family and friends. His weekends are also often spent watching Formula 1 racing and reading

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Blaine is a versatile architectural designer with an intentional, conscious, and reflective approach to understanding our clients. He believes that when we familiarize ourselves with clients’ missions and performance metrics, we can develop more effective design solutions and strategies.

Over the last ten years, including time abroad practicing in Australia, he developed a strong understanding of how diverse 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 the world, particularly Europe which is where he met his wife, Vesna. When he is in the States, he enjoys kayaking, hiking, camping, and watching Formula One and Manchester United.

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

Mira received her Bachelor of Science in Architecture degree from the University of Michigan.  As part of her commitment to continuing education and sustainability, she is a member of the International Living Future Institute and serves on Pure’s Healthy Materials Coalition.

When not designing, Mira likes to spend her time with family and friends, traveling, reading, 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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Don’t let Carmen’s calm and serene demeanor fool you – she’s a well-organized, detail-oriented professional who keeps our office running efficiently and seamlessly.  Carmen handles the day-to-day operations at Pure Architects, including accounts payable and accounts receivable, office administration, scheduling, and community relations.

With experience in multiple industries including banking, hospitality, and purchasing, she  brings a versatile skill set and ease in working with a wide range of clients.  Her positive attitude creates a welcoming environment, while her communication skills help her navigate challenges with grace, often making it all look effortless.

Outside of work, Carmen enjoys reading, cooking, and spending time with her husband and daughter.