PKA Architecture

For Gabriel, architecture is ultimately about designing an experience—intuiting how an environment should feel, and then using light, space, line, and form to create it.

This experience is ultimately about designing a sense of place, and of home, that is uniquely individual to each of his clients and their richly divergent locales.

At the age of sixteen Gabriel lived abroad in Antwerp, Belgium, where he immersed himself in European culture, food, and football. After graduating with highest honors, Gabe headed east to Cornell University, one of the oldest architecture schools in the country. After spending three years in Ithaca and studying classical architecture and design in Rome, he was lured by the siren song of Soho.

Gabriel spent three memorable years in New York designing an array of extraordinary restaurants, hotels, nightclubs, and other environments for Serge Becker, the Paris-born, Swiss-Vietnamese impresario and designer of Bowery Bar, Area, M.K., and other haute hot spots. They also collaborated on sleek New York lofts and breathtaking Hamptons beach houses.

Recognizing his true passion for residential design, Gabriel returned home to Minneapolis. At Domain Architecture & Design, he found a kindred spirit in colleague Lars Peterssen and the duo designed award-winning traditional and contemporary homes, lofts, and cabins for clients in the Twin Cities and around the country. Driven by a desire to refine his own architectural style, Gabriel co-founded Peterssen/Keller Architecture in 2009. His scope is national--with homes under design in New York to California--and his work has been extensively featured in numerous national and international publications.

Today, Gabriel's life has come full circle--just the way he designed it. With a solid footing in the local community and a thriving family, Gabriel sees PKA's location in Minneapolis as the perfect platform for their developing portfolio of bespoke homes located around the country.

Gabriel is an Associate member of the AIA, where he has co-chaired the AIA MN Residential Architecture Committee, been a member of the Committee on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, and was part of the Intercultural Leadership Program. He also served on the Program Advisory Committee for the new Bachelor of Architecture program at Dunwoody College of Technology.

Outside of the office, Gabriel is an active volunteer within his community. He has supported and volunteered with Wilderness Inquiry for over 25 years, volunteered as an EMT with the Lake City Ambulance Service, and is now licensed paramedic with Hennepin EMS.

To contact Gabriel directly, please call our office at 612-353-4920 or reach him via email at gabriel@pkarch.com

For Kristine, architecture is storytelling. Whether she is designing a stunning organic modern home in Arizona, a luxurious condominium overlooking the Mississippi River or a cozy family cabin in northern Wisconsin.

Kristine always creates a profound and beautiful connection between the homeowners and the natural environment. Kristine has received numerous awards for her designs and her projects have been showcased on the AIA MN Homes by Architects Tour and in local, regional and national publications.

Kristine joined the firm in 2009 and was named a partner in 2014 and managing principal in 2020. A natural leader and mentor, her deep technical expertise, creativity and warmth have shaped the PKA studio. She mentors and nurtures her colleagues while fostering a dynamic culture of collaboration with clients, builders, interior designers, landscape architects and other partners.

Kristine also served as an adjunct faculty member in the School of Architecture within the College of Design at the University of Minnesota for more than a decade. She continues to be engaged in the College’s Mentor program, inspiring students and instilling confidence, autonomy and other vital skills. She also provides portfolio reviews and serves as a guest speaker and guest crit for studios, encouraging each student to develop their design thinking with thoughtful examination of the work to discover the essential purity of the design.

When Kristine’s not working, she enjoys a vast array of creative pursuits including watercolor and oil painting, photography, sketching and cooking. She also loves spending time with her husband Tom and their two Corgis, in and around the cabin they designed and built near Knife River in northern Minnesota. She recently completed her studio, which does double-duty as a maker space for painting and sculpture and a laboratory for new designs for clients and the renovation of her own mid-century home near Lotus Lake.

A native of Arizona and California, Kristine’s passion for art and architecture is as organic as her designs. When she was growing up in L.A., she loved exploring the city with her dad and seeing amazing homes nestled in the canyons and wondering who designed them. Kristine and her family then moved to the foothills of the Tucson Mountains, an experience that shaped her love of desert architecture and the Sonoran landscape.

Throughout high school, Kristine worked as an artist. Using India ink, she created archaeological drawings of pottery artifacts from ancient Zuni, HoHokam, Hopi and Casas Grandes cultural sites. She also drew custom line art illustrations for national catalogs. Kristine’s many interests and talents converged when she and her mom took a trip to Chicago. The magnitude of the cityscape crystallized her desire to design and create meaningful buildings, so after graduating from high school, she returned to the Midwest to attend the University of Minnesota, where she received her B.A. and a Master of Architecture.

To contact Kristine, please call 612-353-4920 or send a note to kristine@pkarch.com.

Andrew completed his graduate work in architecture at the University of Minnesota, earning a M.Arch in 2008 and a M.S. in Architecture and Sustainable Design in 2009.

Andrew focused his academic work on how architecture, buildings, and sites fit within the larger societal, infrastructural, and ecological systems that define our world. Professionally, Andrew is interested in how technology, both past and present, can be used to fully integrate environmental and ecological thinking into outstanding design.

Andrew came to architecture through his undergraduate work at Carleton College in Northfield, MN where, in 2005, he earned a B.A. in Studio Art. While his undergraduate work was focused on Studio Art, Andrew took courses across many subjects as well as studying in Norway, Australia and New Zealand, and at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design in Boston, feeding his natural curiosity.

When not working, Andrew continues to develop his artistic talents, with sketching, photography, and printmaking, as well as a growing interest in digital art and drawing—all while listening to copious amounts of Bob Dylan, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd.

To contact Andrew directly, please call our office at 612-353-4920 or reach him via email at andrew@pkarch.com

Ryan is a director with PKA Architecture. With over 15 years of residential design experience, his projects have been widely published and have received numerous awards, including Home of the Month, RAVE Awards and AIA Minnesota Honor Awards.

Whether he's working on a small kitchen remodel, a cabin renovation, or a new home, Ryan has a keen interest in seamlessly integrating sustainable practices into the design. He feels it is a great privilege to be entrusted by his clients to design their home, and he is passionate about making the design process a positive and collaborative experience between architect and client.

Prior to joining PKA Ryan worked at several award winning residential firms, including U+B Architecture & Design and Albertsson Hansen Architecture. Ryan studied architecture at both the University of Minnesota and the University of Wisconsin and is a LEED AP-certified, licensed architect in the State of Minnesota. He was part of the 2017 AIA Leadership Forum.

Ryan grew up in the cabin country of northern Wisconsin, and many of his hobbies revolve around the outdoors. He loves getting his children outside to camp, fish, and experience the Northwoods.

To contact Ryan directly, please call our office at 612-353-4920 or reach him via email at ryan@pkarch.com

When Chad was growing up in Aberdeen, South Dakota, he designed all kinds of things, including cars, shoes, and electronics.

Traveling through Europe on an architecture study trip solidified his life’s direction and his desire to impact people in a positive way. Chad attended North Dakota State University, where he received a Bachelor of Architecture and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Design. He moved to Minneapolis nearly 20 years ago, where he lives in a remodeled, mid-century split-level with abundant natural light. An aficionado of modernism, Chad believes that homes should be designed with a focus on site response, detail, and materiality to reflect current lifestyles, needs, and goals and convey a sense of timelessness. When Chad’s not in the design studio, he enjoys spending time with his kids Sophia and Brennan, attending concerts and architecture/design lectures, traveling, and experiencing other cultures.

Deftly balancing a wealth of commercial and residential design expertise, Brent has designed many notable custom projects including our own PKA building, known as 16Twenty, just west of Bde Maka Ska.

As Director of Development, Brent enjoys meeting with clients, developers, builders and interior designers to discuss possibilities for commercial and residential projects of all sizes. Passionate about the arts and technology, he’s continually developing new ways of presenting design ideas and exploring design options.

Brent joined PKA shortly after our inception and has designed many custom residential and commercial projects. He served as the PKA lead for the interior unit design at Eleven on the River in downtown Minneapolis and designed our Whitney Loft project, which was honored with a national award from Luxe Magazine. Brent’s work been published in local magazines, showcased in the AIA MN Homes by Architects Tour and featured in the AIA Minnesota Home of the Month program. Gifted with natural humility and a dry wit, Brent leads by example, quietly creating a culture of respect, collaboration and camaraderie in our studio. Because of his talent, work ethic and interpersonal skills, Brent was selected to participate in the 2019 AIA MN Leadership Forum.

A native of Bismarck, North Dakota, Brent received his Masters of Architecture & Bachelors of Environmental Design from North Dakota State University. As part of his studies, he spent time studying and traveling in India and Europe. When Brent’s not working or renovating a 1930s Cape Cod, he loves hiking the trails of the Twin Cities and traveling with his wife Ashley and son Eli.

As one of PKA’s most senior architects, Tammy brings deep technical expertise and a refined aesthetic to every project. Whether she’s carefully renovating a landmark home on Bde Maka Ska or designing a luxurious family retreat on Lake Minnetonka, Tammy always builds strong relationships with her clients and creates an exciting collaborative process with interior designers, builders, artisans and landscape architects.

Tammy began her career at HGA in Minneapolis, where she worked on high-profile commercial and education projects. While she exceled at designing large-scale buildings, she realized how much she enjoyed working directly with homeowners to design intimate living environments, so she turned her talents to residential design. She spent several years at ALTUS Architecture + Design and Albertsson Hansen Architecture before joining PKA.

As an architect, Tammy is a steward of PKA’s signature process and a mentor to her colleagues. A natural leader, Tammy manages complex projects with meticulous attention to detail, allowing her clients to relax and enjoy the process, even if they’re not in town. As Director of Operations, Tammy translates her leadership skills and project management skills to PKA’s business and staff operations.

For her thoughtful, timeless designs, Tammy has been honored with numerous awards from the Association of Licensed Architects, Residential Design, R.A.V.E. and BL.E.N.D. Her work has been showcased on the AIA MN Homes by Architects Tour and published in Artful Living, Mpls.St.Paul Home & Design and other magazines.

Outside of the office, Tammy enjoys traveling with friends and family. She also enjoys reading, tinkering on house projects, and participating in running events around the Twin Cities.

When Bob was honored with the prestigious AIA MN Emerging Talent award in 2019, it was a powerful testament to his architectural talents and design leadership.

As PKA’s Director of Projects, Bob is responsible for reviewing all PKA projects to ensure the highest levels of design and technical excellence. A gifted architect, Bob’s work is defined by clarity, simplicity and a profound connection to the land. He’s received many local and national design awards and his projects have been featured on the AIA MN Homes by Architects Tour and in Residential Design, Star Tribune, Mpls.St.Paul Home & Design and other publications.

A Wisconsin native, Bob received his Bachelor of Science, Architectural Studies (BSAS) from the University of Wisconsin—Milwaukee. He went on to study at the University of Oregon where he received his M.Arch degree. When Bob’s not working, he enjoys watching his kids’ soccer games with his wife Laurie, fly fishing, playing soccer and drawing.

Whether Craig is designing a modern condominium or a mixed-use development, he takes inspiration from his experiences, distilling the design down to its essence and allowing the materials and space to establish a deep emotional connection between people and the environment.

When Craig was working on his master of architecture degree at NDSU, his studies took him to Lille, France, an experience that illuminated the enduring power of architecture to shape the human experience. Just a short train ride away in Switzerland, Craig had the opportunity to experience The Therme Vals, a hotel and spa built over thermal springs. Designed by architect Peter Zumthor, this masterpiece of design intentionally provokes the senses by framing views to the mountains through stone colonnades, capturing daylight to illuminate each bath uniquely, and controlling acoustics through differences in material and special volume.

Equally drawn to residential and commercial architecture, he's designed a vast array of projects across Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. When Craig's not working, he enjoys remodeling his home. He loves sailing, walking around the lakes with Watson, his adopted golden retriever, and retreating to Colorado for a long weekend of deep powder skiing.

When Cynthia was growing up in the Boston area, she loved tinkering in her grandfather’s woodshop and helping her father with projects around their old houses.

Working with her hands fueled an appreciation of craft and an artistic curiosity that led to studies at Rhode Island School of Design and a career in architecture. Drawn to the wide, open spaces, seasonal changes, and multitude of bike trails, Cynthia came to Minnesota more than 20 years ago. After honing her technical skills in commercial architecture, Cynthia returned to her love of the personal scale of residential design and joined PKA as a designer and drafter. For Cynthia, good design is inventive, functional, comfortable, and memorable. She respects well crafted, existing homes and enjoys refreshing and renewing them with current methods and materials. Cynthia loves being part of a team, collaborating with clients to bring a vision to reality, and sharing the delight she finds in the light, warmth, and tactility of expertly designed spaces. When she’s not in the design studio, Cynthia, an accomplished potter, enjoys working on her own creations and continuously improving her old house and gardens.

Cindy is a licensed architect in the State of Minnesota.

With a rich background in fine arts, graphic design, environmental studies, landscape design, and a degree in the design of architecture from the University of Minnesota, Ashley loves using her diverse experiences to create something multifaceted and meaningful for every client..

Ashley enjoys the iterative process of architectural design and working through materiality studies using renderings. She is ambidextrous with 3D visualization tools and keeps current by dabbling in digital fabrication and laser arts. As a LEED-accredited professional in building design and construction, Ashley has stewarded projects through LEED certification, ensuring their success. An active member of The American Institute of Architects and a member of the Women in Architecture group, Ashley helps further the development of women in the field by creating networking events and mentoring connections. She has also served as a guest architecture instructor at multiple schools in the Twin Cities. When Ashley’s not working, she enjoys practicing yoga, taking in live music, and meticulously renovating her south Minneapolis home she shares with an elderly Jack Russell terrier and her companion Andrew.

After graduating from North Dakota State University with a double degree in Architecture and Environmental Design, Corey moved to the Twin Cities.

Of all Corey’s many career-defining moments, the first was in second grade when his teacher invited the class to design T-shirts that answered the question, “What would you like to be when you grow up?” Without hesitation, Corey picked up a paint brush and drew a glass office building with the word “architect” in big bold letters above it. While he could never have dreamed his vision would become reality, that’s exactly what happened. After graduating from North Dakota State University with a double degree in Architecture and Environmental Design, Corey moved to the Twin Cities. He spent several years designing modern glass office buildings and other commercial projects when destiny presented another defining moment. Corey and his partner, a structural engineer, acquired a mid-century home in Roseville and embarked on an extensive whole-house renovation. Along the way, Corey discovered his passion for home design and joined PKA, where he brings his many talents to residential and boutique commercial projects.​

Alyssa grew up on a hobby farm in the lush Wisconsin countryside with long views of the sunrise and sunset. When she wasn’t building rock-walled fortresses with prairie grass rooms, she loved sketching dream homes, designing Lego houses and touring the parade of homes.

Alyssa grew up on a hobby farm in the lush Wisconsin countryside with long views of the sunrise and sunset. When she wasn’t building rock-walled fortresses with prairie grass rooms, she loved sketching dream homes, designing Lego houses and touring the parade of homes. A high school computer drafting course and a tour of Calatrava’s addition to the Milwaukee Art Museum helped solidify her passion for architecture. She received her B.S. in architecture from the University of Minnesota and a Master of Architecture from Ball State University. When Alyssa’s not working, she loves exploring the Twin Cities with her husband, Josh, and Luna, their golden retriever. In between tending her garden and building a patio, she dreams of designing a perfect little jewel box of a cozy, light-filled cabin on a lake in the Northwoods with long views of the sunrise and sunset.

Alyssa is a licensed architect in the State of Minnesota.

Peter’s passion for architecture took root on his family’s apple orchard and farm in Bayfield, Wisconsin.

In between building tree forts with scrap material and helping his parents construct outbuildings and renovate their home, Peter became fascinated by design and construction.

Peter attended the University of Minnesota where he received a Bachelor of Science in Architecture with a minor in Landscape Design and Planning. An admirer of Luis Barragan’s serene modernist homes and gardens, Peter also spent a semester studying architecture in Mexico.

Prior to joining PKA, Peter was a designer at Choice Wood Company where he immersed himself in residential design and construction. In addition to architecture, he enjoys photography, biking, downhill skiing, and camping. Peter and his girlfriend Sonia live in the Hiawatha neighborhood of Minneapolis. On Peter’s bucket list: designing and building his own cabin on the north shore of Lake Superior.

Matt’s creative problem-solving skills and passion for travel have taken him around the world from the Great Plains of the Midwest to the German Alps, Spain and Australia before landing back in South Minneapolis, where he’s bringing his expertise in building luxury architectural elements and retail environments to residential and commercial design.

Along the way, he earned a Master's in Architecture from North Dakota State University. Post-graduation, his appetite for continued learning and self-improvement led him to complete certificates in metalworking, parametric architecture and digital fabrication. Matt is excited to brings his eight years’ cumulative experience building luxury retail displays and ‘wow factor’ architectural elements into a designer role. When Matt’s not working or renovating his quintessential Minneapolis home near Lake Nokomis, he spends his time designing and building furniture--combining digital techniques with traditional hand tooling. Matt embraces his Nordic heritage and enjoys downhill and cross-country skiing. Among Matt’s proudest accomplishments, he’s traveled in nearly 50 countries and run a marathon in three hours and five minutes.

Ashley’s design career has come full circle. After graduating from the University of Minnesota with a B.S. in Architecture, she interned in the PKA studio for two years.

Ashley’s design career has come full circle. After graduating from the University of Minnesota with a B.S. in Architecture, she interned in the PKA studio for two years. She then completed her Masters of Architecture degree with a thesis on White Oaks Savanna at the University's College of Design and then came back to our firm. Ashley is of Dutch ancestry and like painter Johannes Vermeer, she has a profound reverence for domestic life. She loves designing homes that serve as containers of life, always evolving to reflect a family’s story. When she’s not working, Ashley loves visiting family and friends on the west coast, playing competitive beach volleyball and exploring her East Isles neighborhood. Inspired by her appreciation for the beautiful chaos of life, her dream project is to design and curate a container of curiosities like the iconic mid-century House on the Rock in Spring Green, Wisconsin.

For Pria, growing up in California was a seminal design experience. She and her family took frequent road trips and she loved looking through the window at homes and buildings as they flew by and then drawing—and usually redesigning—them.

Surrounded by architectural landmarks like William Mooser III’s Santa Barbara Courthouse, Myron Hunt’s Rose Bowl in Pasadena and Julia Morgan’s Riverside Art Museum, Fairmont Hotel and Hearst Castle, Pria was inspired to study architectural history and Mesoamerican and Andean art at the University of California Santa Barbara. She then moved to Minnesota to pursue a M.Arch at the University of Minnesota College of Design. When Pria’s not designing or traveling, she loves playing golf, discovering new coffee shops, and cooking while watching true crime documentaries. Pria’s dream project? Inspired by author Wiliam Pène du Bois’s 1947 classic The Twenty-One Balloons, she’d love to design a hidden island community of whimsical homes that do double-duty as restaurants.

Claire Olson grew up in Andover, Minnesota. At a young age, she learned the craft of woodworking from her grandfather and father, an experience that led to an all-consuming passion for architecture.

After completing her undergraduate degree at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Claire received her master’s in architecture from the University of Minnesota. Among her many accomplishments, she collaborated with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Joy Collaboration and Gardner Builders on a pro-bono game room for a family dealing with cystic fibrosis. A devotee of smaller scale buildings loaded with detail, Claire has traveled extensively throughout Scandinavia and Mexico, where she fell in love with Bagsværd Church outside of Copenhagen, St Mark's Church in Bjorkhagen near Stockholm and Casa Luis Barragan in Mexico City. When she’s not designing buildings, she enjoys traipsing through the northern woods, crafting furniture in her dad’s garage and being at home with a good book and a solidly English cup of tea. Claire's dream projects include a sustainable modern cooperative housing project and her own interpretation of A Walking City, a hypothetical project designed in the 1960s by Ron Herron of Archigram.

Colin’s talent and passion for architecture have taken him from Judson University in the heart of the Midwest to Scandinavia, where he studied at the Bergen School of Architecture in Norway.

He received his Master of Science in Architecture from the Bauhaus University in Weimar, Germany, where he earned high marks on his thesis project, the proposed transformation of an old Minneapolis rail line into a thriving bicycle corridor.

Colin’s professional career began in Minneapolis, where he interned at a firm that specializes in Passive House projects, an experience that sparked his interest in sustainable building practices. He then moved back across the pond to London, where he designed mixed-use projects and learned the fine art of citywide placemaking and urban planning at Patel & Taylor. Colin continued to refine his design sensibilities at Piercy & Company, working on smaller projects set in historically sensitive contexts. In addition to a plethora of passport stamps, Colin has amassed a myriad of memorable experiences, including assisting in the renovation of an 18^th-century German castle, hand-surveying a storied 19^th-century Victorian mansion that was home to a British prime minister, and exploring the London home of neoclassical architect Sir John Soane. When Colin’s not in the studio, he enjoys going on hikes and traveling. His dream project? A purpose-built, richly detailed neighborhood pub by Lake of the Isles with Danish Mikkeller on tap and Spanish tapas on the menu.

Anna Beth grew up in a town so small, it almost doesn’t exist. Nestled in the foothills of Washington’s Mount Baker Snoqualmie Forest, Deming was an ideal place for an imaginative child.

Anna Beth spent countless hours drawing dream houses with a palette of technicolor materials and bean bag chairs for furniture. Her talents led her to study architecture at the University of Washington, Seattle with a semester at the Aarhus School of Architecture in Denmark. During the summers, Anna Beth worked on a commercial fishing tender boat in southeast Alaska, delivering fuel, ice and groceries to the fishing boats, and buying fish for transport back to the canneries.

After graduating from the University of Washington, Seattle with a degree in Architectural Design, Anna Beth assisted with construction administration and FFE installation for a UW campus redevelopment project designed by KieranTimberlake. She also interned at Graham Baba Architects in Seattle before moving to Bellingham where she worked for RMC Architects for several years. Heeding the siren call of adventure, Anna Beth moved to Minneapolis sight unseen to attend the University of Minnesota College of Design. She received her Master’s in Architecture and was honored with the Richard Morrill Final Project Award for her Master’s Final Project.

When Anna Beth’s not designing homes, she loves painting, sketching and exploring the Twin Cities with her husband and their dog Pika. Her dream project? Designing and building a homestead/self-subsistence farm on a gorgeous, five-acre site with views of the Canadian Rockies near her hometown in rural Washington.

A recent graduate of Iowa State University’s highly regarded architecture program, Hannah shares our belief that great design transcends styles and geography.

A recent graduate of Iowa State University’s highly regarded architecture program, Hannah shares our belief that great design transcends styles and geography. She appreciates all types of architecture, from NYC’s Flatiron Building designed by Daniel Burnham and Frederick Dinkleburg, to Frank Lloyd’s Fallingwater, and Beijing’s CCTV building designed by Rem Koolhaas and Ole Scheeren.

A native of St. Michael, Minnesota, Hannah has always enjoyed the process of making a home both beautiful and functional. When she’s not working, she enjoys traveling, playing tennis, discovering new coffee shops and spending time with family and friends. Her dream project? Becoming her own client and designing her own custom home.

Kayla grew up in the historic city of Hastings on the Mississippi River, an environment that shaped her passion for architecture and nature. She’s a devotee of Elizabeth Scheu Close, often called Minnesota’s first modern architect, and an aficionado of Prairie Style architecture and Scandinavian modern design.

Kayla holds a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Minnesota College of Design. Her thesis project, entitled “Domestic Publicity,” was nominated for the Richard Morrill Award. As an architectural commentary on the age of social media, Kayla imagined a residential space intentionally designed to broadcast a falsified lifestyle. She explored the relationship between media and residential architecture, focusing specifically on the impact of social media on design and how it influences perception of space and reality.

Kayla also received her Bachelor of Design in Architecture from the University of Minnesota with studies in Paris, Rotterdam and London. When she’s not designing in the PKA studio, Kayla loves downhill ski racing, waterskiing, cooking and listening to soundtracks from her favorite musicals. Her dream project? Designing a slope-side ski home in the mountains.

As an architectural designer, artisan woodworker and gifted fabricator, Derek Ronding brings an impressive mix of craft and technology to the PKA studio. Whether he’s sketching by hand, visualizing possibilities with 3D modeling or building a physical model, Derek excels at creating and refining architectural concepts to reflect the design intent.

A native of Superior, Wisconsin, Derek received his M.Arch and B.S. in Architecture from the University of Minnesota College of Design. He also studied in Copenhagen, where he immersed himself in Danish design and culture. Prior to joining PKA, Derek spent several years designing and fabricating custom one-of-a-kind furniture, an experience that informed his passion for materiality and details. In homage to Gerrit Rietveld, one of his favorite furniture designers, Derek crafted a replica of Rietveld’s 1917 Red Blue chair. He also designed and built a dining table of solid cherry wood that he and his partner Maddie use every day. When Derek’s not in the studio or his workshop, he enjoys cooking and biking with Maddie, and spending time with their dog Lola and their two cats, Mr. Bean and Ember. His dream project? Designing a park pavilion and building it with foraged materials from the park.

Like many of our clients, Leslie Solano is equally at home in two worlds: Montrose, Minnesota and Nayarit, Mexico, where she designed the interiors of her family’s homes in Xalisco and Tepic.

Leslie discovered her passion for design at an early age, when she accompanied her father, the owner of a siding company, on job sites. Her talents and technical skills led her to the University of Minnesota College of Design, where she’s pursuing her master’s degree in architecture.

When Leslie’s not studying or working in the PKA studio, she enjoys dancing to Latin music, hanging out with her dogs Bruno, a German Shepherd mix, and Francesca, a French Bulldog, and soaking up the sun with her family on the Isla del Coral, Playa Miramar, Playa Punta Mita and other gorgeous Mexican beaches.

Suleeman brings an exciting combination of advanced 3D modeling expertise and inspired design thinking to the PKA studio. He especially enjoys the early stages of schematic design, where he uses his Sketch-Up talents to explore possibilities, expand ideas and bring concepts to life.

Suleeman received his Bachelor of Science in Architecture degree from the University of Minnesota. For his final architecture project, he took part in a Capstone University of Minnesota project that allowed him and his colleagues to explore the role of cultural institutions and create their own architecture organization. Through his architecture studies, Suleeman used design thinking to research and create Somali designs for architecture and graphic design. He also worked in the University of Minnesota Architecture Library and served as an Architecture Mentor at the Weisman Art Museum.

When he’s not in the studio, Suleeman enjoys cooking, jogging, drawing and volunteering. For his contributions to the University YMCA and Big Brother Big Sister Twin Cities, he was honored with the Jeffersons Award from Multiplying Good, a national non-profit co-founded by Jacqueline Onassis that empowers and helps individuals and organizations create change in their community.

Michael brings a unique combination of technical modeling expertise and artistry to our studio.

A recent graduate of the University of Minnesota, he received his Bachelor of Science degree with a minor in Landscape Planning from the College of Design. Inspired by the work of Kengo Kuma and Frank Gehry, Michael enjoys using Rhino, Sketchup and other 3-D modeling tools to combine the principles of Brutalism with organic, curvilinear forms to create his own form of eco-Brutalism. His dream project? Paying homage to Wright’s Broadacre City and re-envisioning an urban neighborhood to create a beautiful and sustainable environment. When Michael’s not in the studio, he enjoys listening to music, camping with family and friends, and working on sketches, graphic design and photography-based projects.

Jacqui’s peripatetic path to architecture started in Asturias, a rugged principality dotted with medieval castles on the northern coast of Spain. She and her family moved to Dallas when she was 11, where she learned to speak English, and eventually settled in upstate New York.

Having lived in many places in a myriad of different homes, Jacqui was drawn to take an architecture class in high school. Gifted in art, math and physics, she won an Architectural Achievement Award, which crystallized her desire to become an architect. Next stop on her journey was Minnesota, where she became the first person in her family to earn a college degree. After graduating with a Bachelor of Design in Architecture with a minor in Interior Design from the University of Minnesota College of Design, she joined PKA.

When Jacqui is not in the studio, she loves cooking, painting, hanging out with her Dachshund puppy and cat, returning to Spain and exploring Mexico and the Dominican Republic. Her dream project? Designing her own home on the coast of Spain. Inspired by Fran Silvestre and Wright; Chalet Jacqueline will have a guest house for Jacqui’s Ukrainian family, a floating pool, a training gym, a design studio and a Star Wars-themed movie theater!

Pam is a modern Renaissance woman.

Passionate about outstanding customer service, beautiful design, and luxury products, Pam goes above and beyond to create unique experiences for PKA clients and colleagues. Whether she’s managing the office, masterminding the annual PKA office party, or caring for the team in a myriad of thoughtful ways, Pam brings warmth and style to everything she does.

Prior to joining PKA, Pam was in sales, training, and human resources at Dayton’s/Hudson’s/Marshall Fields. A true Francophile, she has served as the executive director of the French American Chamber of Commerce. She’s also active in politics at the state and national level.

Equal parts Ina Garten, a.k.a. The Barefoot Contessa, and Martha Stewart, Pam somehow finds time to tend her boulevard butterfly garden, make artisan jams and preserves, maintain her vast collection of china, crystal, silver, and table linens, and host an annual homemade pie and ice cream social for more than 200 of her closest friends. She holds degrees in historic costume, museum curatorship, and anthropology.

A fourth-generation Iron Ranger, Patty inherited her adventurous spirit, rigorous work ethic and boundless creativity from her great-grandparents, who came to Northern Minnesota more than a century ago from Slovenia, Finland and Austria. After growing up in Ely, Patty moved to Duluth, where she graduated from the University of Minnesota-Duluth with her Bachelor of Science degree in education and minors in coaching and social science.

When life offered an opportunity to live overseas, Patty jumped at the chance. In between exploring London, Birmingham and the Cotswolds, where she fell in love with the bucolic landscape and timeless architecture, Patty started her own custom stationery business. After returning to Minneapolis to be closer to her family, Patty turned her many talents to custom home construction and renovation, where she designed cabinetry and created comfortable, functional and livable spaces.

As our controller, Patty brings her passion for design, exceptional organizational skills and coaching expertise to our studio. When she’s not creating highly efficient workflows for our team and clients, she enjoys playing pickleball, going to local farmers markets and biking and hiking with her husband and two children. An avid cook and artisan baker, Patty loves carrying on her family’s old world traditions by making apple potica, savory meat pasties, sourdough bread and other homemade treats for her family and friends.

Melinda is the director of marketing for PKA. She loves architecture, design, and culture, and her greatest joy is introducing like-minded people to each other and watching the beautiful results unfold.

Melinda is passionate about both traditional and contemporary architecture—her favorite buildings in the Twin Cities are the enchanting Lake Harriet Bandshell and the ethereal ING Reliastar building in downtown Minneapolis.

Melinda is also an award-winning writer and editor. She is a co-author with photographer Karen Melvin of Great Homes of Summit Avenue and the Hill District. Melinda's work has also appeared in Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, Twin Cities Business, Artful Living, Sun Country Airlines magazine, and other publications.

Melinda is an associate member of the American Institute of Architects and the Excelsior Historic Preservation Commission. When she's not working, she loves traveling with her children and swimming in Lake Minnetonka with Sugar, the world's most amusing yellow Labrador.

Passionate about architecture and travel, preferably at the same time, Ted’s passport is filled with stamps from Canada, Hong Kong, Nepal, and other far-flung places.

After growing up in Minnesota, Ted went east to Bates College in Maine where he studied religion. His studies took him to Nepal, where he documented Buddhist and Hindu architecture and discovered his interest in sacred spaces and his passion for environmental design. Ted then went west to the University of the Oregon, one of the foremost sustainable design programs in the country. He also did studio work at the UC Berkeley and the University of Hong Kong. After receiving a master’s degree in architecture (and a student design award for his master’s thesis), Ted went north to Vancouver, British Columbia. He spent several years designing sustainable university buildings and custom “west coast modern” homes before returning to Minneapolis. When he’s not at PKA, he enjoys cycling, running, and skiing with his wife Joy, an architect, and their children Caroline and Oliver.

Ted is a licensed architect in the State of Minnesota.

…Design works in mysterious ways. If Lars Peterssen and his husband R.D. Zimmerman hadn’t seen Argentine architect/industrial designer Emilio Ambasz speak at the Walker Art Center in the early 1980s, they might have left Minneapolis for Seattle so that Lars could pursue his career in supercomputing.

"…Design works in mysterious ways. If Lars Peterssen and his husband R.D. Zimmerman hadn’t seen Argentine architect/industrial designer Emilio Ambasz speak at the Walker Art Center in the early 1980s, they might have left Minneapolis for Seattle so that Lars could pursue his career in supercomputing.”

…Fortunately, Lars was transfixed by Ambasz’s belief in the integration of architecture, landscape design and product design. Recognizing that architecture, like science, requires an analytical approach to problem solving, only on a grander and infinitely more beautiful scale, Lars left his job at Control Data and enrolled in the College of Design at the University of Minnesota.

After graduating with a Master of Architecture degree and the AIA Henry Adams Medal, Lars became a professor at the University where he received the Frederick Mann Award for Disciplinary Service. Lars then worked at Meyer, Scherer, and Rockcastle and The Cuningham Group before co-founding Domain Architecture & Design.

In the next chapter of Lars’ incredible career, he and Gabriel Keller co-founded Peterssen/Keller Architecture in 2009. Guided by a passion for organic modern design and a uniquely collaborative design process, the firm grew rapidly. Over the next decade, Lars and Gabriel named Kristine Anderson co-principal and they designed and built a new studio in Uptown, completed over 200 residential and boutique commercial projects for clients all over the country and won numerous awards and accolades for the firm’s work.

Lars passed away from complications of frontotemporal degeneration in November 2020. Before he passed, AIA Minnesota honored him with the 2020 Special Award for his contributions to architectural education, advancement of technology and mentorship to architecture professionals.

Lars loved Minneapolis and he and R.D. made countless contributions to the community through mentorship, engagement and philanthropy. Lars’s elegant, thoughtful designs continue to shape residential architecture across the region and his friendships with clients and colleagues will endure forever.

Ted Martin/Denise Wilkens/Carl Olson/Sarah St. Louis/Bridgette Marso/Amanda Chial/Nancy Britt/David Swan/Josh Franco/Jason Miskowiec/Mikki Heckman/Bennett Bossert/Derek Holmer/Peter Watkins/Theo Grothe/Jason Briles/Laura Cayere-King/Molly Reichert/Brian Ivers/Dan Dang/Lucjan Rostkowski-Covington/Tommy Everson/Jonathan Dessi-Olive/Ayan Yusuf/Michael Meline/Michelle Heckman/Sophia Healy/Ian Pangburn/Zixing He/Bobby Smith/ Timothy Bell-Kemp/ Isaac Garcia/ Justin Davis/ Jared Nurnberger/ Emmett Fish/ Sofia Fish/ Ethan Le Moine/ Ryan Lothenbach