Avec Design + Build

Upon entering the industry nearly a decade ago, Derek discovered his affinity was within the construction process.  With a passion of seeing things come together, he enjoys engaging in the process at the detail level, working through the nitty gritty until the initial vision becomes a finished project.  His propensity to create, infuses his ideas of architecture and the built environment, arriving at solutions that fit the needs and personality of the end user. Derek’s pursuit to understand mechanization drives his desire to engage a client throughout the process of a project. His attention to craft and detail results in a functional, buildable, and tangible reality.

Eliz’s years of experience master planning complex projects with multiple user groups and public boards has equipped her to be a great listener and empowers her to bring together multiple ideas and opinions into feasible, practical, and affordable yet well designed solutions. Her ability to present a complicated program in a graphical and easy to understand way is an attribute that is greatly appreciated by her clients. It is also Eliz’s precise documentation and meticulous detail that leaves the owner with the confidence to know that nothing has gone unexplored. Her passion for improving places of learning drove Eliz to pursue certification as an Educational Facility Planner, establishing her as the first in Iowa to receive this designation.

Passionate about people and creating spaces they will enjoy, Jason uses his creativity and organizational skills to take a big picture concept to the most detailed level of constructability.  His strengths include being a good listener and communicator while working with clients, the design team, and the construction team. He delivers projects within budget and schedule while honoring well thoughtout design. Jason has over a decade of industry experience in a variety of project types, including commercial, office, education, collegiate, performance, worship, health care, senior living, restoration, sports, and residential.

Intrigued by the intricacies of human-centered design and the built environment, Adam joined the Avec team as a graduate of Interdisciplinary Design accompanied by an entrepreneurial background and a variety of commercial and residential construction experience. Adam also maintains a degree in audio production and engineering, a skill that has taught him the value of emphasizing pre-production processes and front-end ideation which translates well into the design industry. He believes that good design has the power to influence people’s behaviors and positively impact a community. Adam thrives on challenging traditional modes by seeking out and incorporating innovative solutions to complex problems.

Chris grew up in the construction industry, starting as a carpenter in Ames and surrounding communities before taking on roles in design and project management. Hands-on experience and enthusiasm for the construction process inform his problem-solving approach, and Chris displays a mastery of interpreting the complexities of every project he designs while providing clear communication with his clients and team members. Technically skilled and focused on the task at hand, Chris has a deep understanding of the detailed aspects of architectural design, and brings a wealth of industry knowledge to the Avec team.

As a registered Architect, Eryn has the years of experience it takes to deliver a built project, but it’s her talent in creating color graphic representations of interior and exterior 3-D images and renderings that set her apart. She loves to help clients arrive at the “ah-ha” moment during the design process where they can see the design come alive. This provides a sense of confidence in the design that just can’t be accomplished through flat black and white drawings. In addition to this, Eryn’s interest and technical approach to color theory, spacial relationships, and general problem solving offer a highly sought after skill set to our team.

Utilizing a discerning eye for design, Jamel leveraged her background in large scale department store Visual Merchandising at a store and Regional Director level. This experience allowed her to hone skills of color and texture mastery as well as in the spatial aspect of design. Her expertise in presentation standards and ability to identify, understand and translate aesthetic qualities led her back to her Interior Design foundation. Jamel brings deep experience in design and project coordination ranging from simple room remodels to new, full scale construction projects. Her solid listening skills along with a disciplined, creative, and relatable approach, bring value to any project and are a benefit to each client, resulting in superior finish and design outcomes.