i am AL . architect . collaborator . exporer

about me : : Hi! My name is Al (short for Alison, not Artificial Intelligence ;)

Professionally, I am an architect whose current focus is bridging the gap between landscape and architecture – exploring how living systems can be integrated into buildings and urban environments in meaningful, lasting ways.

I’ve always had a deep appreciation for well-executed architectural details and materials that engage the senses. I learn quickly, work smart, and enjoy coordinating with like-minded professionals and craftspeople.

Outside of the office, I am a food-loving adventurer, keen on exploring the world, be it on my own two feet or rolling on two wheels.

An example of this: a couple of years ago, I set out on a solo bike trip from my home in Germany through the Balkans all the way to the west coast of Greece. It was, in a word, spectacular.

Beyond that, I’m into peanut butter and chocolate (especially together), graphic design, foreign languages, tactile textures, alliterations, clever t-shirts, and the occasional spontaneous dance session.

When I’m feeling creative, I sketch or write. I photograph and bike – just not at the same time. I lift heavy weights, and I love good food.

I’m a bit of everything, multifaceted, if you will. I’ve never fit neatly into one box or stereotype – and I prefer it that way. I’m always evolving, always ready to grow.

philosophy : : Local Community + Collaboration + Nature = the Future

The built environment is constantly evolving.

What began as a basic need for shelter eventually became a playground for emperors and the wealthy. Somewhere along the way, though, design lost its direction.

Architecture has become too isolated… building for building’s sake. Aesthetics are increasingly globalized, digitalized, and flattened into something resembling a pop-culture Pinterest board. Meanwhile, shareholder profits grow as materials become more uniform, more “efficient”, more… detached.

Somewhere in all of this, we’ve lost the soul.

And I wonder: can we bring it back? Can we find our way again. Back to poetry and purpose, materiality and scale, back to the intersection of necessity and technology?

I believe we can. And I believe we must.

To do that, we have to work with what we have, integrate mother nature – and more importantly – we have to work together. Because design only succeeds when it serves the whole community.