An increase in new work at NDC has allowed us to recently bring in new staff. Our current roster of staff has brought an incredibly talented, qualified and dedicated staff who understand what a team effort looks like. Not only that, they couldn't be nicer or more pleasant to be around. We look forward to our clients meeting and working with our fun and interesting group.

Peter Nicholas peter@nicholasdc.com

Gavin Bardes

Gavin joined Nicholas Design Collaborative in 2014. Leading up to this position, he was a member of the Loewenberg Architects and Magellan Development team that developed and built the Jeanne Gang designed Aqua Building at Lakeshore East Park in Chicago, among other high-rise residential buildings in Chicago, Miami, Minneapolis and Nashville. Before moving to Chicago, Gavin worked for KMD Architects in San Francisco and Alexander Gorlin Architects, Lindy Roy Design and Open Shop in New York City. Gavin also collaborated on the design of a video game titled Ornament & Crime, where he explored 3-dimensional experiences that he now translates into 3D architectural models.

While a student at Columbia University in New York City, Gavin served as a teaching assistant and was the recipient of the L. Smyser Lowenfish Prize for his final semester design. Following graduation, he taught design studios at the University of Pennsylvania and the Parsons School of Design.

Outside of work, Gavin enjoys spending time with his wife and traveling to new destinations when he can. As a college undergraduate, Gavin was a varsity letter winner on the nationally ranked University of Wisconsin rowing team. You can often find him on the Lakeshore path and commuting on a bicycle to and from work, while he trains for the annual American Birkebeiner cross-country skiing marathon in his native state of Wisconsin.

Education

Columbia University GSAPP, Master of Architecture

University of Wisconsin-Madison, Bachelor of Arts, Economics and English

Lori F. Day - AIA/Leed AP

After graduating with a Bachelor of Architecture and Bachelor of Environmental Design from Ball State University, she worked at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill where she developed her technical and design skills by working on projects through all phases of design and construction. She later transitioned to Perkins & Will where she gained valuable experience designing learning environments in their education studio. Although she enjoyed K-12 design, her interests shifted to modern residential design which drew her to firms such as Wood +Zapata in Boston, Booth Hansen & Brininstool + Lynch in Chicago. While at B + L, she worked on several AIA award winning projects including the Claremont Residence and Coffou Cottage. Joining Nicholas Design Collaborative realigns Lori with her true passion of designing, developing and detailing modern residential projects.

Education

Ball State University, Bachelor of Architecture

Zafiro Papastratakos

Zafiro Papastratakos joined NDC in 2015 to focus on residential design and construction after gaining experience in multiple project types. Originally from Chicago, she moved to Portland, Oregon ten years ago in order to work within a culture steeped in the value of ecologically sustainable design and construction. While there, Zafiro authored a comprehensive sustainable strategy that anticipated carbon neutrality by the year 2030 for the master plan of a five block, mixed use development in downtown Portland. She coordinated an integrated design process among design professionals, consultants and contractors for this and other mixed use projects to facilitate the production of architecture that works synergistically with its environment. While earning her masters degree, Zafiro conducted building daylight research at the Energy Studies in Buildings Lab at the University of Oregon, and worked as a design team member in Athens, Greece, on the Museum of the Hellenic World, a project subsequently published in Art Center Basel's "Museums in the 21st Century". As an undergrad, she served as president of the American Institute of Architecture Students.

A cycling aficionado, Zafiro bicycled solo across 3 continents. She also entered an urban design competition to promote inclusion of a high speed rail network in the U.S. transportation fabric. Having danced semi-professionally with a Chicago based folk dance troupe for years, she now teaches dance to young children. She enjoys riding bicycles and rollerblading with her 4 year old son.

Education

University of Oregon - Portland, Urban Studies Program, Master of Architecture

University of Illinois at Chicago, Bachelor of Architecture

Erin Srebinski

Erin started at Nicholas Design Collaborative as the Office Manager in 2014. Prior to NDC, Erin worked for Blick Art Materials as a Retail Merchandiser and traveled all over the country to open new stores. She also worked for a few start-ups in Boston and Chicago in business development which is a huge passion of hers. She graduated from Michigan State University with a BA in Advertising. Following graduation she attended Northwestern University's Pre-Medical program. Ultimately she chose not to attend medical school and pursued her business interests.

When she's not working, you can find her spending time with her husband and toddler, running through the city or testing a new recipe always with her camera and a cup of coffee in hand.

Education

Michigan State University, Bachelor of Arts, Advertising