Marcos Alvarez

Project Designer

Marcos, a native of Madrid (Spain), joined STL in June 2017 after graduating from the Polytechnic University of Madrid (ETSAM) in 2016 with specialization in restoration and preservation of architectural heritage after having studied a year abroad at the Università Degli Studi di Padova (Italy). His master thesis examined the close relationship between building and locus and how the latter should define the former, receiving the recognition of being published in a magazine and exhibited in the Official Association of Architects of Madrid.

Devoted to the idea that design has the power to build change and improve our lives, Marcos likes engaging in any design or art related field. Outside of architecture, as a huge music lover, an opera fan and a fair-enough-musician, Marcos likes to feed his musical passion with a little bit of Chicago Blues.

Carolina Cartagena

Project Coordinator

Working from conceptual design to construction completion Carolina has a clear understanding of building systems and team coordination. Within the notion of a serving the public, she feels that good design is in the details where every aspect of the building comes together. Details are where simplicity and sophistication are the goals and where “less is more”. She particularly enjoys working in projects where the public is in need, like school buildings in lower income neighborhoods where the people in the community will embrace them for years to come.

Ling Deng

Project Designer

Ling Deng joined STLarchitects in October 2021. Ling graduated from IIT with a Master’s degree in architecture. During his study at IIT, he studied architectural typologies of different scales, including residential buildings, public buildings, high-rise buildings, and urban planning. In his subsequent work, he was committed to renovations of small businesses and private residences in Chicago.

Ling loves to explore the world while traveling and hopes to encounter inspirations that will impact his life as a young, learning architect. Currently, Ling is constantly looking for growth and development, hoping to have a deeper understanding of architecture and the changes in space while experimenting with large-scale buildings.

Ignacio Espigares

Director of Architecture and Media

Ignacio joined STL in February 2013 after graduating from the Polytechnic University of Madrid (Escuela Tecnica Superior de Madrid) with a focus in “Construction and Technology”. After completing school he gained experience working in several architecture firms in Spain. As a Project Designer and vital member of the design team at STL, Ignacio has worked in a variety of projects, including a proposal for a residential tower in Chicago, an auditorium for a high school, and most recently - the Lycee Francais de Chicago.

Outside of architecture, he’s an enthusiastic photographer and has free-lanced as a short film production designer. He loves to spend time listening to music, going to concerts, traveling, and playing soccer as much as possible.

Beatriz Gonzalez

Associate Principal | Project Director

A native Spaniard, Beatriz arrived in Chicago, in the summer of 2002 after being awarded a scholarship to study for one year at the Illinois Institute of Technology. During this experience she saw the potential and great opportunities Chicago had to offer for a young architect and decided to move back, after graduating as a licensed architect from Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Madrid, Spain. Beatriz believes that great architecture comes from a great design process from beginning to end, paying special attention to details. She enjoys working on challenging projects, and states that for a building to be successful the architect has to be involved in the entire process, from concept to occupancy permit. As a professional, Beatriz has worked on a wide range of projects which vary both in program and scale; some of these include interior office build-outs, high-end residential projects in the Chicagoland area, commercial projects of various scales and several educational facilities, both primary and secondary schools. When not expanding her expertise in design and management, Beatriz loves to spend time with her family, travel as much as possible, and discover the world all over again trough her daughter.

Robert Jillson

Design Technology Director

Robert joined STLarchitects in 2019. He provides our teams with extensive technical construction and design expertise throughout the duration of projects. Rob’s career has challenged him with multiple project types including single-family residences, multi-family housing, civic centers, office complexes, as well as large scale international high rises, such as Kingdom Tower in Saudi Arabia and large site municipal work such as the Astana World Expo 2017. Rob is experienced in Revit and Building Integrated Modeling and holds an architecture degree from University of Michigan and a fine art degree from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. The synergy he weaves between these two disciplines allows him to present three-dimensional space as an experience. Rob is an avid cyclist and swimmer and can often be found biking to work or getting in an open water swim in Lake Michigan when the weather permits.

Andrea Kamilaris

Project Designer and Coordinator

Andrea joined STL in July 2014 after receiving her Master of Architecture degree from the University of Michigan in early May 2014. Her graduate thesis examined the diminishing relationship between drawing and architecture due to the emergence of 3D programs which are the predominant application for architectural production today. Before studying at Michigan, she received her Bachelor of Science in Architecture Magna Cum Laude from the Ohio State University. Before STL, Andrea spent the previous winter at Michigan assisting LAMAS, one of five selected finalists, in the MoMA PS1 Young Architects Program competition in 2014. Additionally, she spent the summer of 2013 working in Los Angeles as an architectural intern. Andrea established a fascination for architecture and travel when her family would visit ancient ruins in Athens and Ephesus on the way to her father’s birthplace of Cyprus. Outside of architecture, Andrea enjoys exploring the city, running, soccer, and reading on her morning and afternoon commutes. She is currently assisting the STL team on a variety of projects and appreciates the collaborative and ambitious spirit in the STL office.

Changhoon Kim

Senior Technical Architect & Regional Market Coordinator

As Senior Technical Architect and Regional Market Coordinator, Changhoon oversees some of the firm’s most complex projects such as the new O’Hare Airport Terminal. As a Regional Market Lead, Changhoon as been instrumental in obtaining multiple design awards such as Korean Museum of Urbanism and Architecture, the Songdo Library and the National Museum of Korean Literature. Throughout his career Changhoon has participated in multiple project types including residences, the Dubai Expo 2020, office complexes, as well as large scale high-rise buildings such as Jeddah Tower.

Changhoon is highly experienced in the application of field of Building Integrated Modeling tools to the field of architecture, holding degrees from the Illinois Institute of Technology and the Architecture Engineering University of Korea. When he is not busy at work, Changhoon loves listening to rock music, playing his own guitar and taking photographs.

Brian Koehler

Associate | Senior Design Coordinator

Following a brief internship in 2013 while completing graduate school, Brian returned to STL Architects in 2014 after receiving his Masters degree in Architecture with distinction from the University of Michigan. As a Senior Designer, Brian works with the Design Principals to create unified and coherent expressions of our clients’ vision in order to achieve success through the clarity and consistency of expression of the unique set of goals for each project. Having completed large-scale projects of many types, ranging across educational, residential, cultural, office and retail, Brian’s design experience has unusual depth. Prior to his studies in Michigan, he received his Bachelor of Science in Architecture, Magna Cum Laude from The Ohio State University.

Shane Krenn

Project Designer

Shane joined STL in the late spring of 2021 after receiving a Master of Architecture from the University of Colorado Denver, where he was distinguished as the program’s Outstanding Graduate. He spent his last year on a graduate thesis that examined the current model of the kindergarten in the U.S., positing a new architectural and pedagogical typology that reacts to the possibility for a spectrum of play. Throughout his study, he also held various assistantships throughout the department in digital media and graphics courses, spent a year as President of the college’s AIAS chapter, and was employed as a Research Assistant for the Colorado Center for Community Development. While at the center, Shane engaged with rural Colorado communities in the design of community centers, parks, and a theater restoration.

Also holding a Bachelor of Science in City and Regional Planning from The Ohio State University, he possesses a multi-disciplinary background that allows him to approach projects from a social-lens, at a multiplicity of scales. As a whole, Shane is ardent about "play" and "whimsy" in design and brings this disposition with him each day.

New to Chicago, Shane has been busy exploring all of the different neighborhoods across town. You may also find him picking out a recipe from Molly Baz’s or Carla Music’s cookbook, going out for a run, or on his way to his piano lessons that he recently picked back up after a decade’s long hiatus.

Luke McDonell

Luke joined STL in June of 2022 after graduating with an undergraduate degree from Iowa State University. Focusing on conceptual work his last studio project created a tableau and utilized performance to explore the studio’s prompt of “survivance.” He has also gotten the opportunity to travel for school including participating in the 2021 Architecture Venice Biennale and traveling to Istanbul Turkey. Luke has had a variety of internship experiences prior to joining STL, including spending the previous summer working for a small architecture firm in Seoul, South Korea. There he expanded his global understanding of architecture and enjoyed spending time in the city. Outside of work Luke enjoys cooking and learning about different cuisines.

Brian Rains

Project Designer

Brian joined the STL team in the fall of 2021 after graduating from Washington University in St. Louis with a Master of Architecture. His thesis work focused on the revitalization of Near North St. Louis, a now abandoned, but previously booming industrial epicenter of the Midwest. Brian’s research culminated in the design of an Art and Tech creator community featuring both adaptive reuse and new build construction. Prior to his Master’s Degree, Brian attended Miami University in Ohio and received a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture with minors in Photography and Classical Humanities.

In order to obtain new insight into the world of design, Brian spent his summers studying abroad in Ghana and across Europe where he became devoted to the reimagining and creation of innovative, impactful, and inclusive architecture. Along with his passion for design, Brian also possesses a love of ancient civilizations, the outdoors and outer space. 

Gonzalo Rojas

Project Designer

Gonzalo joined the team through STL’s Training internship program in December 2019. He graduated from the Architecture Technical School of Madrid (ETSAM) in June 2018, his Master Thesis project was exhibited at the Venice Architecture Biennial of 2018, awarded at the 28th Pladur Building Solutions Contest and endowed with Special Mention at the 2017 Drawing the Year Competition of the Aarhus School of Architecture. Gonzalo was awarded a scholarship to attend the Aarhus School of Architecture, in Denmark for the 2014/2015 academic year. After his return from Denmark, Gonzalo worked and collaborated with several Architectural firms in Madrid, Spain. From his work experience, he highlights his time in the office of Pedro Pitarch Alonso, with whom he won several Design Competitions. Despite his young age, Gonzalo has also been an Assistant Professor in one of the Architecture Design Units in the ETSAM, from 2015 to 2017.

Ana Sanchez Iza

Project Designer

Ana joined STL team through the employee training internship program in June 2019. After graduating from the Polytechnic University of Madrid (Escuela Tecnica Superior de Arquitectura de Madrid) in July 2017. After completing school, she gained a year of professional experience in her home town of Madrid. In 2018, Ana – always trying to learn new things - was also involved in an Architectural Visualization Course in Madrid to enhance her rendering skills.

As an enthusiastic young architect, she is a detail-orientated work person, being meticulous and hardworking, she has recently free-lanced as a CG Artist, combining both her passion for architecture and graphic design. Outside of architecture, she loves discovering new places, listening to music, graphic design, and photography.

Jesus Sanchez

Jesus joined STL Architects in the Fall of 2022 after receiving his Masters of Architecture from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. He studied abroad in Spain for a year where he developed his passion for Spanish architectural typologies. Architecturally, Jesus has been influenced by the works of Luis Barragan, Enric Mirralles, and Lacaton & Vassal, and has had a variety of internship experiences prior to joining STL. Jesus hopes that his passion for architecture will leave a lasting footprint and influence a legacy of upcoming architects. Outside of architecture, Jesus enjoys going on long walks and photo journeys with his corgi 'Archie', reading, and sketching. You can always find Jesus exploring Chicago to find the best food joints and coffee shops.

Wade Splinter

Associate | Senior Technical Coordinator

Wade received his Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign and his Masters of Architecture from DAAP at the University of Cincinnati. He is experienced in managing projects of all scales, with particular interest and experience in the technical complexities inherent in building.

Wade ensures quality for STL’s clients by providing attentive coordination from project conception to completion. Outside of work, Wade is a fan of the “beautiful game” (soccer), and enjoys being a coach for his son’s team. A curious learner and avid reader, he also has a developing interest in ornithology and taxonomy.

Jerry Zhang

Jerry joined STL Architects in the Fall of 2022. Jerry comes from a unique and diverse background rooted in China. At a young age, Jerry moved to the United States where he received both his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. His time in China and in the United States has allowed him to appreciate different ethnic backgrounds, cultures, ideas, and philosophies. All which fuel his passion for design. Outside of architecture, Jerry enjoys traveling and has been to more than 20 countries, including: Spain, Japan, and Singapore. From these journeys, he has built an understanding of places and the essence of architecture. Learning from architectural masterpieces, he is passionate about growing as a designer -- collaborating with talented people and creating unique architectural experiences.