Neal Gerdes
Since early high school Neal has focused on architecture as his profession. While taking a house wiring class an assignment required him to create a floor plan of his home and determine which fuses controlled each outlet and light fixture. Seeing the floor plan of his home was like magic. He’s kept that passion alive and has had over 30 years of experience that has honed his talents in all aspects of design and construction. Size, scale, adjacencies, flow, spatial relationships, and function are a few of the thoughts that are always flowing through his mind as he designs spaces. In his free time, he doesn’t get too far away from his passions as he enjoys working on house projects: fixing, adding to, and remodeling his home. Neal holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Architecture from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign.
Sarah Gerdes
Sarah has always had an eye and love for design. She holds a Degree in Interior Design as well as both Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Education. Sarah and her husband, Neal, opened AKL Architectural Services in 2002. Her holistic approach to design focuses on designing spaces which are functional and express each client’s individual style. She creates timeless, elegant, cohesive designs that balance the dramatic with modern, clean lines. When not working you’ll find Sarah spending time with her family and friends preferably outdoors and if at all possible, on, in or near any body of water.
Rory
After growing up in Appleton, Wisconsin, Rory earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin, Plattville and a Construction Management Degree from IIT Technical Institute. Over the years that he has been with AKL he has taken on the primary role of creating construction drawings yet is well-versed in 3-D model building. Rory’s interest in architecture was sparked during his high school engineering class where he created a truss out of balsa wood and tested it to see how much weight it could hold. Outside of work he enjoys learning to play new and increasingly complicated music on one of his 6 guitars of which the Jackson San Dimas soloist is his favorite.
David
Originally from Ohio, David’s interest in architecture started early while working construction as a teen for a family friend. His passion continued while earning a Bachelor of Science in Technology Degree from Bowling Green State University and a Master of Architecture Degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago. With 25 years of experience working on both commercial and residential projects David continues to draw from his construction background
by focusing his expertise in the area of construction practicality of the architectural design. While away from work, he enjoys hiking, biking, and spending time with his family and friends.
Hoda
Hoda is a Revit & CAD drafter with over eight years of experience in planning and drafting residential buildings in Tehran. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Architectural Engineering and a Master’s Degree in Urban Management from Azad University as well as Design and Revit Certificates from Oakton Community College. In her spare time Hoda adores being with her family and spending time outdoors. She also enjoys traveling to different countries and learning about different cultures.
