David Strand
Principal | Director, LEED AP
Raised in a small rural community in central Wisconsin, David comes from a family of craftsmen, artists, and builders that spans over four generations. Having spent most of his childhood growing up in the woods, David spent countless hours clearing entire Poplar forests in order to gather material for his elaborate tree forts.
In high school, David was already sure that architectural design and building was his passion. His early-emerging maverick tendencies were shown when he started his first business at 17; designing, building, and selling his handcrafted wooden furniture.
Leaving home, David migrated to the Twin Cities where he got his education in architectural design, developing his passion for architecture and creating a new awareness for building and design. Landing his first job through an honor in scholarship, he worked at a small commercial design firm where he was able to sharpen his drafting and client-relation skills.
After reaching his goal of 18 months, down to the exact day, David left his job at the commercial firm with an elegantly worded and concise post-it note. Eager for more sustenance in design and high quality building, he went on to work locally for a company within the residential realm. Aside from a stint in New York City to work on a high-profile project as Construction Manager, David has been successfully designing and building in the Northern Midwest to date.
david@stranddesign.com
David McKay
Partner | Lead Designer, Associate AIA
Growing up in the Southeast river valleys of Minnesota, and having lived through a 15 year remodeling project slowly spearheaded by his parents, David developed a lifelong interest in both nature and the act of building. Following his propensity for nature, David received a liberal arts education at the wooded campus of Saint John's University where the unique works of Marcel Breuer subconsciously evoked a passion for the built environment and the impacts of modern architecture. Continuing his education, David enrolled in the graduate architecture program at the University of Minnesota, discovering the great possibilities and intricacies of our urban environments.
Winning the 2014 AIA St. Paul Prize with his former classmate and colleague Pablo Villamil, David brings his skillsets in design and representation to Strand Design where he helps collaborate in a wide range of roles from conceptual design to detail development. Working off his distaste for early mornings, David can often be identified by his affinity for an ice cold can of plain LaCroix.
mckay@stranddesign.com
Nicholas LaNasa
Designer, BIM Manager
Surrounded by thoughtful design at various scales since childhood, Nick grew up in a mid-century modern home designed by his great uncle, its cabinetry and walls adorned by art from friends and family, with the family structure embedded in the home's layout. He recognized that a bedroom could be both a sanctuary and a window out to the world and that circulation and varied communal spaces are invaluable if a home is to be a healthy member of a family. Additionally, if a home is rooted to place and built with quality materials, a home will transcend generations.
After six years in San Francisco working in commercial architecture at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill before transitioning to residential at Klopf Architecture, Nick now enjoys reconnecting with his home state through hiking, making and supporting handmade arts, and watching performance art and film.
nick@stranddesign.com