JLA

About

JLA brings decades of experience in traditional design and a deep understanding of construction materials, means and methods to every project. The firm is known for rigorous attention to detail throughout the design process, from schematics that are thoughtful and functional to construction documents that are careful and complete.

Our design studio, located on Michigan's famed Gold Coast, serves discerning clients from across the United States, many of whom are discovering—or rediscovering—the moderate climate and stunning beauty of the Great Lakes region for seasonal or permanent homes.

As one JLA client wrote: “Jonathan has helped us design two houses. Both have been beautiful, extremely successful personal residences that have also been featured in national publications in recognition of their aesthetic significance. Jonathan’s superb understanding of the vocabulary of classical architecture is evident in every detail of his work. He is uncompromising in his commitment to quality, his choices of materials, and his insistence on craftsmanship.”

Jonathan Lee, the firm's founder, has broad experience as both a designer and an educator. He completed his graduate studies at the Vienna University of Technology in Austria, where he worked in the studio of well-known Austrian architect Helmut Wimmer. He also studied and worked under Charles Warren of New York, John Blatteau of Philadelphia, and in the offices of Ferguson & Shamamian Architects of New York, where he was a senior design associate.

Lee served as Chair of Design in Rome, Italy for the University of Notre Dame Rome Studies Program; and he has taught design at the Parson’s School of Design and the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art, both in New York.

His work has been featured in a number of publications, including the Institute of Classical Architecture’s book A Decade of Art & Architecture: 1992-2002. He has exhibited in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Bologna, Italy.