LEADERSHIP

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Becher Eli Neme, AIA, Founding Principal

Becher is a licensed architect and founding principal of Neme Design Studio, a facade design and consulting practice based in Los Angeles. He holds a degree in Architectural Design and a Master's in Urban Design from L'Ecole Nationale Superieure d'Architecture in Nantes, France, and is a member of the American Institute of Architects.

His career began in France with TETRARC, before moving to Los Angeles to join Gehry Partners, where he worked on the coordination of complex projects including the Brooklyn Arena and the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. That hands-on background extended into several years of direct field and construction oversight before he founded NDS in 2012.

Today, Becher leads a team of architects focused exclusively on facade systems, from early design and constructability input through delegated design, advanced computational modeling, and fabrication documentation. The practice works with architects, contractors, and fabricators nationwide on projects where the gap between design intent and built reality requires focused technical expertise.

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Tom Johnson, AIA, Principal

Tom is a licensed architect with over 25 years of experience across residential, commercial, and institutional work. He began his career in Chicago focusing on high-end residential projects, developing a grounded understanding of craft, material, and construction across a range of housing types from lakeside properties to classic brownstones.

Relocating to Los Angeles in the early 2000s, Tom joined boutique design firms Shubin + Donaldson and Abrahamson Teiger, where he took on broad project responsibility across commercial, educational, and office work that contributed to shaping the Los Angeles architectural landscape during that period.

Tom holds a Bachelor of Architecture from UC Berkeley, where he graduated cum laude, and a Master of Architecture from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

He joined Neme Design Studio in 2019, where he focuses on project coordination and constructability, bridging the technical and logistical demands that keep complex facade scopes on track from early design through delivery.

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Nikki Ward, AIA, Project Leader

Nikki is a registered architect licensed in Massachusetts, holding a Bachelor of Architecture from Syracuse University where she graduated magna cum laude. Her academic background included four months of immersive study in Italy, focused on architectural drawing and direct observation of built work.

She began her career at the Boston office of SmithGroup, where she spent several years as a designer on large scale healthcare projects with a consistent focus on exterior design and facade development. That experience gave her a strong foundation in translating complex design intent into coordinated, buildable outcomes.

Nikki joined Neme Design Studio in 2022 as Design and Coordination Leader. Her role spans design development and computational modeling, coordination between design teams and fabricators, and day to day communication with clients and consultants. She brings a fluency in 3D modeling and visualization tools that she applies across all phases, from early concept testing through technical resolution.

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Julian Gonzalez, Project Leader

Julian holds a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from Chicago, where his work earned multiple awards and honors, and a Master of Architecture from Princeton University, where he received the Suzanne Kolarik Underwood Prize, one of the program's highest distinctions.

At Princeton, Julian worked closely with faculty researcher Cameron Wu exploring developable and ruled surface geometries, pushing the boundary between research and applied design technique. That foundation in rigorous formal thinking carried directly into his professional focus on complex exterior envelope work.

He joined NDS in 2023, bringing a background that spans conceptual massing, exterior envelope design, and advanced 3D geometry. At the studio, his work ranges from complex geometry modeling and design development to detailed drawing production and design research. His ability to move fluidly between formal exploration and technical resolution makes him a strong contributor across the full arc of a facade scope.

Seth Campbell, Facade Designer

Seth holds a Master of Architecture from Kansas State University's five year program, where he also completed a Minor in Regional Community Planning. His academic work earned several distinctions, including the 2021 Ted and Sue Knapp Delineation Competition and recognition as a Heintzelman and Kremer Nominee and Bowman Forum Finalist.

He began his professional career in St. Louis, contributing to healthcare and federal projects at Jacobs where his work centered on coordination and technical documentation across complex scopes.

Seth joined Neme Design Studio in 2025, bringing a range of focus areas that span design development and modeling, project coordination and documentation, and design research. His background in both design thinking and technically demanding project environments positions him well for the range of work NDS takes on across facade scopes.