Continuously active throughout the pandemic, award-winning integrated design firm JZA+D has been pushing past perceived boundaries for small to mid-size architecture and interior design studios. As a result, the firm is expanding its ranks.
Joshua Zinder and Mark A. Sullivan – JZA+D managing partner and partner, respectively – have announced the addition of two new project designers to the roster, Yadie Meko and Stewart Tillyer. According to Zinder, the attention to recruitment and hiring comes as the firm looks to expand its portfolio of hospitality, multifamily, retail, workplace, and academic work.
The addition of two project designers is expected to sustain business development efforts while enhancing service to current clients and undergirding the firm’s commitment to design excellence.
“Yadie and Stewart come from entirely different backgrounds, but both are creative, hardworking, and talented,” says Zinder. “After just a short time since starting with us, the firm is already better off for their contributions, which complement our multidisciplinary approach to highly sustainable and contemporary designs.”
He adds, “We’re proud that they have found a professional home here, and we hope they will benefit from JZA+D’s commitment to dedicated mentorship.”
Yadie K. Meko earned her B.Arch magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, where she was a board member of ARCHtank, the undergraduate student architecture association, and worked as an architectural assistant and intern. A member of International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience (IAESTE) she went on to study at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, earning a Master of Science in Architecture. Meko’s architectural and interior design experience includes design development and delivery for several UPenn Libraries projectsand she boasts software expertise in AutoCAD, Rhino, Revit, Sketchup, Vray, Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, Bluebeam, Lightroom, and Premier Pro. A polyglot, Meko is fluent in English, French, Amharic and Oromo.
Stewart Tillyer earned his B.Arch cum laude from Syracuse University School of Architecture. While there he participated in the Syracuse University Abroad Program, studying in London, England and Florence, Italy. Aided by advanced computer skills, Tillyer brings a strong sense of architectural design and composition to the table. Prior to joining JZA+D, he gathered work experience that includes design development for outpatient clinics in the Bronx, NY. Tillyer is proficient in Rhino, Revit, AutoCAD, vRay, DIVA, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Acrobat, and SketchUp.
Zinder, who is currently serving as 2021 president of AIA New Jersey (the state’s professional organization for architects) and Sullivan have both earned reputations for recruiting and nurturing aspiring architects. Their commitment to mentorship and career development has been a part of the firm’s long-term growth strategy since its inception in 2006.
