STUDIO

Practice of Lasting
Architecture and Design

We are architects and designers and we think we are pretty good at what we do. But first and foremost, we are people. We are husbands, wives, fathers, mothers and friends who understand how an intimately crafted space can augment a life well-lived. 

The name PLAAD, while an acronym for the Practice of Lasting Architecture and Design, has a more nuanced meaning for us. Plaid, as a textile concept, has been around since the 1500’s. It is equally comfortable as a relaxed weekend flannel shirt or as refined as a tartan, gingham, tattersall or windowpane check. The concept behind a plaid is quite simple: the weaving of multiple disparate elements into a unified whole. The outcome, however, is at once varied and familiar, robust, and in the end, timeless. At PLAAD, we each bring our own strengths to every project; Mark is an award-winning designer and while Matt excels at design, his particular strengths are in project management and building science. Also within our firm are individuals with substantial experience in the residential construction industry. We have diverse backgrounds and interest but one common goal: to create thoughtful and timeless architecture, while providing meaningful, personal and dedicated service to each of our clients.

PEOPLE

Mark Stankey, AIA, CID, NCARB

Design Principal, Architect

Mark is a licensed architect with extensive experience in residential, commercial, and retail design. He approaches each project as a conversation—working closely with clients and collaborators to find creative, practical solutions that improve daily life. He believes that thoughtful design can enhance how we live, work, and move through the spaces around us.

  • Mark’s leadership has been recognized nationally and internationally. In 2014, Mark received the Ralph Rapson Traveling Fellowship, becoming the twentieth Fellow since the award’s founding. As part of the fellowship, he traveled to Norway to study site-specific architectural responses to challenging topography. His achievements also include the 2012 AIA St. Paul Prize, exhibiting at the 2011 AIA National Convention for Emerging Professionals, and earning the Honor Award in the 2006 AIA/Architectural Record Rebuild New Orleans competition, which was later exhibited and presented at the Venice Biennale.

    Mark is committed to advancing the profession through mentorship and service. He serves as a guest reviewer at the University of Minnesota’s School of Architecture and sits on the Architectural Design Committee for the City of North Oaks. He earned both a Master of Architecture and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Design from Montana State University.

    Prior to helping establish PLAAD, Mark gained experience at Intrinsik Architecture in Bozeman, James Dayton Design in Minneapolis, and in Store Design for Target Corporation.

    Outside of work, Mark enjoys vintage motorcycles, sailing on Lake Pleasant, and ski racing during Minnesota winters. He also values time with his family, enjoying the balance of city life, nature, and creative pursuits. Mark and his family live in North Oaks, Minnesota.

  • ◍ Registered Architect: Minnesota
    ◍ Certified Interior Designer: Minnesota
    ◍ American Institute of Architects
    ◍ LEED AP
    ◍ National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB)

Matthew Byers, AIA, ALA, NCARB

Managing Principal, Architect

Matt is a licensed architect and educator with broad experience in residential, corporate, and commercial design. Throughout his career, he has successfully designed and managed a diverse range of projects, developing a keen interest in the relationship between structure and landscape and how people inhabit and move through these spaces.

  • Matt earned a Master of Architecture from Yale University and a Bachelor of Arts in Physics from Colorado College, combining analytical thinking with creative problem-solving. Matt has taught architectural design studios, furniture design, and ornament courses at the University of Minnesota’s School of Architecture. Alongside his wife, a painting and printmaking professor, he led a study abroad program in Florence, Italy, exploring the art and architecture of the Renaissance. These experiences deepen his commitment to education and mentorship.

    Prior to helping establish PLAAD, Matt worked at Architectural Alliance, 20 Below Studio, and James Dayton Design in Minneapolis. He is also a dedicated mentor and volunteer, serving at the University of Minnesota’s College of Design and previously on the Board of Directors of the Minnesota Environmental Fund.

    A Colorado native, Matt has also lived in Oregon and Washington and is passionate about the outdoors. He enjoys backcountry backpacking, hiking, camping, skiing, swimming, woodworking, and collecting rocks and minerals. Matt and his family live in Saint Peter, Minnesota.

  • ◍ Registered Architect: Minnesota, Wyoming, Colorado, Oregon and Idaho
    ◍ American Institute of Architects
    ◍ LEED AP BC+C
    ◍. National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB)
    ◍. Association of Licensed Architects (ALA)

Sarah Hill, AIA, CID, NCARB

Senior Project Manager, Architect

Sarah is a licensed architect with more than a decade of experience working on projects ranging from intimate kitchen remodels to the complex configurations of international airports. As a designer, she is passionate about helping clients shape their vision and creating unique, meaningful spaces that support the way people live.

  • Sarah holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Iowa State University and a Master of Urban Design from Washington University in St. Louis. While in graduate school, she presented her project Growing Greens to Grow Minds at the 2012 Architecture for Humanity “Design Like You Give a Damn” Conference in San Francisco, where she placed third in the Open Mic competition. Her collaborative work has also been recognized with a Citation for Design Award from the Boston Society of Architects in the “Faith in Place” competition. Most recently, she was a finalist for the Ralph Rapson Traveling Study Award in 2023 and 2025.

    Prior to joining PLAAD, Sarah gained diverse professional experience with Alliiance in Minneapolis, CAST Architecture in Seattle, and a Duluth-based graphic design firm.

    An equal enthusiast of city life and the outdoors, Sarah enjoys spending her free time on Duluth’s trails with her family or diving into creative pursuits such as jewelry-making, weaving, sewing, screen printing, and plant-based cooking. She and her family live along the shores of Lake Superior in Duluth, MN.

  • ◍ Registered Architect: Minnesota, State of Washington
    ◍ Certified Interior Designer: Minnesota
    ◍ American Institute of Architects
    ◍ National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB)
    ◍ Ralph Rapson Traveling Study Award Finalist - 2023, 2025

Michael Meer, AIA, NCARB

Senior Project Manager, Architect

Michael is a licensed architect with focused experience in single-family homes and renovations. He enjoys the process of translating client visions into spaces that are both functional and expressive. His design interests center on the intersection of structural systems and building performance and how these elements shape the environments we inhabit.

  • Michael earned a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Minnesota and a Master of Architecture from the University of Oregon, where his graduate thesis, h2o, explored water contamination and the role of architecture in fostering more resilient, sustainable communities. During his graduate studies, he and three classmates received second place in the 2016 Timber in the City Competition for their Hybrid Domains project, which highlighted innovative mass timber strategies in a mixed-use development.

    After graduate school, Michael worked in Seattle designing single-family homes, offices, apartments, and a neighborhood pub. He and his wife returned to Minneapolis to be closer to family and raise their son in the “Land of 10,000 Lakes.”

    Outside of architecture, Michael enjoys camping with his family, woodworking, cheering on the Green Bay Packers, and exploring new destinations through travel. He finds inspiration in both city life and the natural world, reflecting a balance between technical curiosity and personal experience.

  • ◍ Registered Architect: State of Washington
    ◍ American Institute of Architects
    ◍ National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB)
    ◍ Ralph Rapson Traveling Study Award Finalist - 2025