Lewis McNeel
Associate Partner
Lake Flato Architects
Lewis McNeel AIA is an associate partner with Lake Flato working to create extraordinary community places that bridge cultures, solve problems through radical innovation and connect people to nature. At Lake Flato, Lewis leads the design of high-performing academic, civic and hospitality facilities and master plans as well as special innovation and development projects for the tech industry. He focuses on novel efforts that seek to shift paradigms and solve problems in new ways -- projects that don’t come with a clear roadmap and that need careful navigation of undefined or competing priorities. His award-winning design work exhibits a strong and scrappy fusion of adventurous creativity, connection to context, technical innovation and cross-disciplinary team leadership. Lewis led the design of ICON’s 3D-printed House Zero, Park City’s Arts and Culture District master plan in Utah and Knox College’s Whitcomb Art Center in Illinois (recipient of a 2022 COTE Top 10 award and a 2022 AIA CAE Design Award). He also initiated Lake Flato’s pro bono studio enabling the firm to provide broadened access to architectural services for fledgling non-profits.
After earning degrees from the University of Virginia Lewis worked in East Africa designing climate-responsive schools for local and international relief organizations. He’s a passionate advocate for walkable and equitable cities and the open lands needed to support healthy built environments. As a public wild lands activist in a state with very little public land, he has initiated and brokered deals to convert over 800 acres of pristine ranch land from private use in the path of development to public use as a permanently preserved State Natural Area of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept.
He's married to author and journalist Bekah McNeel.
After earning degrees from the University of Virginia Lewis worked in East Africa designing climate-responsive schools for local and international relief organizations. He’s a passionate advocate for walkable and equitable cities and the open lands needed to support healthy built environments. As a public wild lands activist in a state with very little public land, he has initiated and brokered deals to convert over 800 acres of pristine ranch land from private use in the path of development to public use as a permanently preserved State Natural Area of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept.
He's married to author and journalist Bekah McNeel.