Liz Bavitz

Liz Bavitz, LEED AP is a Principal and Architect Emeritus at Sinclair Hille Architects. Hired in 1993 by the Firm’s founders as a CAD technician, Liz has been instrumental on projects ranging from renovation and new school projects for Lincoln Public Schools to luxury golf course clubhouses and cottages for the Dormie Network.  Through all aspects of her work, Liz brings both technical expertise and a client-focused approach to every project. A committed volunteer and leader in the community, she also enjoys cooking, traveling, restoring her 1928 historic home, and sharing her love of music with her husband Bruce and their blended family.

What inspired you to pursue architecture or design?

As a child, we visited my grandmother who lived on Capitol Hill in Denver where the neighborhoods are full of beautiful historic homes.  Walks with my grandma on the streets around her apartment were my first taste of beautifully designed buildings and began my lifelong love of architecture. I wanted to be part of the creative process that included building design and construction. That desire led me to the path I chose, and it has been a wonderful journey.

What hobby or activity are you passionate about outside of work?

I remember sitting on the floor in front of our tv in the early 70’s mesmerized as I watched a woman cook and tell me about each step in her process.  The woman was Julia Child on her public TV show.  In kindergarten, her show and my new interest in cooking inspired to make my own cookbook to record family recipes – I still have the cookbook – orange construction paper cover and all.  To this day, cooking is my happy place.  It is my preferred way to decompress after the workday and my favorite way to spend weekend afternoons – either reading food magazines or cookbooks or preparing a meal.

What’s your favorite part of the design process?

Design Development (DD)  is hands-down my favorite part.  At that point in a project, the client has approved the overall concept design of their building, so we can roll up our sleeves to take a deep dive into the specific requirements and details of the project.  It is our chance to walk in their shoes with them to understand how the design of their building can help make them more productive and successful in their work.  At the end of DD, we have a clear picture of what the final space or building will look and feel like. This phase of work takes a lot of communication, coordination, and team work to gather and document the client’s requirements, and in my opinion, the process forms a close connection between the architect and their client unlike any other phase.