Architect Jonathan Rameau, a Sarasota native, has opened his architectural design and consultation business in town. Understanding the challenges faced by the city in the midst of rapid growth, Rameau sees an opportunity to contribute to urban design that will encourage residents to participate in the environment around them, including repurposing the many abandoned “seas of parking."

A product of a Haitian-American family, St. Martha’s and Cardinal Mooney schools, Rameau attended University of Florida for his bachelors degree in design and urban regional planning.  While earning his master’s degree in architecture at University of Southern California, he was frequently reminded of the famed Sarasota School of Architecture, and set his sights on returning to Sarasota.

Rameau says that his goals include educating clients about the role of an architect, and the relationship one should have with their contractor. He will be offering one-on-one workshops to introduce first-time home builders to the process, and welcomes questions from those considering a design/build project. "Dreaming big together, combined with thinking realistically, are the keys to a successful project," he says.