ALEXIS MCDOWELL

Alexis McDowell is a Licensed Architect and Principal at PORTEN. Her holistic approach to architecture originated in New York City where she worked at O’Neill Rose Architects as a designer and project manager for comprehensive brownstone and landmarked building renovations as well as interior architecture projects.  Most notably, she contributed to the Murray Hill Residence that received a 2023 SARA NY Design Award.  At the AD100 interiors and lighting studio WORKSTEAD, she contributed to multi-family residential and hospitality design projects as well as marketing and publication initiatives.

Prior to founding PORTEN in Nashville, Alexis gained experience as an Architect at Pfeffer Torode Architecture, focusing primarily on high end residential projects that encompassed both architecture and interior design scope. She graduated with her BArch from the University of Tennessee, where she received the Alpha Rho Chi and Tau Sigma Delta Medals for her design projects and leadership. 

MICHAEL MCDOWELL

Michael McDowell is a Principal at PORTEN and a Licensed Architect. His career includes international experience at Kengo Kuma and Associates in Tokyo, focusing on high-end residential projects and museums, such as the Hans Christian Andersen Museum in Denmark. In New York City, he contributed to residential and commercial projects at firms including Matthew Baird Architects, Tacklebox Architecture, and MODU. After relocating to Nashville, Michael collaborated as a designer at Studio Yuda on high-end residences and, more recently, at HASTINGS Architecture, where he worked on several high-rise multifamily projects and smaller commercial ventures.

Michael holds a Master of Architecture from Columbia University, where he received the Evans Simpson Award for Excellence in Design. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Architectural Design from Parsons The New School for Design and a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies from Eugene Lang College at The New School.