Erin Sterling Lewis [Principal] is a native of Illinois and grew up in Mississippi. She graduated from the University of Kentucky in 2002 with a BArch. There, she was inducted into Tau Sigma Delta Honor Society and was an architecture history teaching assistant for three semesters. Before founding in situ studio, Erin worked for over eight years at Frank Harmon Architect PA, where she played an integral role in various projects, including the Merchants Millpond State Park Visitor Center, the Walnut Creek Wetland Center, Horseshoe Farm Park, the AIA NC Center for Architecture and Design, and the First Presbyterian Church New Construction and Renovation.

Erin is involved in various community outreach and volunteer programs. From 2004 to 2006, Erin served on the Raleigh Historic Districts Commission. She has served on the Raleigh Planning Commission since 2009, and currently serves on the advisory board for the NCSU College of Design School of Architecture. Erin has been an invited juror for the City of Raleigh Sir Walter Raleigh Awards in 2007 and 2010, as well as the 2010 North Carolina Solar Center NC Sustainable Building Design Competition. In early 2010, she volunteered to teach a course on sustainable design at the NCSU Encore Center for Lifelong Enrichment. In 2010, Erin joined the AIA North Carolina (AIA NC) Board of Directors. On the Board, she serves as the Young Architects Forum (YAF) Director as well as Chair of the Programs Committee, which focuses on Program Development, Educational Outreach, and Design Exhibitions for AIA NC's new Center for Architecture and Design.

Erin lives with her family in a 1923 bungalow near downtown Raleigh.

Matthew Henning Griffith [Principal] is a 1996 graduate of Davidson College (BS Mathematics) and a 2002 graduate of the NCSU College of Design (MArch), where he concentrated in Urban Design and was awarded the Kamphoefner Fellowship, the Dean’s Award for outstanding service, the Faculty Design Award, and the AIA School Medal. Before founding in situ studio, Matt served as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Architecture at the University of Arkansas (2002-2004), and worked in the offices of Marlon Blackwell Architect (2002-2006) and Frank Harmon Architect PA (2006-2010).

In 2004, he received the Boston Society of Architects Unbuilt Architecture Award for his design of a community center for Camden, New Jersey. His previous professional experience covers the full range of design services, from feasibility study to project management and construction administration. Matt has managed and designed several award winning projects in his previous offices, including the AIA NC Center for Architecture and Design, for which he was project designer. Matt’s areas of expertise include programming and site analysis, schematic design, construction detailing, physical modeling, writing, and graphic design.

Matt lives with his wife, Ashley, and their three children in a mid-century modern house 2.5 miles east of downtown Raleigh. He currently serves as Professor in Practice at the NCSU School of Architecture.

Nicole Alvarez [Intern Architect, Designer, Marketing Intern] graduated magna cum laude from the NCSU College of Design with a Bachelor of Environmental Design in Architecture in 2008. Nicole continued at NCSU for her Master of Architecture and was awarded the AIA Henry Adams Medal. While at the College of Design, Nicole served as a graduate teaching assistant in architectural history for three semesters and as a Design Camp counselor for five summers. 

In 2011, Nicole received her Master of Global Innovation Management as a beneficial complement to her degrees in architecture. Through her thesis, she focused on improving in situ studio's online presence, specifically through the newsletter and website. As a second topic to her thesis, she researched accessory dwellings, or backyard apartments, in Raleigh, and will soon launch a blog to document the ongoing progress of her research.

Nicole has studied in Prague, Czech Republic and Aix-en-Provence, France and attributes many of her current perspectives to her time abroad. Locally, she volunteers as a photographer for Triangle Modernist Houses and is an Intern Mentor for the YAF Mentoring Program. She lives in a studio apartment within a mile of the office.

Nicole lives in a 306 sqft studio apartment less than a mile from our office.

in situ studio is a woman-owned business