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Without people, architecture is empty buildings.
It’s how we experience architecture that matters.
Every design begins with a story.
Let us tell YOUR story.

Who We Are

Cinda K. Lester is an architectural storyteller, and comes to storytelling through both sides of her family tree. Though she considers herself a Chicagoan, Cinda has traveled and lived all over the US.  She and her husband Henri LamBeau met in architecture school at the University of Idaho, where they both received a Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch). Cinda returned home from the great American West, bringing Henri along with her, and received her Master of Urban Planning and Policy (M.UPP) at the University of Illinois at Chicago.


Cinda and Henri currently live in suburban Chicago with their 17-year-old son Cooper and 15-year-old daughter Kellar, both architectural storytellers in their own right, with pencil, computer and LEGO. Cinda is first and foremost a Lake Girl, and treasures every minute she can get on her water in southern Wisconsin.

Cinda and Henri began 12/12 Architects & Planners LLC with a leap of faith on one small project 18 years ago. Since then, the size and scope of our projects have grown, to our primary services designing custom luxury Legacy Homes. Working all over the northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin to beautiful locations over the US - we're still growing, and happily so.


We're not looking for great projects, we're looking for great people. We know that home design comes from the people who will use it, so we're ultimately looking for fabulous people to work with we're confident we'll have a great relationship with while designing your Legacy Home.


Big design ideas are great, but so are the little ones. How you and your family are going to use the space is vital to the overall design - more than just about the floors and walls. When you say that you desperately need more storage for the kids' toys, we understand. When you say that you can't stand your dining room for one more holiday get-together, we know what you mean. We can help.


Our one-on-one design approach caters to you; and to that end, every project is a 100% custom design. We work with you to design the best possible places for you and your family – often creating solutions you might not have considered.

Awards & Organizations

Best of Houzz 2021 - Design
Best of Houzz 2021 - Client Satisfaction
Best of Houzz 2020 - Client Satisfaction
Best of Houzz 2019 - Design
Best of Houzz 2019 - Client Satisfaction
Best of Houzz 2017 - Client Satisfaction
Best of Houzz 2016 - Client Satisfaction
Houzz Pro Software User
Star Houzzer
5 Star Houzzer
Houzz Industry Research - Barometer
Houzz Influencer
Recommended on Houzz
10,000 Ideabook Saves
aia
2000 AIA Northeast Illinois Outstanding Associate Member
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