OUR Team

Rooted in Kansas and driven by purpose, we bring grit, clarity, and momentum to everything we design. We’re architects, designers, and preservationists passionate about creating places communities can rely on for the next century. Our work honors history, embraces progress, and never settles for easy answers. This is architecture built to last—and with intention.

PRINCIPAL & PROJECT MANAGER

Independence native, Miranda Bruening the co-owner and managing partner of Echelon Arch + Design, a full-service architecture firm with locations in Independence, Kansas City, Pittsburg and Bartlesville. With over 14+ years in the in the interior design and architecture sectors, Miranda actively participates in all phases of projects and wears many hats within her firm that employs eight design professionals. She is a graduate of Kansas State University and holds an interior design license.
Miranda is committed to rural revitalization and serves on numerous boards and committees for various organizations and continues to search for opportunities to enhance and grow her hometown. In 2022, Miranda was named to Ingram’s Magazine “50 Kansans You Need to Know” and is very active in the economic development in Southeast Kansas, serving on a variety of Boards including:
Board Member, Independence Main Street (2022-current)
Committee Member, Independence Economic Vitality (2021-current)
Board Member, Independence Chamber of Commerce (2023)
Advisory Board Member, Community National Bank (2023)
Board Member Association for Preservation Technology – Central Plains (2023)
In her time away from the office, Miranda enjoys spending time with her family, husband, Trevor and young children, Rayden and Taylie. She enjoys country living and being outdoors any way she can by hunting, fishing, horseback riding or ATV riding with her family and friends.

As Preservation Director, Shawnee Lorenz brings preservation and development professional with extensive experience guiding historic and adaptive reuse projects from early feasibility through construction and stabilization. At Echelon Arch + Design, she brings a general contractor’s perspective to the design and planning process—anticipating constructibility challenges, managing risk, and aligning design intent with schedule, scope, and budget realities. Her hands-on leadership helps ensure that complex preservation efforts remain technically sound, financially disciplined, and achievable in real-world construction environments.
Shawnee brings direct ownership and first-hand development experience to her work, informing her expertise in aligning historic preservation with broader economic development objectives, particularly in rural and heartland communities. She specializes in stacking complex funding sources—including historic tax credits, incentives, and other financing tools—to close feasibility gaps and advance projects that might otherwise be unattainable. Her approach balances preservation goals with constructibility, budget awareness, and long-term viability, helping transform historic assets into sustainable drivers of community investment.