The Studio

A Boutique Practice.
Global Standard.

Small enough to care about every detail.
Experienced enough to get them right.

Why AE Designs

Built on expertise.
Delivered with integrity.

We built AE Designs around a straightforward commitment: every project gets Alexi's personal attention, from the first conversation to the final sign-off.

We don't pass work down a studio hierarchy. We don't take on more projects than we can deliver properly. We stay small deliberately — because the quality of what we build depends on it.

After 15 years in Grand Cayman, we know this market better than most. We know the planning process, the construction conditions, and the contractors worth working with. That knowledge is what we bring to every brief, alongside the design intelligence to make the most of it.

Our Values

How we work

Four principles that shape how we work — and what you can expect from us.

Precision

We draw what needs to be drawn, specify what needs to be specified, and leave nothing for the contractor to interpret. Good documentation is the least glamorous part of architecture — and one of the most important.

Accountability

When something goes wrong on a project — and something always does — you shouldn't have to figure out who's responsible. With AED, that's clear from day one.

Intelligence

Design that responds to your site, your climate, and your life — not to whatever was published in a magazine last year.

Delivery

A beautiful drawing that produces a disappointing building isn't a success. We measure our work by what gets built.

The Team
Alexi Ebanks

Alexi Ebanks

Founder, Principal Architect & CEO · BSc. Arch Eng. · AIA Member · CASE Member

"Alexi founded AED because he believed Grand Cayman deserved better architecture — and he was right."

With a BSc in Architectural Engineering and membership of both the AIA and CASE, Alexi brings technical rigour and design intelligence to every project. His experience spans luxury residential, multi-family development, resort planning, and construction administration and project management across Grand Cayman and the Sister Islands. Alexi leads every project personally — from the initial brief through to practical completion.

Alecs Alanes

Alecs Alanes

Senior Architectural Technologist · BSc. Architecture

"If a drawing can be misread, Alecs will find the ambiguity and fix it before it leaves the office."

Alecs brings the technical precision that separates a good drawing set from a great one. He is responsible for the production and coordination of AED's construction documentation — ensuring that every drawing issued to contractors and planning authorities is accurate, complete, and buildable.

Ania Ebanks

Ania Ebanks

Operations & Development Manager

"Ania is the reason projects run smoothly and clients actually enjoy the process."

Ania keeps AE Designs running at full capacity. She oversees the systems, processes, and client relationships that allow the firm to deliver consistently across multiple concurrent projects. Her attention to the detail of every client interaction ensures the AED experience matches the quality of the architecture.

Jean Marais

Jean Marais

BIM Specialist & Architectural Technologist · BSc. Architecture

"Jean's BIM models are the kind contractors call to check their own work against."

Jean is the technical backbone of AED's digital delivery. He translates design intent into precise, construction-ready documentation — managing model integrity, coordinating across disciplines, and ensuring every drawing set meets the highest standard of technical accuracy.

Diego Castro

Diego Castro

Senior Architectural Designer

Joining April 2026

"Joining April 2026 — Diego brings the design depth AED's growing pipeline demands."

Diego is a Senior Architectural Designer with deep experience in luxury residential and mixed-use projects. His background across high-end residential design strengthens AED's creative depth and reinforces the firm's commitment to delivering world-class architecture from Grand Cayman.

Ready to build something
worth building?

Every project starts with a conversation. Tell us what you're planning and we'll tell you what's possible.

Start Your Project