Our Company
Built Different. By Design.
We started Endeavor North Design Build because we kept seeing the same thing happen. A client would invest in a great design, then move into construction as a separate phase, with a separate team and a separate set of priorities. Somewhere in that handoff, the original intent got harder to protect. Details shifted, costs crept, and the finished space didn't always match what anyone had originally pictured.
We're Cole Johnson and Nate Hacker, the same team behind Endeavor North Design, a commercial architecture firm here in North Dakota. After years working on everything from storefront renovations to large-scale healthcare facilities, we kept running into the same problem: the transition from design to construction created unnecessary friction.
So we built a company to fix that.
We bring design and construction together under one team and one contract. We handle your design from the first sketch to the final walkthrough. Essentially, your architect and your builder are in the same room, solving problems together to keep your project on budget and construction on track.
We work on commercial projects across North Dakota: healthcare, retail, office, civic, recreation, and adaptive reuse. And because we come from the design side, we bring something most contractors don't. An architect's instinct for how a space should feel, not just how it gets framed.
One Team. One Process. No Gaps.
The traditional way of building (hire an architect, find a contractor and then hope everything translates) can create gaps. Gaps in communication, gaps in accountability, and gaps between what was designed and what actually gets built, the kind that make it harder to stay on budget and keep projects on schedule.
We started this company to close those gaps. We believe in a project experience where design decisions and construction realities aren't in conflict. They inform each other from day one. One point of contact, one aligned team, and one clear path from concept to keys in hand.
How We Work
Collaboration
We don't operate in silos. Our architects, designers, and builders work side by side, and we bring our clients, engineers, consultants, and trade partners into the process early. Not just at milestones, but throughout. The best decisions happen when everyone who has a stake in the outcome has a seat at the table.
Integrity
We’re straightforward and believe you should always know where things stand when it comes to costs, timelines, and trade-offs. If something changes, you'll hear it from us first, along with a plan to address it. We'd rather have an honest conversation early than a difficult one later.
Quality
The buildings we put our name on are part of people's everyday lives, shaping how they experience spaces where they work, heal, and gather every day, not just on day one, but for years to come. We care about the details that last: material choices, craftsmanship, how a space actually functions five years from now. Not just how it looks on move-in day.
Client Focus
Every project starts with your goals, not our assumptions. We listen before we design, and we stay involved all the way through, including being on site during construction to make sure what gets built reflects what was intended. The end result should feel like it was made for you. Because it was.
Our Leadership
Cole Johnson
Founding Principal / Design Leader
I'm a registered architect and the design mind behind both Endeavor North Design and Endeavor North Design Build. I earned my master's in architecture from North Dakota State University and have spent my career working on commercial projects, from small storefront renovations to billion-dollar healthcare facilities.
I bring a highly visual, collaborative design approach and have always believed the best ideas happen in conversation, not in isolation. I'd rather sketch three options on the spot than send you a PDF and wait a week. At Endeavor North Design Build, my role is making sure design quality stays at the center of the conversation even after construction begins. That's the whole point of having an architect lead a construction company.
When I'm not working, I'm usually outdoors with my wife and our three daughters, camping, biking, or planning the next fly fishing trip.
Nate Hacker
Founding Principal / Design Leader
I'm a registered architect with a master's degree from NDSU, but my focus has always been where design meets the build. My graduate work concentrated on construction management, and I backed that up with hands-on experience working for commercial and residential contractors before spending the next decade delivering hundreds of projects across varying scope, scale, and complexity.
At Endeavor North Design Build, I'm the one making sure scope, schedule, and budget stay aligned. I make sure every trade partner, subcontractor, and team member is engaged at exactly the right time. My job is to keep projects running cleanly from groundbreaking through the punch list.
Outside of work, my family and I stay busy with our three kids and whatever new adventure is around the corner. I'm active in the Bismarck community and currently serve as a board member for the Missouri Slope Areawide United Way.
Tyler Nord
Construction & Project Management
Tyler Nord brings over 20 years of hands-on construction and project management experience to Endeavor North Design Build, where he plays a key role in turning vision into reality in the field. His foundation is built on practical jobsite knowledge, proactive coordination, and clear communication between owners, design teams, subcontractors, and trade partners.
His career path combines field experience, project coordination, and leadership, giving him a comprehensive understanding of the construction process from concept through completion. Tyler also brings 14 years of law enforcement experience, which reinforces his disciplined, solutions-focused mindset and his ability to lead with accountability, structure, and calm under pressure.
At Endeavor North, Tyler leads construction execution and daily project coordination with a focus on precision, efficiency, and accountability. He ensures projects stay on track by driving schedules, maintaining quality standards, and aligning field execution with the original design intent. He plays a key role in connecting the office and the jobsite, helping create a seamless experience from preconstruction through final delivery.
Outside of work, Tyler enjoys spending time with his wife and two children, supporting them in soccer and gymnastics and staying connected to the community he serves.
Let's Talk About Your Project
Whether you're exploring your options or ready to move forward, we'd like to hear what you're working on. We'll walk you through our process, answer your questions, and help you figure out the best path forward. No obligation, no pressure.