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Cap City Diner SKetch

Cap City Diner Sketch

ms Q+A: Eric Elizondo

Maggie Kearns Francis

April 1, 2019

ERIC IN 100 WORDS OR LESS

I am the Director of Building Systems Technical Services and a licensed Architect in 31 states and D.C. Outside of ms, I am a husband, father, pedal bike rider, golfer, painter, reader and writer. I graduated in 1993 with a Master’s Degree in Architecture from Kent State University. While at Kent, I ran cross country, indoor track and outdoor track, ran a 3:47 1500m as a freshman, and taught Arch Design for two years. My first day at ms was on my 41st birthday in 2010, seis de Mayo. I met my wife in high school and we’ve been together ever since. I love going to the movies with friends and my daughter.

THE SPEED ROUND

What was your first job?
Cleaning my step-father’s body shop when I was 13 years old.

 

Ever meet a famous person?
Several, but I will always remember Butch Reynolds – Olympian – at ALL-OHIO indoor championships 1989, he handed out awards for the top 3 finishers in each race.

 

Are you a morning or night person?
Night

 

Farthest traveled from home?
Taipei, Taiwan

 

Next item to cross off bucket list?
Design and live in my house addition. Features include – photovoltaic, roof garden and patio, art studio, two-story living, ecolet, net zero, super insulated SIPs, and rainwater capture.

 

Last thing you read?
But What If We’re Wrong?  by Chuck Klosterman and This is the way the world ends by Jeff Nesbit

 

Best concert you’ve been to?
Coldplay – Summer 2016

 

Spring Summer Fall or Winter?
Fall

 

Last thing you watched on Television?
Binged House for the 2nd time – Jan – Feb 2019. I think the two best series are The Man in the High Castle and Sherlock (PBS).

TELL US MORE

What sets ms apart from other engineering & architecture firms?
We take on so many unique and complex projects, and execute them so well. We have the capabilities to execute small and huge projects with the same amount of care and professionalism. The integration of architecture and engineering is very unique in Central Ohio, the dialogue and project decisions that are made in real-time makes working on projects more efficient and effective.

 

Which project are you most proud to have been a part of, and why?
It’s a simple project, but I still love Cap City Diner at Stoneridge Plaza in Gahanna, Ohio. I led design work for the restaurant. It was a fast and collaborative discussion with Cameron Mitchell regarding the direction of the design. I remember selling the interior approach with a model I had built, I was only 25 years old at the time.

 

How would you describe your design style?
Regional modernist with a lot of sustainability sprinkles.

 

If you weren’t an architect, what would you be doing?
Making movies and writing.

 

What would you go back and tell your 22 year old self?
Do not take the world too seriously, except when you are in the hospital with the ones you love, do not leave them. Listen to more Jamiroquai and DURAN DURAN.

 

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Spending time with my family. I love laughing with my wife and playing golf with my daughter, painting on canvas, long bike rides 20-35 miles, alone, sketching, designing, things, reading, and writing.

 

Any final words?
My run at ms has been very fun and rewarding. I am looking forward to seeing a lot of the professionals that I have hired continue to develop into great architects. I am leading an effort to document and execute the ms Design Process into all of the Building Systems technical group’s best practices for projects. The early work on this effort is very exciting. Expanding the Building Systems Sector markets and clients is a big focus in 2019. We are starting an internal effort branded as ms IDEA Lab for 2019 and its first focus will be a multi-family community idea.