ELLEN BILDSTEN

Ellen’s parents immigrated from Europe to Queens, New York where she grew up; they lived in Cairo, Egypt from 1978-80 due to her father’s work with Marcel Breuer Architects.

She graduated with a B. Arts and B. Arch from the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning at Cornell University in 1990. After moving across the country with husband Lars and the first of their three daughters, Ellen worked on commercial revitalization of Old Town Pasadena at Dahl-Insua Architects until 1994. While living in Berkeley, she worked at Elbasani Logan ELS Architects on Cragmont elementary and large-scale commercial projects in Florida and Oregon for the Rouse Corporation.

Ellen has been a licensed architect since 1995 and is an active member of state and local AIA (American Institute of Architects). After moving with the family to Santa Barbara in 1999, she worked on custom residential projects with Bob Easton Architects. She and Susan Sherwin were the partners of Bildsten + Sherwin Design Studio from 2002 until 2014, when Ellen established the latest architectural (ad)venture – Bildsten Architecture and Planning.

• 2014-present   Principal Architect, Bildsten Architecture and Planning Inc. 
• 2014-present   Board member, Coastal Housing Coalition 
• 2011                   President, AIA Santa Barbara
• 2009                  LEED AP Certification 
• 2008-present  Board member, AIA Santa Barbara
• 2002-2014       Principal Architect, Bildsten + Sherwin Design Studio Inc. 
• 1999-2001       Project Architect, Bob Easton AIA Architects
• 1996-1999       Project Architect, ELS Architecture and Urban Design 
• 1995-1996       Project Architect, Philip Banta & Associates Architecture
• 1995                  California Architect license 
• 1991-1994       Project Architect, Dahl-Insua Architects Inc.
• 1990                  Cornell University, College of Architecture, Art and Planning - B. Arch
                              and College of Arts and Sciences, B. Arts - Art History