Santa Barbara Architects
ELLEN BILDSTEN
Principal Architect, AIA, LEED AP
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