Academy of Architecture for Justice

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The Academy of Architecture for Justice (AAJ) promotes and fosters the exchange of information and knowledge between members, professional organizations, and the public for high-quality planning, design, and delivery of justice architecture.

NextGEN Profile: Eric Zeldis

By Kerry Feeney posted 04-16-2021 06:04 PM

  
Eric Zeldis headshot



What is your favorite piece of architecture?

Although I’m a New Jersey native, my favorite piece of architecture is down in Washington, D.C. My favorite space in the city is the National Building Museum because of its rich history, grand scale, and attention to detail as it relates to the original function of the building.

 

What degrees did you earn and at what college?

I’ve earned both a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and a Master of Architecture from the University of Maryland.

 

When did you first know that you wanted to be an architect?

I first fell in love with design and architecture while building lego towers in my room as an eight year old. I wanted to be a farmer, but my parents were unwilling to convert our backyard into a farm, then an artist, but soon realized my drawings were less than stellar. Architecture let me be creative, analytical, and scientific. It has always aligned well with the things I am passionate about and my talents.

 

What firm do you work for and how long have you been with your current firm?

I currently work for AECOM, Inc. in Arlington, Virginia. I’ve been employed there since I graduated from the University of Maryland in 2014.

 

What is your role within your firm?

Like many, I wear different hats. I have worked closely with the national justice team for the past several years focusing primarily on courts projects where I serve as a project architect and more recently as a project manager. Additionally, I have experience in the federal market. I’ve participated in projects ranging from public safety facilities, to correctional facilities, and courthouses. In my free time, I moonlight as our Architecture department’s resident mixologist and sourdough bread baker.

What prompted you to begin working within the field of Justice Architecture?

I never imagined being involved in justice work of any kind. My studies at the University of Maryland centered around creating great places and buildings within urban and suburban contexts. My thesis focused on urban agriculture and how buildings might be able to feed the world. It was this notion that buildings should be designed for a higher purpose that led me to the justice sector. When I arrived at AECOM, I was placed in the Justice studio and quickly realized that this market was where I could do the most in advocating for building designs that could more purposely serve our communities underserved populations.

 

What has been your most rewarding justice project to date?

Although I’ve had a lot of rewarding experiences, the most rewarding justice project that I’ve worked on and helped lead has been the revision of the U.S. Courts Design Guide, which is the design standard for all federal courthouses. During the multi-year process of updating this document, we engaged with many different stakeholders, including judges, clerks, and other court architects, to determine how we could best improve the guide and federal court facilities. Our team examined the document under a microscope and proposed some changes that we hope will help the federal judiciary for many years to come.


What do you find most challenging about working in the justice architecture field?

Others’ perceptions of the justice sector is an issue I’ve faced since coming out of school. People would ask why I would want to be involved in justice work; why not pursue a more traditional career in residential or commercial buildings? To me, this work has always been about being part of the larger solution of improving these buildings for those in the criminal justice system. By being part of the process, we have an opportunity to convince clients to think differently about these facilities and influence change to the system from the inside.

As it relates to the justice market, what do you hope to accomplish in the next 10 years?

As a generation, we are faced with many problems that we must tackle head on. Sustainability and disparities in social equity are two issues that demand our immediate attention. By working with other disciplines, such as policy experts, I hope we can start making meaningful changes that we so desperately need to better ourselves and society. 

With the unrest and protests last summer, our industry is now being examined under a spotlight and microscope. Justice architects have a real opportunity to use our voices and expertise to influence real change in the criminal justice system. I hope to start designing buildings not for the justice system that we have currently have, but for the future system that aligns its focus to re-building our communities.






Eric Zeldis is an emerging design professional and licensed architect in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Originally from the great state of New Jersey, Eric earned both a B.S. in Architecture and a Master of Architecture from the University of Maryland. Although his work has primarily focused on local and federal justice-related projects, Eric has assisted with numerous other building types including federal space modernization and optimization design projects.

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