We Are…

Distinct.

Our work is derived from a commitment to improve and enhance our environment and experiences. Distinct and apart, these buildings and places are also part of a larger whole. They are the glue that connect people and context in authentic and compelling ways, enriching the lives of their users and contributing to healthy, inclusive, and resilient communities.

Ahead.

We push past the status quo to ask what if and what’s next. We work beyond boundaries to explore different perspectives, reveal potential, and resolve often complex code, contextual, and programmatic conditions. Or, as in our recent experience, we consider shifting societal conditions that have affected people’s lives and the spaces they occupy. In navigating social, cultural, and technological change, we strive to design solutions that are relevant and anticipatory.

Together.

Anchored by an ethos of collaboration, we work closely with our clients to give form to their visions and character to the buildings and spaces that embody their values. We listen carefully. And then we develop creative solutions that scale from the big ideas to the smallest details. The result is a varied, aesthetically progressive body of work across multiple scales and typologies.

We shape experience through distinct, relevant, and compelling buildings and spaces.

Our Team

Ben Toam, Partner

Ben’s extensive experience in the architecture and design field includes a wide variety of projects with a diversity of scales and typologies. Past projects range from cultural arts spaces to mixed use office buildings and residential. His approach to design has an inherent focus on the spatial experience.

Prior to establishing Otherworks, Ben worked as a Senior Designer at the Pritzker Prize winning Morphosis Architects and was a Studio Director at RIOS in Los Angeles, California. Ben completed his Masters Degree at the Southern California Institute of Architecture, has been published widely, and has received numerous citations and awards for excellence in design.

His spirit animal is a badger.

Suzan Elwyn, Partner

Suzan’s experience and interests extend across multiple typologies, having spent much of her early years in the field in residential before engaging large-scale commercial projects. Her attention to design, deep interest in project planning, and her ability to deftly navigate the complexities of a project allow her to successfully lead projects from concept to realization.

A graduate of Columbia University GSAPP, Suzan has worked and studied in multiple cities including Los Angeles, New York, and Seoul. This has given her a wide, global perspective on design and urbanism. Before forming Otherworks, Suzan was a Senior Project Designer at RIOS, a Designer at Mass Studies and Morris Sato Studios.

Her favorite thing in the world is a nap but she has surrounded herself with loved ones who hate sleep.

May Wang, Designer and Media Coordinator

A Designer at Otherworks since 2019, May is also responsible for managing the office’s website and social media. Prior to joining OW, May was a designer at RIOS, and her project experience includes creative office, multi-family residential, single family residential, and public parks.

May has a B.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from UC Berkeley and a Master of Architecture from UCLA. She is currently reading The Lion in the Living Room: How House Cats Tamed Us and Took Over the World. Ask her for a cat fact!

Ryan Hernandez, Designer

Ryan is a Designer at Otherworks. Prior to joining OW, Ryan was a designer at Johnston Marklee where she worked on projects ranging in scale from single family residential to office tenant improvements to cultural and institutional spaces. Previously she has worked at the offices of SO-IL and Port Urbanism where she led an installation for the Storefront for Art and Architecture and contributed to the 2015 Chicago Architecture Biennial. Her past architectural experiences and studies in fine arts led her to an enthusiasm for and curiosity in the intersection between art, culture, and architecture.

Ryan received her B.S. in Architecture from University of Illinois at Chicago and her Master of Architecture from UCLA.

Jeisler Salunga, Designer

Jeisler Salunga is a Designer at Otherworks. Jeisler has worked at Neil M. Denari Architects (NMDA) and Kevin Daly Architects (kdA) prior to joining OW. He has had experience working on a large tech office fit out, mixed-use, and a boutique hotel.

Through this scope of work and academic career, Jeisler has an ever-growing interest in architectural representation and its translation into the built world. During his education he participated in the inaugural Chicago Architecture Biennial with Design With Company in 2015.

Jeisler has a B.S. in Architecture from the University of Illinois-Chicago and a Master of Architecture from UCLA.

He is also an active bowler, and has bowled two 300 games in his young bowling career.

Devin Koba, Designer

Devin is a Designer at Otherworks. Prior to OW, Devin was a project designer at XTEN Architecture where he worked on high-end single-family residences in addition to multi-family and cultural projects. He also brings experience as a design strategist at Gensler where he worked closely with tech, media, and institutional clients using qualitative and quantitative research methodologies to solve design problems.

Devin received his B.A. in Architecture from UC Berkeley and a Master of Architecture from UCLA. You are most likely to spot him in the wild at a bowling center, concert venue, or a local coffee shop.