Co-Founder Emeritus
Ethelind Coblin is the co-founder of ECA, establishing the firm in 1989. For more than three decades, she shaped the firm’s design philosophy and consulting practice, serving as an advocate and trusted expert for Cooperative and Condominium Boards throughout New York City. Ethelind built ECA on the values of clarity, collaboration, and rigorous attention to detail—principles that continue to guide the firm today.
Now enjoying retirement, Ethelind remains connected to the firm she founded. She periodically visits the office to stay engaged with the work, support the leadership team, and celebrate the continued evolution of the practice. Her legacy lives on through the current principals—Lou Lipson, Eric Cohen, Liz Romano, and Rakesh Chopra—and through the staff she mentored and inspired.
Ethelind is a licensed architect in New York and Connecticut and is a member of the American Institute of Architects, where she previously served as President of AIA New York State. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Vanderbilt University and a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Kentucky. Prior to founding ECA, she practiced with Robert A.M. Stern Architects, Johnson Burgee Architects, and Fox & Fowle Architects, P.C.
Throughout her career, Ethelind became widely recognized for her thoughtful and balanced approach to residential design. Her work spans facades, entrances, lobbies, hallways, fitness centers, and extensive apartment renovations ranging from multi-unit combinations to highly detailed kitchens and bathrooms. She is known for blending elegance and innovation with an understanding of underlying structure and building systems, always listening intently to clients and guiding them through the process with clarity and confidence.
Her influence continues to shape the firm’s culture, practice, and commitment to creating timeless, well-crafted spaces.
