Marcus got his start in architecture while studying sculpture and photography at Cooper Union, working as an office assistant and model maker for S.I.T.E. following summers of working construction. Since finishing architecture school in 1983, Marcus worked for a number of Boston’s best firms, including Payette Associates, the Architects Collaborative, and Moshe Safdie Architects. Starting in 1988, Marcus also acted as a founding member of Elkus Manfredi Architects. Over a fifteen year period, some completed projects included the Lasdon Biomedical Center at New York Hospital, the Cornell University School of Medicine Library, and the Colonnade Residences on Huntington Avenue in Boston.
In 1996, having won a commission to design a large shingle style home on Nantucket, Marcus and Judy took the opportunity to formally establish the firm.
As the Principal-in-Charge of MGa, Marcus brings over 30 years of professional experience, spanning a broad range of project types, from residential, institutional and corporate architecture, to interior design, master-planning and urban development.
Marcus’s dedication to clients, along with his passion for art and architecture, is shared by the entire firm.
Marcus is a licensed architect in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont. He graduated with a Master of Architecture from Columbia University. Marcus also has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in sculpture from Cooper Union.
Judy Gleysteen is a founding member of the firm, collaborating on architectural projects with Marcus since first renovating their loft in Manhattan in 1976.
Before formally establishing MGa with Marcus in 1991, Judy worked for Graham Gund Architects in Cambridge.
Until 1997, Judy was responsible for all drawing and construction phase work on a diverse range of residential projects in the Boston Area. Since then, she has assumed the responsibility of running the firm while continuing to contribute critical insight to project design and management.
Judy graduated from Sarah Lawrence College with a Bachelor of Arts in painting before gaining a Master of Arts in painting from Hunter College and a Master of Architecture from the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University.
Robyn B. Gentile is an exceptionally talented designer and a superb organizer with extraordinary project managing skills. As a senior project manager at MGa, Robyn, has been the team leader on many of our most successful and highly acclaimed projects.
Robyn’s expertise in urban construction management and code review has ensured the success of a wide range of projects that include a restaurant, an executive designers lounge, a salon, and a coffee bar, all in downtown Boston. With Marcus, she co-authored an award winning design submission for the Rose Kennedy Greenway.
Robyn has also been the project architect for several of our most challenging houses, including a classical villa, a renovation for "This Old House" and a ski house.
Robyn joined the firm in 2004 and is a registered architect with a B.Arch from Syracuse University.
Chandon is a top project manager and designer who has played a leading role on major projects for almost a decade. She is remarkably skilled in working closely with clients and interior designers in developing outstanding design solutions.
Some of Chandon’s projects include a contemporary house in Carmel Valley, California, a seaside shingle style house on Cape Anne and an international style house underway in Brookline.
Chandon joined the firm in 2003 and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from the University of California at Berkeley.
Allison is a capable and talented designer who has contributed a fresh perspective to the firm. She also brings considerable marketing and graphic design skills that are critical to project presentations and website development.
Allison’s projects include one of our smallest single family houses, a recent collaboration with Robyn Gentile on Nebo, a new restaurant on Atlantic Avenue in Boston, and the Designers Lounge at the Boston Design Center. Her current work includes an estate complex in Weston.
Allison joined the firm in 2010 and is a registered architect with a Bachelors of Architecture from Syracuse University.
Maggie is a principal and project leader with outstanding design skills driven by a profound commitment to great architecture. Her judicious and comprehensive approach to style reflects the firm’s approach to purposeful design. Current projects include a Beaux Arts villa and a contemporary farmhouse renovation in Metro Boston, along with a steel, wood, and glass lake house in New Hampshire.
Maggie joined the firm in 2007 after graduating from Syracuse University with a Bachelor of Architecture (Magna Cum Laude) where she was awarded the AIA Henry Adams Certificate.