“Most people have a similar journey through architecture,” OKW’s newest partner, Erik Kasuba says. “They graduate, work for a big firm for many years, hone their craft, and then start their own business. Mine was the opposite.” His childhood home was also the only office for his father’s architectural and structural engineering business. Every day Erik would see him draw, solve problems, and eventually see his projects built.
So when he graduated with a degree in architecture, he went straight into the family business. He brought AutoCAD with him, which ballooned the number of clients they could serve. Over the years, he learned all aspects of the business from accounting to business development, learning firsthand the value of client relationships. At the start of the 2010s, Erik entered the world of commercial real estate, starting down a path that would lead him to OKW.
His expertise in management and client engagement was immediately on display, which led to such high-profile projects as the re-imagining of 900 North Michigan Avenue.
“That was a career highlight for me,” he remembers. “Being able to work on such an iconic building with such complex technical issues – from creating enormous custom LED displays to manufacturing custom bronze portals, it was something nobody has ever done before. It made me so proud.”
Erik later went on to spearhead such buzzworthy projects as TimeOut Market, grooming the next generation of OKW leaders in the process. Those who work with Erik know that he expects a lot from his team members, sometimes at unusual parts in their careers. He often invites new architects to project meetings and brings them to the job site, integrating them into the project’s development earlier than they might have expected.
Within the office, Erik is known for his jocular personality and sense of humor, as well as his golf skills and enviable whiskey collection.
OKW’s future is bright with Erik as one of its newest stewards. His entrepreneurial drive, project management skills, and knack for mentorship will take us to new places and greater heights.