EASTON COMBS is an award-winning architectural practice recognized for refined design execution, environmental performance, and innovation in material and construction systems. The firm’s work spans private and public buildings, cultural installations, and object design, and is developed through a focused, research-driven design process. EASTON COMBS delivers thoughtful, well-executed architecture through deep engagement with private clients, public institutions, and commercial partners.
To that end, the practice maintains strong working relationships with project managers, contractors, trades, manufacturers, and fabricators—ensuring alignment between design intent and technical execution, regardless of scale or budget. Attention to detail is embedded across all phases of work, resulting in architectural outcomes that combine technical rigor, spatial coherence, and responsiveness to site and circumstance.
EASTON COMBS has been widely recognized for design innovation and conceptual rigor. Recent honors include the 2024 American Architecture Award (Private Houses), national and New York SARA Design Awards, and the 2023 RECORD HOUSE Award from Architectural Record for House SIX—an international recognition of both the success of EASTON COMBS and of their ongoing examination of the house as a site of architectural culture and environmental exploration. Prior distinctions include multiple AIANY Design Awards for built and unbuilt work (2010–2012), the Architectural League Prize (2008), and the highest honor citation in the 2010 New Practices New York competition. The firm was also featured in Architectural Record's Design Vanguard as one of the top emerging practices internationally.
Across projects ranging from private residences to cultural spaces—including pavilions, exhibitions, and museums—as well as institutional and infrastructural proposals, EASTON COMBS maintains a consistent commitment to material innovation, environmental performance, and the thoughtful calibration of space, form, and construction. The firm is a certified Women Business Enterprise (WBE) in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Rona Easton is a cofounder of EASTON COMBS and a registered architect in New York, Massachusetts, and the United Kingdom. She holds an NCARB certificate and was among the first wave of LEED Accredited Professionals in the U.S. In 2015, she completed Passive House training and became a Certified Passive House Consultant. Her work reflects a longstanding commitment to environmental performance and architectural design that is both materially grounded and spatially responsive.
Rona received her undergraduate degree in architecture from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow and her professional postgraduate diploma from the University of Westminster in London. She holds a Master’s degree from the Bartlett School of Architecture’s Unit for Advanced Architectural Studies, where her research—undertaken under the mentorship of Professor Bill Hillier—focused on spatial systems and the social logic of cities, as an extension of work in urban morphology and space syntax.
She has worked extensively with international architecture firms in London, Berlin, Hong Kong, and New York, contributing to and leading the design development and delivery of large-scale public and private projects across a range of building types—including infrastructure, commercial, bioscience, health, institutional, retail, and residential. Her ongoing work continues to integrate conceptual clarity with environmental strategies and technical execution.
Lonn Combs is a cofounder of EASTON COMBS and a registered architect in New York and Massachusetts. He holds an NCARB certificate and is a member of the American Institute of Architects. In addition to leading the practice, he is a tenured Associate Professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s School of Architecture, where his teaching and research explore the intersections of advanced design, material systems, and contemporary construction methodologies. With over two decades of experience in architectural education, he has played an integral role in shaping the design pedagogy and curriculum at Rensselaer—one of the top-ranked architecture programs in the United States.
Lonn earned a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Kentucky and a Master of Science in Advanced Architectural Design from Columbia University. In 2011, he was awarded the Rome Prize in Architecture by the American Academy in Rome and is a Fellow of the Academy (class of 2012), joining a legacy of architects recognized for advancing design through research and cultural inquiry. During his fellowship, he conducted research on the structural and material innovations of Pier Luigi Nervi. Awarded to only two architects annually, the Rome Prize reflects Lonn’s rare commitment to design excellence supported by extended research. In 2015, he was recognized with the Distinguished Alumni Award for Professional Achievement from the University of Kentucky College of Design.
Prior to founding EASTON COMBS, Lonn worked with prominent architectural practices in New York City, Hong Kong, and Berlin. His professional work integrates academic research and architectural practice, with a focus on material systems, spatial clarity, and the translation of conceptual design into built form.
At EASTON COMBS, we believe a licensed architect brings invaluable expertise, insight, and leadership to every phase of a building project. We work steadfastly in the interest of our clients to deliver thoughtful, high-quality architecture that reflects the full investment of time, budget, and care each project demands.
We believe that the quality of the built product is inseparable from the quality of the process. From early design through construction, we guide clients with transparency, technical rigor, and a commitment to spatial innovation and building performance—always attuned to the specific constraints of scope and scale. During the design phase, we advise on cost implications and work collaboratively to shape strategies that align with project goals while maximizing long-term value. In the traditional owner–architect–contractor relationship, we serve as our clients’ advocate—ensuring that construction documents are correctly interpreted and executed with integrity.
Our approach to value in construction is grounded in high-performance strategies that prioritize building envelope, energy efficiency, and occupant comfort. We integrate the comprehensive approach to high-performance building design often found in the Passive House standard and beyond. This includes airtight construction, robust thermal insulation, efficient envelope detailing, and mechanical ventilation systems with energy or heat recovery. Simply put, we design technically rigorous, better-performing building systems that reduce long-term operational costs, improve comfort, and support durability.
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